Chaga mushrooms are adaptogens. If you’ve never heard the term, adaptogens are plants that know what our bodies need. Dr. Fisher explains in the video below, “An adaptogen is a plant that will change a physiological value. Let’s take blood pressure. Suppose you have high blood pressure. By taking a certain adaptogen, it will lower your blood pressure. Let’s say you have low blood pressure, hypotension. By taking that SAME adaptogen, it will elevate your blood pressure. . . . By giving the body what it needs . . . the body can repair itself and the body can function optimally. . . ” How cool is that?
My favorite way to ingest chaga is to make chaga tea (never eat it raw!) and add it, 50/50, to organic black coffee. (I use Vermont Coffee Company’s Decaf.) I especially love to add equal amounts of Chaga and coffee into my Vitamix along with a tablespoon of organic coconut oil and a tablespoon of organic grass-fed butter, then blend until frothy – YUM!
- 1 oz. dried and chunked Chaga Mushroom (about ½ cup)
- 32 oz. filtered water
- Place water and Chaga into a stainless steel or glass pot and measure height.
- Bring to a slow boil.
- Boil until water has evaporated by ⅓.
- When done, Chaga Tea will look like a rich, dark coffee.
- Each day, remove the amount of Chaga tea you'd like to drink and replace with fresh water to the boiled-down level. (If you remove 4 oz. of tea, replace with 4 oz. water.)
- Bring to a slow boil and boil for 10 minutes.
- Chaga MUST be boiled each day to prevent mold. If mold occurs - THROW OUT!!!
When I first purchased chaga, a Master Herbalist told me, “Chaga will let you know when its not useful anymore.” She was right. When finished, the liquid turns almost clear and the chaga is visible at the bottom of the pot. The remaining chaga chunks can be made into a Chaga tincture. More on that later.
My chaga tea sits on my stovetop in a glass pot waiting for me. (CAUTION: The chaga discolored my glass pot.) Each day I remove about 4 to 6 ounces and replace what I removed with fresh water. I bring it to a soft boil for about 10 minutes. IT MUST BE BOILED EACH DAY TO AVOID MOLD!!! NOTE: Some people refrigerate their chaga tea, but I’m not an expert on how long it will last without getting moldy. I stick to boiling it each day.
Click on picture below to purchase another adaptogen, moringa oleifera.
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