Chaga Tea: Preparation and Use - How to Make It Successfully

The chaga mushroom is extremely robust against cold. It thrives on birch trees in Scandinavia and withstands the harsh conditions there. Wouldn't it be great if the mushroom could pass these qualities on to you? For example, with chaga tea. But how do you prepare chaga tea? Learn everything you need to know about the tea and how to brew it here.

Chaga Mushroom Overview

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus, birch polypore) is one of the most popular medicinal mushrooms. But how did this come about? Actually, chaga isn't a new discovery. The mushroom has been used in natural medicine since the 12th century. However, thanks to new findings in scientific research and the increasing popularity of natural methods, chaga is experiencing a well-deserved comeback. We've analyzed the current state of research for you in a comprehensive, separate blog article: Chaga Mushroom: Effects and Uses

Recipe: Chaga Tea Preparation

Various herbal teas can probably be found in every kitchen cupboard as home remedies for sore throats, coughs, stomach aches, and more. In our opinion, chaga should also be included as a natural remedy. However, the preparation is a little different than simply steeping a tea bag. We'll show you how to brew a tea from chaga chunks without destroying its beneficial properties.

Ingredients for Chaga Tea

For 2 cups of mushroom tea you will need:

• 5 grams of chaga chunks and 500 ml of water

• or for example: 10 grams of chaga chunks and 1,000 ml of water

Aside from that:

• 1 pot

• 1 sieve or spoon

• 2 cups or tea glasses

Preparation of Chaga Tea

• Place chaga chunks and water in a pot.

• Bring to a simmer (not a rolling boil) over low to medium heat. The ideal temperature is between 70 and 90 °C.

• Heat for at least 15 minutes. Longer is better.

• Fish out the chaga chunks with a spoon or strain the tea into the cups and enjoy.

5 tips for your Chaga tea

Tip 1 : You can reuse the chaga chunks multiple times, even up to 10 times. If necessary, cut the chunk into smaller pieces before the next use to extract more of the mushroom's beneficial properties. Once the chaga pieces no longer release color into the water, no more active ingredients will be released. At that point, you should use a new chaga chunk.

Tip 2 : The best way to store used chaga is in a little water in the refrigerator. If you want to reuse the pieces, add the water to the pot and cut the mushroom into smaller pieces. Then prepare as usual.

Proper storage of dried chaga pieces: Mold develops when moisture is trapped. Therefore, you should store the mushroom in a dry place and in breathable packaging. Airtight plastic containers and tins are unsuitable for long-term storage. The products are usually packaged in paper bags, similar to other teas. This is also the ideal packaging for home storage.

Tip 3 : Chaga tea has a long shelf life. You can prepare a larger quantity at once, store it in a carafe in the refrigerator for two to three days, and then warm it up or drink it cold as needed.

Tip 4 : While chaga tea doesn't have a typical mushroom flavor, its taste is still somewhat unusual. To make it a delicious drink nonetheless, you can enhance it. These ingredients work well in chaga tea:

• Honey

• Spices such as cinnamon or chai spice powder

• Chaga mushroom has a slightly vanilla-like flavor; adding vanilla extract will accentuate this note.

• Chaga tea and frothed milk go perfectly together to make a delicious Chaga Latte.

• A splash of lemon juice

• Add the ginger during the last few minutes of cooking.

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• Ice cubes for a cool treat in summer

Tip 5 : Not all water is created equal: Depending on how soft or hard your tap water is at home, it can affect the taste. We therefore recommend filtering it beforehand if you have very hard water. This can make a big difference in the flavor. By the way, this applies not only to chaga tea, but also to other teas and coffee.

That's why a Chaga tea treatment lasting several months is worthwhile

Does your body need a reset? Do you want to prepare optimally for cold and flu season? Or perhaps wean yourself off coffee? Then a course of treatment with the Chaga mushroom is just what you need. Drink 1-2 cups of Chaga tea daily for several months. A typical Chaga course lasts between six weeks and six months. 100 grams of Chaga chunks will last you for about six months if you use them repeatedly, making them very economical.

During this time, you benefit from the ingredients. Antioxidants, for example, protect your cells from free radicals. Furthermore, the chaga mushroom contains polysaccharides, triterpenes, phytochemicals, minerals, and vitamins that benefit your body. Another advantage of the chaga regimen is that you take a little time out each day. Preparing the tea gives you about 15-20 minutes to relax. Use this time for breathing exercises, yoga, or to read a book. This short break can work wonders and lower your stress level. And this, in turn, has a positive effect on your immune system, because chronic stress weakens your defenses.

Incidentally, preparing tea from mushrooms is the traditional method for using medicinal mushrooms. Simple powder is often advertised as a natural preparation of mushrooms, but grinding dried mushrooms is relatively new. Traditionally, mushrooms are always cooked or fried and never eaten raw. This has a good reason, as it increases bioavailability. So don't be afraid of heating the mushrooms.

