How to Prepare Chaga Tea

What’s all the buzz about making Chaga tea?  What’s so special about it? It turns out Chaga tea is not like the traditional tea that you usually drink- it is made of mushrooms. In this article we’ll touch on reasons why and also how to prepare Chaga tea for your health and enjoyment.

First, people who drink Chaga tea report excellent health benefits. It prevents a variety of diseases. Chaga tea was highly popular in ancient times. Back then, people used it as a potion to treat liver and heart issues and gastric problems. Over the years, people forgot about the benefits of Chaga tea. But now, Chaga tea is all the rage again.

Chaga contains iron, silicon, aluminum, sulfur, copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Imagine having so many nutritious elements in one cup of tea. It keeps you energetic for the entire day. Chaga also has a high percentage of beta-glucans and antioxidants. Beta-glucans can boost your immune function to a great extent. Consuming a cup of Chaga tea regularly can help prevent diabetes, regulate blood pressure, and prevent heart disease. Several studies indicate that Chaga mushroom tea may destroy cancer cells. There is a lot more that Chaga tea can offer to keep you healthy. Here are a few glimpses.

The high level of antioxidants in Chaga tea reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL). LDL is the bad cholesterol that invites lots of diseases in your body. High cholesterol can weaken your heart. Thus, Chaga tea, with its antioxidants, fights cardiovascular disease.

Oxidative stress creates wrinkles and fine lines on your skin. It gives you gray hair and sagging skin. Pollution and sun rays can create too many free radicals in your body that accelerates your skin aging process. However, you can counter this by drinking Chaga tea. This type of tea supplies loads of antioxidants that combat the visible signs of skin aging.

Many studies prove that oxidative stress also increases your blood pressure. High blood pressure can invite strokes, heart attacks, and various other cardiovascular diseases. The antioxidants in Chaga tea can help reduce your blood pressure to some extent.

Chaga tea produces cytokine that helps to fight various illnesses related to your immune system. Inflammation transitions can often lead to several chronic health problems. Rheumatoid arthritis is a common issue caused due to inflammation transition. The cytokine content in Chaga tea can successfully relieve these problems because it controls your body’s inflammation.

Chaga tea may fight diabetes. Consuming Chaga tea for at least eight weeks can help your body better regulate blood sugar levels.

You will find Chaga tea in two forms: powdered in chunks and teabags. Siberia and Maine are the main regions producing massive quantities of Chaga every year. Ideally, you should consume Chaga chunks because they are more potent. The powdered Chaga in tea bags are also good, but they are not as fresh as the chunks. Let’s take a look at how to make Chaga tea in a few simple steps:

You will need a large, heavy-duty vessel to make Chaga tea. A large stainless steel pan or metal or cast iron teapot is ideal. Remember, you need to brew Chaga tea for a significant amount of time. Using a porcelain teapot will stain its bottom permanently.

Take at least one liter of water in the vessel. Don’t worry; you will not have to drink all of it together. You can store Chaga tea for a few days. You should only follow this process if you are using Chaga chunks. For Chaga teabags, you can heat a mug of water.

Heat the water to at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure it doesn’t cross 160 degrees. You should use a thermometer to check the temperature frequently. Also, don’t pour boiling water on your Chaga chunks. It will destroy the antioxidants, and the tea will have no medicinal value.

Chaga chunks come in various shapes and sizes. You need to break them into smaller pieces. Ideally, one-inch cubes are ideal for making Chaga tea. Chaga chunks are usually quite dry and hard, making them challenging to cut from the middle. You need a hammer or something similar to break them into pieces. Take the chunks in a muslin cloth and hammer them down. They will quickly break into pieces. Make sure there are no big chunks left. Bigger chunks don’t brew properly, thus limiting their medicinal properties.

You need to steep the chunks in your heavy-duty vessel for at least an hour. The water will become dark reddish-brown. That’s the ideal color for a healthy cup of Chaga tea. Some people enjoy a slightly bitter taste of this beverage. They steep the chunks in water, simmering them in low heat for three or four hours. The more you simmer and steep, the richer the brew. Those who are using teabags can steep the same in hot water for approximately four to six minutes.

Note: This process is similar to the second step of the process for making reishi tincture.  It can also be used to make Turkey Tail mushroom tea.

Tip: Don’t throw away the Chaga chunks. You can reuse them after their initial extraction. You can also burn them as incense or consume them in powdered form.

There is nothing more refreshing than a hot cup of Chaga tea.

The hot brew gives a variety of flavors that resemble a combination of maple syrup and cinnamon.

When you prepare Chaga tea, you’re in for a treat for your mind and body.  You can store the leftover tea in a mason jar. Make sure you consume it within three days.