Chaga Facts
Chaga (Inonotus Obliquus) is a parasitic fungus that mainly grows off of yellow birch. Chaga mushroom draws its nutrients out of the living birch, rather than from the ground. Chaga looks like charcoal and is a black, crumbly mass. It usually grows on a birch that has been damaged. Up here in Maine they do a lot of logging for pine trees. They usually leave the yellow birch alone but during the logging process they tend to damage the birch and the chaga will start to grow on the hurt part of the tree. The chaga absorbs the nutrients and phytochemicals from the birch host. Chaga can live with a birch tree for up to ten years absorbing all the anti-cancer compounds out of the birch. The chaga will fall off of the tree when it eventually flowers. Then the birch tree usually dies as well. Once the Chaga has grown to a decent size it is easy to remove. We use an old hammer and gently knock the chaga off of the tree. Chaga is easier to spot in the winter months since less leaves are on the trees and the snow tends to sit on top of the mass making it easier to find.
Chaga has many medicinal properties. Chaga has been used by Native American for centuries to help boost the immune system, cure stomach aches, and help with heart and liver problems. Records date back to the 16th century on chaga being used to cure ailments. Recent research has been done that supports the claims of Chagas medicinal properties. Many people are now taking chaga daily to ward of cancer. Chaga contains betulinic acid which is now being used to inhibit the growth of tumors. Chaga also has one of the highest natural amounts of B vitamins.There is no argument that antioxidants are crucial for one's health. Chaga has the highest ORAC score ever recorded! ORAC is a test that tells how many antioxidants are in a food. Foods with a high ORAC score may be able to protect cells and their components from oxidative damage aka aging. Testing of chaga has shown that it has the highest ORAC score recorded in any natural food: 1,104 ORAC units per gram. This is more than 6 times as powerful as açaí berries, more than 10 times the antioxidant power of pomegranate and 46 times higher than blueberries. This means that chaga mushroom has a far greater capacity to wipe out free radicals in your system. Why would someone not take chaga?
Research and References:
Here is some recent research on the anti-cancer properties of chaga:
http://iospress.metapress.com/content/6papvfcy71jx16mn/.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16458328
For a little lighter reading on chaga I recommend visiting these sites:
http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/the-chaga-natures-medicinal-mushroom/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaga_mushroom
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1278493
Chaga has many medicinal properties. Chaga has been used by Native American for centuries to help boost the immune system, cure stomach aches, and help with heart and liver problems. Records date back to the 16th century on chaga being used to cure ailments. Recent research has been done that supports the claims of Chagas medicinal properties. Many people are now taking chaga daily to ward of cancer. Chaga contains betulinic acid which is now being used to inhibit the growth of tumors. Chaga also has one of the highest natural amounts of B vitamins.There is no argument that antioxidants are crucial for one's health. Chaga has the highest ORAC score ever recorded! ORAC is a test that tells how many antioxidants are in a food. Foods with a high ORAC score may be able to protect cells and their components from oxidative damage aka aging. Testing of chaga has shown that it has the highest ORAC score recorded in any natural food: 1,104 ORAC units per gram. This is more than 6 times as powerful as açaí berries, more than 10 times the antioxidant power of pomegranate and 46 times higher than blueberries. This means that chaga mushroom has a far greater capacity to wipe out free radicals in your system. Why would someone not take chaga?
Research and References:
Here is some recent research on the anti-cancer properties of chaga:
http://iospress.metapress.com/content/6papvfcy71jx16mn/.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16458328
For a little lighter reading on chaga I recommend visiting these sites:
http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/the-chaga-natures-medicinal-mushroom/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaga_mushroom
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1278493