Chaga mushroom is an odd-looking black fungus found on injured birch trees in Canada’s Woodland Cree culture, commonly referred to as Wesakechak omikih and used for food, medicine, and fire-starting purposes. Chaga mushrooms act as an adaptogen; helping your body manage stress more easily while providing vital balance-promoting properties like strong antibacterial defense and immune-enhancing benefits.

Fungi contain high concentrations of antioxidants, including melanin which gives its dark hue and helps protect cells against oxidation and the aging process. They are also rich sources of B vitamins, zinc and vitamin D – all which play key roles in cancer prevention, cardiovascular wellness and brain functioning improvement.

Many people use chaga to strengthen their immune systems and battle infections. Its antiviral and antibacterial properties help defend against colds, flus, and other viruses while it may even slow tumor growth or reduce inflammation.

Researchers believe chaga can also help lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels, as well as stimulating white blood cells production to kill viruses and bacteria. Petri dishes studies and mouse research has suggested it may also inhibit cancer cell growth while having cytoprotective properties to protect cells against damage caused by chemotherapy drugs.

There has been some discussion surrounding whether chaga can cause cancer or be used as an alternative therapy, although many cancer patients have reported experiencing benefits from using chaga. Research suggests it may reduce side effects associated with chemotherapy treatments, including risk reduction for infections and helping the body heal following surgeries.

Chaga is an excellent source of betulinic acid, an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound which has been linked to numerous health benefits. Furthermore, polyphenols present in Chaga may reduce heart disease risk as well as diabetes risk; furthermore it has also been proven useful for weight loss as it increases metabolism while suppressing appetite.

Some people use chaga to treat arthritis and other chronic conditions, believing it may reduce pain relief, alongside taking other remedies such as ginseng and turmeric to manage symptoms more effectively. Chaga can be found in tea, supplements or tinctures.

Tinctures of chaga are made by submerging it in alcohol. While convenient, tinctures contain large quantities of alcohol which may not be appropriate for children or those taking medications which interact with alcohol. For optimal benefits from chaga, taking it in tea form or supplement form is the way to go.

Homebrewing chaga tea can be done easily at home by simmering powdered chaga in hot water, adding vanilla stevia for flavoring, and slowly simmering it for at least 30 minutes without boiling – this will protect its active ingredients from being destroyed! Your final result should look similar to coffee-colored liquid. Enjoy it hot or chilled.