Chaga the Medicinal Fungus

As said above the climatic environment of the mushrooms has an influence on the formation of these formulations. Whereas in tropical and subtropical climates growth and reactions of any kind are commonly fast,  the low often sub-zero temperatures where Chaga mushrooms propagate result in a much slower growth and form and produce biochemical molecules which are hardly found in milder climates. Actually, the entire flora of the northern regions of the world is much less known to the public than the vegetation of the more temperate areas of our globe.

Usually, people searching for a cure to heal an illness of themselves, a friend or relative are frequently on the search for nonconventional treatments aside the established medical techniques.

Searching then Internet for Chaga Mushroom provides a countless number of articles, difficult to judge on their value and validity by the medically inexperienced lay person.

Some of the Internet content items sound like snake oil pitches and need careful analysis about their content. Often they do not withstand a serious checkup as repetitions and claims are contradictory.

However, the Chaga mushroom is a remarkable medicinal fungus with a wide range of special effects provided the adequate preparation is met.

Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) is a pore mushroom with a black, coal-like appearance. Inside it has a brownish to orange color.

It’s black appearance comes from the high melanin content. Melanin is a protective pigment that determines the skin tone in humans too. The melanin content in Chaga is far over average compared to other food and medicinal plants. The mushroom is very rich in minerals and trace elements such as potassium and zinc. Other significant components are betulinic acid. It is growing in Canada, Russia, Korea as well as in Northern and Eastern Europe.

In folk medicine, this legendary medicinal mushroom is used in case treating inflammations of the gastrointestinal tract like polyps, inflammation of the stomach, parasitic infections, diabetes and it is known strengthening the immune system.

This rare tree fungus grows on the trunks of birch, ash and maple trees.

It needs to be mentioned that medically potent Chaga grows on birch trees only. The spreading of Chaga bearing Birches is in the forests in the northern hemisphere. Especially in Scandinavia, Siberia, Japan, and Canada. It is up to 50 cm tall and looks like a shapeless black lump.

Another rule of the thumb is that as colder the climate is where the Chaga grows as better the healing power of Chaga substances will be.

The fact that Chaga is also growing as a parasite on other leaf trees is already a reason to look carefully where the final product is coming from. Remember only Chaga harvested in Birch trees has all the contents which give Chaga the healing power.

As said above growing on other trees than birch, diluting it with bark and the pulverizing all belong to the tricks of unethical handling.

Experience shows, however, that only the Chaga mushroom contains the unique, important health ingredients in sufficient quantity from freezing regions such as Scandinavia and Siberia and Canada. The reason for this is that only at very low temperatures the important health ingredients are developing through the very slow growing of the Chaga mushroom due to the cold climate.