VIGR Wild Chaga Mushroom Chunks, 8 oz

VIGR Lifestyles Wild Harvested Canadian Chaga Mushroom

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is a wild mushroom that grows in the birch forests of Canada and around the world. Chaga is referred to as the “King of the Medicinal Mushrooms” because of its many anti-tumor, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory benefits. Chaga is second only to raw chocolate in antioxidant quantity.

Chaga is a premier herbal adaptogen which is a metabolic regulator that increases an organism’s ability to adapt to environmental factors and resist stress.

Chaga contains a super powerful anti-tumor compound called betulinic acid, an anti-mutagenic compound that is naturally found in the white part of the birch bark. Chaga mushroom feeds on and concentrates betulin.

Chaga is loaded with beta-glucan. Beta glucans are used for high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, and HIV/AIDS. Beta glucans are also used to boost the immune system in people whose body defenses have been weakened by conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, or physical and emotional stress; or by treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy. Beta glucans are also used for colds (common cold), flu (influenza), H1N1 (swine) flu, allergies, hepatitis, Lyme disease, asthma, ear infections, aging, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.

Chaga also contains very high concentrations of melanin. Melanin is the same compound as the pigment in our skin, the retina of the eye, and the pigment bearing neurons within the brain stem. Melanin fights the effects of radiation by activating the pineal gland, deactivates radioactive isotopes and converts them into benign forms. Melanin is also regarded as protection from heavy metals.

Chaga is a superior cancer fighter, immune system modulator, digestive tonifier, longevity tonic, and a genoprotective (DNA-shielding) agent.

Chaga Mushroom is used to:

 Strengthen immunity

 Enhance skin, hair, nails, eyes, and ears

 Purify the blood

 Fight allergies and asthma

 Fight cancer and tumors

 Reduce the workload of the immune system

 Activate the pineal gland or “third eye”

 Balance PH levels

 Increase the body’s alkalinity (7.4 is the optimum PH)

 Improve digestion

 Detoxify and purify the liver

 Improve circulation

 Lower harmful LDL

 Disperse clumped red blood cells

 Fight bronchitis

 Protect intestines against colitis, gastritis, and digestive inflammation

Chaga naturally contains the following nutrients and natural medicines:

 Superoxide dismutase, an antioxidant, liver cleansing, cell membrane protective, genoprotective enzyme

 Beta glucans (powerful immune stimulant, lowers cholesterol and triglycerides, helps normalize blood sugar levels, heals and rejuvenates the skin)

 Betulin/betulinic acid

 Melanin

 Trace minerals: antimony, barium, bismuth, boron, germanium, copper, manganese, strontium, zinc

 Major minerals: calcium, cesium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, rubidium, silicon

 Vitamins B2, B3, D2, K1

 Dietary fibre

How to Brew and Consume Chaga: The Chaga Recipe

One-cup recipe

1. Bring water to a boil.

2. Fill a stainless steel tea strainer with small chunks

3. We recommend a 3.5 cm stainless steel tea ball

4. Place strainer in cup

5. Pour boiling water over the strainer and chunks

6. Stir as water cools down to palatable temperature

7. The more you stir the darker the water becomes

A note on boiling:

Some websites and sources say not to introduce Chaga Mushroom to boiling water. Other sources say that boiling water is fine and does not damage the Chaga mushroom.

In our experience, we have found that Chaga tastes just fine when it is exposed to boiling water. Russian users of Chaga swear by the boiled method.

On a single serve, we typically use water from a boiled kettle. On large batches above 5 liters, we use a special Boswell Boiler that has a temperature setting, denoted in Celsius. Our temperature is usually set to 55 degrees Celsius (131*F) and up to 65 degrees Celsius (149*F).

The reason for 55-65 degrees Celsius or 131-149 degrees Fahrenheit is that it makes the Chaga ready to drink. We typically steep the Chaga at these temps for hours and up to several days.

Crock Pot Temperatures

 Cuisinart Slow Cookers: High = 212 F, Low = 200 F, Simmer = 185 F, Keep Warm = 165 F.

Stove Top Temperatures

 A stove top on the “simmer” setting will typically be about 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

 The lower end temps will typically go up to around 190 degrees Fahrenheit.

1 Liter Recipe

1. Boil or heat one liter of water in a pot on the stove or in a crock-pot

2. Add one tablespoon of chunks or 3 square centimeters of Chaga per liter

3. The tea will darken quicker if chunks are powdered using a coffee grinder, mortar and pestle, or Nutri-bullet. Exercise caution as our Chaga is extremely hard and can crack plastic coffee grinders!

4. Steep for 10 minutes and up to several hours for desired strength

20 Liter Recipe

1. This is done with the use of a Boswell Boiler with a 20 liter capacity

2. Pour in 20 Liters of Spring Water

3. Turn the water setting to 65*C

4. Remove 1⁄4 of the Chaga from the 8 ounce bag

5. 1⁄4 to 1/3 of the bag is optimum for 20 liters

6. Let simmer for several hours to several days