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Author:
Bojana Radovic
Mushrooms are not only for your risotto, guys! They are perfect for your tea strainer, as well.
Well, at least the Chaga kind are! Whether you need to fight cold symptoms, lower inflammation, boost your energy levels, or simply warm your tummy with a nourishing beverage, Chaga tea will definitely do the trick.
From how and why this weird drink is so popular to how to steep your own at home, this article will help you become the real Chaga master. So, pop the kettle on, and read on!
Although it is becoming more and more popular, especially among herbal enthusiasts, Chaga tea is not a newfound beverage. Consumed since the earliest times and praised for its health benefits worldwide, this strange drink makes one heck of an enjoyable brew.
Unusual but incredibly delightful, this mushroom in a cup makes a warm beverage that you should definitely have to be sipping on regularly. Rich in antioxidants and packed with beta-glucans and essential nutrients, Chaga tea can be a serious health booster.
The walls of the Chaga mushroom are quite tough and loaded with chitin. To crack through and extract all the healthy compounds, you need heat. Consuming Chaga mushroom as tea is the most practical (and delicious!) way to slay inflammation.
Charcoal black on the outside and sunny orange on the inside, Chaga mushrooms are a slow-growing fungus that you can find sticking out from the white trunk of birch trees. Their history goes back to 100 BC, and their use is incredibly versatile.
Growing in Canada, New England, Korea, Russia, and North-East Europe, these odd cure-all mushrooms are a popular folk medicine.
Tea may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you spot this fungus protruding a birch, but once you steep dried Chaga in hot water, chances are, you’ll soon become addicted to this yummy me-up beverage.
They may not look like a treat for your taste buds, but Chaga mushrooms make a pretty delicious brew. Don’t let their tough body, chewy texture, and dark color fool you – Chaga tea is actually relatively mild and sweet, with a fruity aftertaste that will have you begging for a refill.
Tip: Chaga tea should never taste bitter. If it is overly earthy with a dirt-like taste, then you have probably just brewed a bad batch. Throw it out and buy yourself some fresh Chaga!
Making Chaga tea may seem like it requires expert skills, but the truth is, the process is pretty straightforward. All you need is boiling water, some Chaga (ground or in chunks), and a basic understanding of steeping tea.
Yes, you can make Chaga tea straight in your cup. And if you are a total Chaga newbie, we recommend this method that uses ready-to-steep ground Chaga. Because it is that fast and easy!
For chunky Chaga tea (how cute does that sound), you will need some dried Chaga in chunks – not ground, a pot, a cup, and some water. This method is a bit healthier because it allows you to squeeze out more of that Chaga goodness, and it is perfect if brewing for a larger group of tea drinkers.
Okay, this method takes the longest to make, which is understandable due to the cooling, but once you try Chaga this way, it will become your go-to summer refreshment. And if you’re already tired of your peach or lemon iced tea, then Chaga is the perfect way to spice up your hot afternoons.
If you ask us, we’d say whenever you need a warm immune boost, in a heartbeat. Chaga tea is an adaptogenic beverage that can soothe, warm, energize, and pack you with enough antioxidants to purge the nasty free radicals. So, yes – you can drink Chaga tea morning, noon, and night:
In the Morning – Regulating your metabolism and stimulating better than caffeine, drinking Chaga tea after waking up is the perfect way to start your day.
For a Healthy Boost – Perfect for fighting flu, cold, and fighting harmful bacteria, drinking Chaga tea during the day is certainly a good choice.
Before Bed – Keeping the stress low and increasing the relaxing vibes, a warm Chaga cuppa around bedtime can help you sleep like a baby.
If you are an absolute fungus-tea amateur, we suggest starting with 1 teaspoon of tea per cup and consuming only one cuppa per day. Once you start experiencing all the benefits, you can slowly increase your dose to two and eventually three cups per day.
More than three cups may seem like a healthy thing to do, but it is actually the opposite. Filling your body with too much Chaga will only make it hard for you to absorb all the nutrients and healthy extracts, so you might as well be drinking warm water.
Although we agree that it doesn’t look tempting, once you try a well-prepared Chaga tea, it will instantly become your number one choice for your kettle. So, give these recipes a try, experiment with some add-ins, and find your preferred Chaga combo. Then come back here, and let us know your secret to Chaga-making. Happy steeping!