How To Use Chaga Powder? 4 Best Ways To Take Chaga

Chaga powder is popular for its numerous health benefits. However, one common question among new users is: how do I use this phenomenal mushroom? 

This article will explore some of the best ways to use Chaga powder. In addition to discussing ways to use the Chaga mushrooms, we will answer questions like, what do you mix Chaga powder with? 

Read on to learn how you can benefit from the polysaccharides, antioxidants, and other medicinal properties of Chaga supplements. 

Chaga Mushrooms Powder: What Is It And What Are The General Benefits?

Chaga mushrooms, or Inonotus obliquus, are medicinal fungi that grow on birch trees. Found in the cold climates of the Northern hemisphere, Chaga mushrooms have been in use for centuries in traditional medicine to boost overall health. 

The medicinal mushroom Inonotus Obliquus grows on birch trees and has a cork-like texture with an appearance that resembles burnt charcoal.  

Read More: Learn how to identify Chaga mushrooms. 

Back in the day, the mushroom was grated into a fine powder and brewed in tea. However, today it is known that Inonotus obliquus(4), unlike other medicinal mushrooms, cannot be eaten raw. 

The good news is that you can get a package carrying the best Chaga extract. Chaga extract is generally available in the form of Chaga powder. Chaga mushrooms' bioactive compounds are extracted with alcohol or water to create the mushroom powder. The best extractions combine both processes. 

Researchers and alternative medicine advocates are increasingly interested in Chaga for its numerous health-promoting effects(1).  

Research articles on the Chaga mushroom describe its many incredible benefits. The Chaga mushroom tea promotes weight loss, boosts immunity(2), improves gut health(3), gives an energy kick, and increases mental clarity. 

The following section will show you how to use Chaga to enjoy these benefits. 

How To Use Chaga Mushroom Powder?

Chaga powder is a versatile supplement that can be used in multiple ways. Below, we will look at the most popular ones. 

Read More: See whether using Chaga while pregnant or breastfeeding is safe. 

1. How To Make Chaga Tea?

When people ask about Chaga powder and how to use it, they often try to figure out whether they can use the mushroom in their beverage.

You can use the Chaga mushroom powder in hot beverages, including Chai tea, regular tea, and coffee. People who know how to consume Chaga powder add it to freshly brewed coffee or tea, while others may opt for a hot cup of lemon water mixed with Chaga powder. Most people like to take mushrooms with their morning tea.

To make Chaga tea, you can steep the mushroom powder tea bags with cloves, cinnamon sticks, and ginger. After brewing, you can discard the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves and mix your tea with milk or a non-dairy substitute like almond, soy, oat, or rice milk.

However, when do you drink Chaga tea?

Most people prefer taking their Chaga tea in the morning as the product boosts their alertness and energy levels throughout the day. However, you can always enjoy the health benefits of Chaga tea irrespective of when you take it.

If you are worried about using a Chaga tea ball before bed because you think it might keep you up, you do not have to. 

Chaga tea doesn't contain caffeine. Therefore, when you take it at night, you enjoy the earthy taste of caffeine, benefit from its vitamins and minerals, improve your overall well-being, and still enjoy a nice sleep. 

2. Chaga In Smoothie

Chaga powder does not just taste nice when you use it in tea and coffee. You can quickly turn the mushroom powder into your go-to morning meal when you leverage an excellent Chaga smoothie recipe. A good smoothie enhances the Chaga mushroom taste. 

To make a smoothie with Chaga powder, mix the powder with the milk of your choice and then add your favorite fruits like berries and bananas. Blend everything with a few spoons of yogurt until thick. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy it in the morning or after a workout. 

3. Make A Chilling Chaga Popsicle

Now that you know how to make Chaga smoothie, you can use the same recipe to make Chaga freezer popsicles. 

To make your popsicles, freeze the smoothie mixture (the one we prepared earlier) into ice trays or freezer mold, and voila, your cold confection is ready. Enjoy the freezer pops on a burning summer day!

Read More: Learn how Chaga protects your skin from the summer UV rays. 

You can also make Chaga popsicles by combining the brew with fruit juice and freezing them in molds or ice trays. Chaga popsicles generally appeal to people looking for a more exciting way of consuming Chaga. The method also works for people who want to get Chaga consumption results without preparing Chaga herbal tea. 

4. Chaga Powder In Recipes

You can incorporate Chaga mushroom into your favorite recipes. You can use the powder to make delicious and nutritious snacks.

You can add Chaga tea to waffles or pancake batter. When adding the tea, use the liquid ingredient for the batter.  

You can add Chaga powder to your breakfast. Just add a spoonful of Chaga powder to a bowl of oat. Add in blueberries and nuts to notch up the flavor. 

You can also mix the powder with chia seed puddings. Alternatively, mix the Chaga mushroom powder with your favorite salad or guacamole. 

Some people prefer using Chaga chunks as a source of Chaga's nutritional benefits. If you are wondering how to use Chaga chunks, you can use them the same way you use Chaga powder. For example, you can incorporate Chaga chunks in your breakfast, salad, or guacamole.  

While adding Chaga to food recipes is relatively new in the western world, this practice has been happening for years in Asian countries. Leveraging this method of preparing Chaga, people have used Chaga on numerous occasions to reduce the risk of heart disease, reduce inflammation, and enjoy overall good health. 

Read More: See how Chaga fights high blood pressure to improve your health and prevent heart disease. 

How Much Chaga Mushroom Powder To Take?

A cup containing 1.5 grams of powder is the recommended Chaga dosage. Chaga tea bags containing just the optimum amount are available for a no-fuss experience.

References

1. Orally administered aqueous extract of Inonotus obliquus ameliorates acute inflammation in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice, (1) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2012.07.008
2. Immunomodulatory Activity of the Water Extract from Medicinal Mushroom Inonotus obliquus, (2) https://doi.org/10.4489/MYCO.2005.33.3.158
3. Melanins of Inonotus Obliquus: Bifidogenic and Antioxidant Properties (3) https://doi.org/10.3390/biom9060248
4. Recent Developments in Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushroom) Polysaccharides: Isolation, Structural Characteristics, Biological Activities and Application, (4) https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13091441