Chaga is what many call the “King of the Medicinal Mushrooms.” However, many people would walk past Chaga growing on a birch tree and not even know it! The reason for this is because the Chaga mushroom doesn’t actually look like a mushroom at all. It grows in large black clumps on the sides of birch trees and can’t truly be identified as a mushroom until you cut it open and see its bright orange ridged insides. However, Chaga harvesting has become much more popular as the benefits of this magical mushroom have become more widely known. Chaga extract is the most potent form of Chaga and is available in supplement form.
Chaga Extract Ingredients
The ingredients in Chaga mushrooms are what make it so powerful. Chaga has been known to alleviate cancer treatment symptoms, boost the immune system, beautify skin, relieve stress and much more. But how? It all has to do with the ingredients. Chaga contains ingredients like:
- Beta-glucans
- Betulinic acid
- Phytosterols
- Melanin
- Antioxidants
- Ionized essential minerals
- Polysaccharides
- Tripeptides
- Vitamin B1, B2 and B3
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin D2
- Amino acids
- Dietary fiber
- Ionized trace minerals
- Inotidiol
If you’re like most people, you have little to no idea what any of these even are! Don’t worry, many are in the same boat. However, these ingredients are some of the most essential vitamins and nutrients required for your body to function.
Benefits of Chaga Mushroom Powder Extract
Here are how some of these Chaga ingredients can help your health:
- Beta-glucans: This ingredient is a type of glucose polysaccharide found in the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, and plants. Beta-glucans are extremely important because they can ward off tumors, cardiovascular disease, both bacterial and viral infections, and hormonal imbalances.
- Betulinic acid: Chaga found in Siberia contains high quantities of betulinic acid in an easily digestible form. The betulinic acid found in this type of Chaga is full of phytochemicals that can boost your immune system and reduce your cholesterol. However, the main benefit of betulinic acid is that it has been proven to directly target cancer cells and reduce tumors.
- Polysaccharides: This ingredient helps to strengthen the immune system and fight against bacterial and viral infections, HIV, and cancer.
- Melanin: The melanin that is found in Chaga mushrooms is extremely high in antioxidants. It has been proven to make skin brighter, eyes healthier and hair stronger.
- Vitamin K: This vitamin is crucial for those who have spider veins and broken capillaries. Very few vitamins and minerals effectively target these problems, but vitamin K is able to reduce the size and improve the appearance of both spider veins and broken capillaries.
- Vitamin D2: Many people incorrectly assume that they can get all of the vitamins that they need from eating a healthy, balanced diet. Unfortunately, this is not the case. For example, vitamin D2 is an important vitamin that isn’t found in any vegetables. Vitamin D2 helps create new skin cells and strengthen teeth, hair and bones. This vitamin is oftentimes included in prescriptions to help treat psoriasis and cancer.
- Inotidiol: Inotidiol is known to fight both flus and cancer. However, the inotidiol found in Siberian Chaga is also known to combat the growth of tumors.
- Sterol: Sterol is an active ingredient that can treat psoriasis, allergies, lupus, herpes and prostate problems.
Chaga extract supplements
When looking for a Chaga extract supplement, there are a few important factors to take into consideration. The most important thing to remember, though, is to always look for supplements that have processed raw Chaga. While many people assume that unprocessed raw Chaga would be more beneficial, the truth is that it passes right through the system. The ingredients of raw Chaga mushroom are easily absorbed- but only when taken in the right form.
Therefore, an extraction process is needed to take place before Chaga can be absorbed. The two main methods for extraction are with hot water or with alcohol/ethanol. While both of these extraction methods can create beneficial Chaga extract supplements, they can both cause you to lose out on some of the crucial and beneficial ingredients in Chaga. The only way to ensure that you receive both the water soluble and non-water soluble ingredients is to use a combination of both extraction processes.
To find the best Chaga supplements, it’s imperative that you read the label of the supplement bottle. If the ingredients list is vague, you are likely looking at raw and unprocessed Chaga. If the ingredient list is detailed and extensive, then the Chaga supplement is likely of high quality. However, to be sure that you aren’t buying a low quality supplement, always ask for the Certificate of Analysis (COA). Only trustworthy and reputable Chaga manufacturers will have a COA.
Chaga extract is an extremely potent and convenient form of Chaga. There are several different ways to consume Chaga, including in both tea and tincture form. While these are very natural ways to consume Chaga mushroom, they also take time to prepare. While teas may only take a few minutes, tinctures can take months! If you want to reap the benefits of Chaga, but lack time to prepare it, Chaga extract supplements are the way to go. You can simply take a few in the morning on your way out the door!