Physicians, dietitians and homeopaths everywhere rave about the benefits of drinking tea. Tea is rich in antioxidants and can effectively treat several ailments. Chaga tea, however, is even better. Chaga tea is made of the medicinal Chaga mushroom, which is found in several countries in the northern hemisphere. Chaga mushroom is dark in color, but bright gold on the inside. This mushroom has been hailed for its medicinal properties for centuries, but is only know becoming widely known. Chaga tea contains ingredients that can help reduce the size of tumors, decrease inflammation, reduce oxidative stress, provide energy and more. Chaga can be consumed in a variety of forms; however, Chaga tea is an easy, tasty and natural way to get your daily chaga in. If you are interested in learning more about how to prepare Chaga tea, read on.
Chaga tea is one of the oldest and most authentic ways to consume Chaga. The flavor of the tea has a very subtle mushroom flavor, but many people find it pleasant.
There are several different ways to consume the Chaga mushroom. Some people prefer to take raw, processed Chaga extract in supplement or powder form. Supplements are a convenient way to get your Chaga in easily everyday without forgetting. Those who opt for Chaga powder usually turn it into Chaga tea or add the powder to a cup of coffee. However, the form of Chaga that we will focus on in this article is Chaga tea.
How to Prepare Chaga Mushrooms
If you purchase processed Chaga, then you don’t need to worry about much in terms of preparation. However, it’s crucial that you only consume raw, processed Chaga. Chaga mushroom needs to be processed prior to consumption because many of the healthy ingredients, such as the beta glucans, are located in the cell walls of the Chaga. However, these cells are guarded with chitin- the hardest and most indigestible natural material. Extraction is a necessary step in preparing raw, unprocessed Chaga in order to release the beneficial ingredients and transform them into an easily digestible form. Before embarking on an extraction method, you will need to prepare your Chaga if you purchased the mushroom in its raw, unprocessed form.
Prior to making your Chaga tea, it’s essential that you properly prepare the Chaga. If you purchase or harvest raw and unprocessed Chaga, you will need to remove all of the tree bark pieces from the Chaga. Then, cut the Chaga into pieces and lay out to dry. Because Chaga mushroom, like many other types of mushrooms, is mostly water, it needs to be dried significantly prior to use. You can then decide whether you’d like to cut your Chaga into chunks or ground it into powder.
Preparing Using the Extraction Method
There are two main types of extraction methods to make Chaga tea: simple extraction and double extraction. The basic extraction method uses hot water and helps to make tea, while the double extraction method uses alcohol and forms a tincture.
With the extraction method, hot water is used to draw the natural, bioactive ingredients out of the Chaga mushroom and into your tea. This method is also the simplest and least expensive Chaga tea-making method. All you need to do is boil Chaga chunks in water, then strain and drink. When Chaga tea is made this way, it’s important to note that all water-soluble ingredients will remain in the Chaga. However, non-water soluble ingredients like betulinic acid won’t be present in the tea.
- Cup method: To make Chaga tea in a cup, all you need is boiling water and finely ground Chaga powder.
- Pot method: The pot method is the most traditional way to make Chaga tea. All you need to do is drop some Chaga chunks in a pot of water and let it boil.Then, drink the leftover water the same way that you would with any tea! Some people even use both Chaga chunks and Chaga powder to make their Chaga tea extra strong.
- Iced: Iced Chaga tea is a delicious , refreshing treat on a warm summer’s day. Iced Chaga tea can be made using either of the extraction methods above, and then placed in the refereator for a few hours.
Double Extraction for Chaga Tinctures
Double extraction is the Chaga preparing-process that makes a tincture. Double extraction is essentially the process of making an alcoholic derivative of Chaga mushroom. Tinctures are sometimes preferred because they are stronger than Chaga tea, can be absorbed easier and contains non-water soluble vitamins and nutrients. These nutrients, such as betulinic acid are extremely beneficial for your body, but are filtered out of the first method of making Chaga tea.
While many people assume that preparing Chaga tea is difficult, this is not the case. Yes, the preparation process will vary in length depending on the method that you use; however, every method is simple. After you practice your chosen Chaga tea-making method a few times, you’ll have it memorized! It matters very little which method you use, as each method helps the Chaga mushroom retain the majority of its healthy ingredients. When first starting to drink Chaga tea, limit your consumption to one cup per day to see how your body reacts. In the same way that same people are particularly sensitive to caffeine, some people become too awake and alert by the natural energy in Chaga. Start slow and work up your consumption to a maximum of three cups of Chaga tea daily so that you can reap the maximum amount of benefits.
