CHAGA! Information
What is Chaga?
Chaga: The Natural Antioxidant Bomb
Tap into the Nature’s medicine
Where do you find Chaga mushrooms?
To the untrained eye, the elusive Chaga mushroom is easy to overlook. Typically found on birch trees in the Northern Hemisphere, Chaga mushrooms live in symbiosis with their host trees, absorbing the powerful nutrients from them. The fruiting body appears charred and cracked, but the dark color derives from the presence of high levels of naturally occurring melanin. The nutrients that the mushrooms absorb are concentrated in their fruiting body (the visible reproductive portion of the fungus).
Why should I drink Chaga Mushroom?
Because Chaga is a natural supplement, it has no artificial toxic side effects of man-made pharmaceuticals, but all the benefits that mother nature intended. Although unassuming, the lumpy brown Chaga mushroom is more antioxidant-packed than even the most trendy of superfoods on the market today. Forget superfoods, say hello to super-fungi! Domestically sourced from Alaska, natives have been harvesting and harnessing the powers of this super-fungus for hundreds of years. The name Chaga actually derives from Russia, where Chaga mushrooms are held in high esteem and have been used for the treatment of cancer and stomach pain since the 16th century.
Anti-Cancer?
Chaga contains a wide assortment of active triterpenes, which have been proven to have anti-tumor properties. In addition, the compound betulin is abundant in Chaga, which derives its anticancer properties from its birch tree host.
How does it work?
Our Chaga grows in Alaska in the extreme cold, in conditions typically -30 degrees F, and as typical, the more extreme the temperature changes are, the more potent the Chaga. Although a mouthful, Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) is an anti-oxdative enzyme that packs the biggest wellness punch in Chaga mushroom. SOD catalyzes the breaking apart and disarming of free radicals in the body-- most noticeably the superoxide radical. These reactive and unstable free radicals weaken the body, and may play a role in the development of cancer.
What is a free radical and why should I care?
Free radicals are harmful molecules with unpaired electrons, that seek to scavenge more electrons from other molecules to complete them. By stealing these electrons from other molecules, these free radicals cause damage to DNA enzymes, proteins, and cell membranes-- all crucial to a healthy body and lifestyle.
Oh my SOD (Superoxide Dismutase)
The SOD enzyme does the MOST in your body, and tirelessly works to donate an extra electron to the harmful free radicals, preventing any further damage that the free radicals would have created. According to research conducted by Tufts University, Chaga mushrooms contain more than 20 times more active SOD than agaricus, the next most antioxidant-dense medicinal mushroom, making Chaga mushrooms the most potent and effective on the market.
Rebuild with Chaga:
The Chaga mushroom contains 19 out of the 20 amino acids required by humans, making it easier to build and rebuild protein, making you stronger and keeping you flexible.
Where we source Chaga:
Chaga can be found growing from New Hampshire all the way up to the North Pole, thriving in arctic conditions. Although chaga has been known to grow in different types of trees, we only use Chaga mushrooms that grow on white paper Birch trees from the Arctic ring and Mount Everest in Nepal.
Here at The Chaga Company, we only use Chaga from Alaska and Nepal because of the purity of the air they were grown in and discovering they contained the hightest antioxidant levels. After we source our choice Chaga mushrooms, we take them back to the San Francisco Mission District where we transform it into delicious tinctures, powders, elixirs, hot chocolates, and teas.
Living like Lars:
Lars came from Fairbanks, Alaska, where he was chosen for his particularly large size. Weighing in at around 10-15 pounds, Lars makes his presence known in every room, and Gavin takes him around to
hows, festivals, and farmers markets where his sheer size stops people in their tracks. Typically, Chaga mushrooms found in Alaska tend to be smaller, because of the harsher climate. Lars, however, was harvested from very high up in a birch tree, where he was given time to grow and mature to the massive size he is now.
How to unlock the power of Chaga:
Using the Chaga Company’s elixirs, powders, and teas regularly will yield the best and most noticeable results. Take care to make sure that the Chaga in its dry form is dissolved in water, so its healing properties are activated.