Chaga mushroom health benefits

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Chaga benefits for skin

Chaga mushroom health benefits

Chaga Mushroom is a parasitic fungus that is also known by its botanical name, Inonotus Obliquus, and cultivates on white and yellow birch trees. This mushroom is popular for its medicinal purposes among Polish and Russian regions. It grows as a large, black, and brunt mass with an orange-coloured centre protruding from the tree’s trunk.

Moreover, Chaga mushrooms are commonly harvested in semi-arctic climates that have the availability of big birch trees such as Canada, Asia, Russia, Alaska, and northern parts of the American states. Additionally, Chaga consumes different host plants including poplar trees, cherry trees, and maple trees for its growth. Chaga mushroom health benefits are substantial due to this type of interaction with the host.

 

However, Chaga mushroom taken from birch trees has more bioactive components compared to other plants. Thereby, Chaga mushrooms derived from other sources are not bought frequently.

Furthermore, the taste of Chaga mushroom is quite different from the regular mushroom. As it has a mild earthy flavour which sometimes gives a nutty and vanilla aftertaste. That’s why chefs across the globe often put Chaga as their main ingredients in tea and coffee. 

Nutritional Value of Chaga Mushroom

Chaga Mushrooms contain many nutrients that help the body to perform its vital functions. Moreover, these mushrooms are rich in antioxidants with an Oxygen Radical Absorbing Capacity (ORAC) score of 146,400.

Additionally, Chaga mushroom nutrients easily dissolved when it’s taken with hot water and alcohol. The latter is due to the breakdown of the tough cell wall of these mushrooms upon interacting with high temperatures. Therefore Chaga mushrooms are healthier when they are taken with coffees and teas. Furthermore, Chaga mushroom supplements are not commonly available in tablets or capsules but extracts.

Chaga mushrooms are rich in vitamins and minerals which includes:

⦁ Vitamin B complex
⦁ Vitamin D
⦁ Magnesium
⦁ Calcium
⦁ Potassium
⦁ Cesium
⦁ Copper
⦁ Rubidium
⦁ Iron
⦁ Selenium
⦁ Zinc

Also, 2 teaspoons of Chaga mushrooms have a nutritional value of:

⦁ Total numbers of calories: 30
⦁ Carbohydrates: 7 grams
⦁ Fiber: 7 grams
⦁ Fat: 0 grams

Health Benefits of Chaga Mushrooms

Chaga mushroom health benefits

Following is some of the top health benefits of Chaga mushrooms:

Chaga benefits for skin

When oxidation stress in your body increases, it affects your skin and causes sagging skin, pigmentation, wrinkles, and grey hairs. Moreover, when our skin encounters sun or pollution, it releases free oxygen radicals which have to be neutralized by the body. The latter process then fastens the aging process of the skin.

Thereby, taking Chaga mushrooms which is an antioxidant-rich food can slowdowns the aging process. Furthermore, these mushrooms can reverse certain aging signs and may work as an anti-aging supplement.

Protects the body against bad cholesterol

Our body produces two types of cholesterol namely HDL and LDL. However, LDL or low-density lipoproteins is also known as bad cholesterol. Additionally, a high amount of LDL in a body can give rise to lethal heart problems. As Chaga mushrooms are rich in oxygen, they can reduce the LDL levels in our bloodstream. Furthermore, they prevent the body from cardiovascular disorders.

Maintains body blood pressure

Oxidative stress is the primary contributing factor of high blood pressure or hypertension as shown by research. Even people having hypertension are at greater risk of getting a stroke, heart attack, kidney failure alongside other cardiac disorders. Thereby, eating Chaga mushrooms can lessen the body’s blood pressure due to their antioxidant properties and promote heart health.

Possess Anti-cancer properties

Recent research has proven that Chaga mushrooms can prevent different forms of cancer and resist their growth. Chaga possesses antioxidants that can protect cells from the damage caused by free oxygen radicals. But when your body lacks antioxidants, it gets more prone to oxidative stress that can provoke cancer alongside other metabolic conditions.
A study done in 2010 shows that the growth of breast, cervical, and lung cancer reduces after putting Chaga in a petri dish. Consequently, when compared to other cancer treatments, Chaga doesn’t give any harm to the functional cells of the body. However, various trials are still in process to understand the anti-cancer abilities of Chaga mushrooms.