Alternative preparation methods for Chaga

Chaga tea is a great way to incorporate this medicinal mushroom into your daily routine, especially if you already enjoy tea. However, waiting 15 minutes isn't always possible. Perhaps a different preparation method for chaga would fit much better into your day.

• Chaga Concentrate: You can prepare your chaga tea using twice as many chaga chunks in the same amount of water. Let the tea simmer (about 30 minutes) until only 200-250 milliliters remain. Then filter it and store it in a sealed bottle in the refrigerator. You can then quickly and easily dilute the concentrate, sometimes also called a tincture, with hot water to make tea.

• Overnight infusion: Boil water (e.g., in a kettle), add 5 grams of chaga to a cup or glass, and pour the boiling water over it. Cover and let it steep overnight. The next morning, simply strain and drink it cold or warmed.

• Chaga extract: Compared to tea, a professionally produced dual extract contains more than just water-soluble components of the mushroom. With an extract, you get the full spectrum. Plus, it's easy to use. You can simply take our Pure Immune liquid extract with chaga (and almond mushroom) directly from the spoon or stir it into a beverage of your choice. Take a closer look here .

• Golden Mushroom Milk: This product also contains a highly bioavailable dual extract of Chaga mushroom. Simply stir it into warm milk (or a plant-based alternative) for a soothing golden milk combined with other valuable ingredients. Feel free to take a closer look at the ingredients and nutritional information here .

Buying Chaga Tea: Here's what you should know

Since chaga mushrooms are currently very popular, there are many different products available, some of which vary considerably in quality. We generally advise against very cheap products and those from disreputable manufacturers. If the mushrooms are not dried or stored correctly, mold can develop, which is harmful to your health. You'll notice this as a dominant bitter note in your tea. However, bitterness can also indicate low mushroom quality. If chaga grows on very old or even dead birch trees, bitter compounds will develop. A high-quality chaga mushroom has a mild, earthy, slightly vanilla-like flavor reminiscent of wood.

Chaga is sold under various names. If the package says Chaga, Tschaga, Schieferporling, or Inonotus obliquus, then you have the correct mushroom. This type cannot be cultivated to the same potency. Therefore, look for wild-harvested Chaga. It takes several years, even decades, for a Chaga mushroom to reach maturity and potency. Cultivated mushrooms don't live as long, grow on substrates instead of birch trees, and this affects their nutritional profile. Chaga from mushroom farms differs significantly in its composition from wild mushrooms. Therefore, our recommendation is: buy wild-harvested Chaga, ideally from organic and sustainable sources!

Pay attention to the origin as well. Chaga mushrooms do grow in northern Germany, but they are exposed to very different conditions there. The milder climate means there's no need for the formation of certain secondary plant compounds. For a good tea, we therefore recommend chaga mushrooms from as far north as possible – ideally from Scandinavia. Ideally, the chaga chunks should come from regions around or above the Arctic Circle. Incidentally, even when harvesting from the wild, it's important to ensure sustainable forest management. Our chaga chunks from smaints come from organically managed forests in Finnish Lapland. The trees are at least five years old, and the mushroom grows at least one meter above the ground. We exclusively use chaga that has grown on living birch trees. For you, this means the best quality and potency for your tea.

Chaga Tea: Conclusion

The chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) is enjoying renewed popularity and is considered a European superfood, although it has long been used in naturopathy. It is said to support the immune system, gut health, and blood sugar stability through various ingredients such as triterpenes. Preparing the tea is relatively simple. Heat chaga pieces with water in a pot for 15 minutes or longer (do not boil) and then strain through a sieve. The tea can be customized with various flavorings such as spices, honey, milk, and more. Other forms of administration or preparation of chaga are also possible. With ourliquid extract, for example, you benefit from a full spectrum of ingredients and even higher bioavailability.

A Chaga tea regimen over several weeks or months allows your body to experience a gentle reboot. This new routine gives you time to unwind and treat yourself to a soothing tea every day. To ensure you receive a truly high-quality product, there are a few things to consider when purchasing. Wild harvesting from northern Scandinavia, use of living birch trees, and other factors are important.

Sources:

https://www.usz.ch/wie-stress-unser-immunsystem-beeinflusst/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27865960/

https://schnelleinfachgesund.de/chaga-tee/

https://schnelleinfachgesund.de/chaga-pilz-lebenselixier/ 

https://examine.com/supplements/chaga/ 

https://ihre-heilpraktiker.berlin/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Chaga-Tee-zubereiten.pdf

https://theartofraw.at/die-qualitaet-von-chaga-pilzen-beurteilen/