Chaga Powder for Tea/Drink

This Chaga powder is a dietary supplement.

Chaga, known as Sprängticka in Swedish, is a type of tree fungus that grows wild across much of the northern hemisphere, usually on birch trees (see image below). The word Chaga comes from the fungus's Russian name (Czaga), which is said to originate from the indigenous people around the Kama River in southern Russia. Chaga tea has been consumed as a health drink in Russia, Northern Europe, and parts of Asia for many hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

What does Chaga contain?

Chaga contains a wide range of active and supportive substances. Perhaps most well-known is its almost supernatural ORAC value (ORAC is a way to measure a food's antioxidant activity). Chaga generally scores over 100,000 ORAC per 100g – compared to, for example, wild blueberries at about 9,000 or cocoa at about 30,000.

One of the body's most important antioxidants is an enzyme called SOD (Superoxide Dismutase). Chaga contains the highest amount of SOD of all known foods, which explains its high ORAC value.

A completely different group of substances found abundantly in Chaga are Beta-D-Glucans – a group of polysaccharides.

How do I use Chaga?

Chaga has traditionally been used as a tea. The human body lacks the enzymes needed to break down Chaga's cell walls, so we cannot access the nutrients in Chaga without some form of heating.

Dosage for adults: 1 teaspoon per day.

Tea preparation:

• Use 1 teaspoon per 0.5 liters of water.

• Heat the water to 80-90°C (just below boiling) and pour into a thermos.

• Let it steep for at least 1 hour. It can preferably be left overnight (7-8 hours) to infuse thoroughly.

• Or place directly in a tea infuser in your cup and wait a while. You can dry and reuse the granules as long as they release color.

• For a richer flavor, you can mix in fresh ginger, goji berries, or other herbs and let them steep together with the Chaga in the thermos.

Contraindications:

1. Chaga may increase bleeding risk in people taking blood-thinning medications.

2. Chaga may raise the risk of hypoglycemia in diabetics taking insulin.

The recommended dose should not be exceeded. Dietary supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied diet. Store in a dry place and out of reach of children.

Use Chaga in more ways:

• Drink as a warm tea – plain or with a little stevia or honey added.

• Make a "Chaga Latte" by mixing Chaga with cinnamon and cardamom in the thermos, then serve with almond or oat milk and your choice of sweetener. Chaga also pairs well with chocolate.

• Use cooled Chaga tea as a base in smoothies or soups. It’s a great way to enrich your smoothie or soup with lots of antioxidants and other beneficial compounds, while adding a deep, slightly smoky flavor.

• Use the tea as a base in any dish where you need to use water – experiment and see what works.

Contents: 125 grams gently dried birch conk (Inonotus obliquus), ground into powder from Latvia.

Nutritional value per 100 g

Energy 669 kJ/160 kcal

Fat 1 g

Carbohydrates 54 g

– of which sugars 3 g

Fiber 20 g

Protein 12 g

Salt 14 mg

Phosphorus 332 mg, 47% of RI

Iron 2.4 mg, 17% of RI

β-glucan 15-25 g

Supplier: Mother Earth, Sweden.

Country of origin: Latvia

Also called

Chaga mushroom, Sprängticka, Inonotus obliquus, Tjaga