Possess anti-inflammatory properties

The process of inflammation helps the body in illness. Fever itself is due to an inflammatory reaction to kill unhealthy organisms of your system. But if inflammation stays in our internal environment for so long then it causes chronic disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. Even certain mental disorders including depression can occur because of prolonged inflammation.

Chaga regulates cytokine production that helps in preventing inflammation. That’s why these mushrooms are beneficial for the treatment of auto-immune disorders. 

Possess anti-viral properties

According to research conducted on animal cells, it was observed that Chaga extract was able to reduce the infectious properties of hepatitis C within 10 minutes. In humans, Chaga mushrooms can treat certain viral diseases such as Hepatitis C and HIV type 1.

Supports Gut Health

The body produces bile that aids in the digestion of food particles. When metabolism lacks bile, it cannot absorb the nutrients and can further cause gut disorders. Eating Chaga mushrooms can solve this problem as they regulate bile production that helps the gut to digest hard particles and make them available for easy absorption.

Adverse Effects of Chaga Mushrooms

Chaga mushrooms if taken in high quantity can provoke these side effects:

Blood clotting 

Chaga mushrooms should not be eaten before or after surgery as they reduce blood clotting and can cause heavy bleeding during the operation. Additionally, the use of Chaga mushroom must be stopped before 2 weeks of surgery. 

Hypoglycemia

People having diabetes must consult a doctor before taking Chaga mushroom . As Chaga mushroom decreases the blood sugar and can trigger Hypoglycemia. In a Hypoglycemic state, the body becomes fatigued, shaky, irritable, and thirsty. If left untreated, hypoglycemic shock can give rise to serious outcomes.

 

Pregnancy

Women with ongoing pregnancy must take Chaga mushrooms with precaution. Even females who are breastfeeding their child should not consume these mushrooms as not many benefits are reported by their use.

Chaga vs Reishi

Both Chaga and Reishi mushrooms are best when used for medicinal purposes. Also, these mushrooms share many similarities between them but are different.

Chaga mushrooms are popularly known for their antioxidant properties that improve digestion, stamina, immunity, and heart health of our body. Whereas Reishi mushrooms are good at stress-relieving that provide a calm effect to mind and body, improve sleep, and balance functions of the central nervous system.

Furthermore, Chaga mushrooms are commonly used to treat gut disorders and they maintain the microbial activity of our intestinal tract. On the other hand, Reishi mushrooms work more on the central nervous system and liver. 

Additionally, both Chaga and Reishi mushrooms have many similarities as they maintain immune responses of our body and fight against auto-immune conditions such as eczema and asthma. These mushrooms also boost immunity and further aid in the treatment and prevention of colds and flu.

Both Chaga and Reishi mushrooms are also known as adaptogens. To be precise, both these types of mushrooms have adaptogen herbs that support the body to bear stress and normal metabolism process. Also, these mushrooms are non-specific to stress which means that they can help against any form of stressors such as mental, physical, or biological stress. 

In the end, Chaga and Reishi mushrooms have their benefits and advantages if used properly.

Chaga benefits testimonials

Many people across the globe have taken Chaga extracts and supplements due to their medicinal purposes and have something to say about these mushrooms.
D. Anderson says that he suffered from neuropathy of the knee which disturbs the sensation of his lower limbs. A week ago, he started taking Chaga mushrooms, and surprisingly, his both limbs are fine now with normal sensation and temperature.
Another user named Erica share her experience of taking Chaga mushroom by saying that her grandchild was having rough skin and he was battling very hard against eczema. After consuming Chaga extract, he got his normal skin back.

When to Harvest

In the middle of winter after the temperature as been bellow 40 degrees for more than a few weeks.

This is when its at its best.

grow mushrooms


References

 

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