Chaga Info

Chaga

Inonotus Obliquus

Which is neither plant nor animal, is a mushroom that grows on birch trees.

Strangely, it has a DNA structure that is 30% more human than plant! Birch trees take 15-20 years to reach maturity.

During that time, the Chaga mushroom absorbs and concentrates many valuable
enzymes, nutrients and healing compounds that are bioavailable to the human body.

Chaga grows primarily in Siberia, but also in parts of Japan, Korea, Alaska, Canada and northern Scandinavia. And although Chaga is found on your typical white birch tree, the most potent variation is found on the black birch trees of Siberia, the exclusive harvesting area of "The King of Herbs'" Chaga.

Herbal Medicine and Superfood are words hot on everyone’s tongue these days, but right about now, you can’t use these buzz words without mentioning Chaga in the first place of the chain. It’s known as the “King of Herbs” by many and after seeing it’s jaw-dropping antioxidant value, there’s no doubt why.

Wild-harvested Chaga mushrooms not only have the highest antioxidant levels in the mushroom kingdom, but of any known food to man. When looking at an image of this polypore fungus, it looks like a giant mole…one with melanoma.

And if one knows about the ‘Doctrine of Signatures’, it essentially says, if a food looks like a body part, then it can be taken for a healing effect on that part of the body. Like a walnut, for example, bares a striking resemblanceto the brain and as we all know, walnuts are high in Omega-3’s (important for proper brain functionand health).

Approximately 25 percent of the pigments in Chaga are melanin (a really high amount).

Melanin is important for the health of the skin and hair with its protective properties and its ability to target free radicals and help with sleep. Though new to many of us, Chaga has actually been used as a folk-remedy for more than (a documented) 4,600 years. The uses for Chaga in the ancient folk-remedy spans a wide range, including:

stomach pain • ulcers • asthma • bronchitis • liver problems • eczema & psoriasis • cancer • chronic fatigues syndrome • the flu • tuberculosis hypertension • viral infections • cardiovascular disease • diabetes fibromyalgia • rheumatoid arthritis • stroke Alzheimer’s Disease • and more… *)

Recent studies have shown Chaga to have anti-tumor and antiviral properties, effectiveness against influenza and various cancer cells and is being heavily researched and studied for the treatment of HIV. The World Trade Organization (WTO) has even classified Chaga as a medicinal mushroom under WTO codes, whereas in Europe and the US it is classified as a DIETARY SUPPLEMENT.

Here are some ways Chaga may benefit *):

  • It’s adaptogenic – brings the body into homeostasis and beneficial for all autoimmune diseases by regulating the immune system.
  • The richest source of the enzyme SOD (superoxide dismutase).
  • This super antioxidant prevents damage to the cell’s DNA.
  • Low tissue levels of SOD correlate with a decline in overall health and a shorter lifespan.
  • Provides lots of B-Vitamins and also flavonoids, enzymes, minerals and phenols
  • Contains the highest known antioxidant concentrations of any food
  • Balances blood sugar levels
  • Contains an abundance of melanin, an important anti-aging compound that helps skin, balances the body’s bio-rhythms and activates the pineal gland
  • Rich in Zinc - which helps with proper cell growth, differentiation and survival
  • Promotes overall well-being
  • Boosts energy levels & physical stamina
  • Anti-aging properties
  • Anti-fungal & anti-candida
  • Antiviral & Anti-bacterial
  • Anti-Inflammatory
  • Joint health - contains the spongy stuff that’s in your joints – Glucosamine and chondroitin

Siberian Chaga Mushroom grows only in limited areas. On the map, the green color shows where Chaga Mushroom can be found in general (very rare findings are reported from various European countries, like the South of Sweden, Netherlands, Baltic Countries…).

The yellow color shows where our real Siberian Black Birch Tree Chaga Mushroom grows. We collect our Chaga from the Eastern Siberia Taiga Forest, the Northern part towards the Altai Mountains range and Khakassia, the region North of Lake Baikal and the Kamchatka peninsula. These are the areas with the winter temperatures as low as -50° Celsius.

The huge regions are very thinly populated and have no industries around. The lack of industries and the harsh climate conditions make our Chaga ecologically clean and free of any contamination.

The Mumijo gathering sites in the Altai Mountains are marked red.

Bear's Ultimate-Super-Extracts

8 kg mushroom for 1 kg U-S-E

In order to become a highly concentrated powder extract our Ultimate-Super-Extract had undergone a technological process called freeze-dry multi extraction. Why do we need to apply this process to the Chaga? Because we want to receive the maximum benefits from the mushroom and use it as a Biologically Active Food Supplement.

The extraction process allows to activate the health supportive compounds which in the raw Chaga are “stored” in a passive state. Unlike raw Chaga, my Chaga U-S-E has these biological substances activated, i.e. digestible by our body. Raw Chaga (only ground mushroom powder) can not be digested by humans and the health supportive compounds would leave our body without a trace.

The “activation” we apply on our Chaga is through the process of freeze-dry multi extraction. The extraction process allows to remove useless substances and concentrate the maximum of health supportive biological compounds.

In order to receive 1 kg of my Chaga Ultimate-Super-Extract, we use approximately 8 kg of raw mushroom.

See our products…

Scientific Publications

20x more active SOD

What Chaga Provides That Other Herbs and Vegetables Do Not

If you maintain a good paleo, vegetarian, vegan, or Mediterranean diet, then you are most likely satisfying your body’s need for 95% of the vitamins and minerals also found in Chaga.
What makes this herb most unique is its extremely high concentration of SOD. Chaga provides 20 times more active SOD than the next strongest medicinal mushroom (agaricus).
Studies also found that Chaga has 3 times (Bear’s U-S-E 3.6 times!!!) more antioxidant power than the next strongest food of any kind (wolf berry).[2] So according to the study, Chaga is the #1 best antioxidant source in existence. Additionally, Chaga provides 19 of the 20 amino acids required by humans, making it a valuable supplement for vegetarians/vegans.

Antioxidants and SOD are Important for Health and Longevity

Free radicals are harmful molecules that contain unpaired electrons—which is unusual because electrons typically come in pairs. Thus they are highly reactive and can even scavenge electrons from other molecules making more free radicals.

When this occurs in the body in excess, it results in damage to DNA, proteins, enzymes, and cell membranes. These effects can lead to numerous biological problems, including the initiation of cancerous tumors. [3] This is called oxidation and is the reason why foods rot, why animals age, and why metals rust. Antioxidants are molecules with extra electrons that can donate them to free radicals.

This neutralises the free radical, and renders it inert before it can cause damage. In the case of the enzyme SOD, superoxide dismutase is arguably the body’s most crucial antioxidant, as it is responsible for disarming the most dangerous free radicals of all: the highly reactive superoxide radicals. Thus, providing your body with a high concentration of antioxidants is essential to keeping your cells intact and healthy, and Chaga is proven to be an excellent way of doing it.

Additional Chaga Benefits: Proven to Destroy Cancerous Liver, Lung, and Colon Cells in Humans A study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, researchers discovered that Chaga extract causes cancerous liver cells to stop dividing. Higher doses of Chaga extract were shown to kill nearly 60% of HepG2 cancerous cells.[4] The Chaga does this by activating enzymes that cut apart portions of the cancerous cell, leading to cell-suicide. In another study, scientists found that Chaga can also cause the death of cancerous lung and colon cells.[5] Both studies concluded that while the Chaga extract was lethal to cancerous cells, it was completely safe for normal cells.

Originally published in 2014 in The University Health news, this article has been updated

[1] Biofactors. 2007;31(3-4):191-200.
[2] Haytowitz, D.B., Bhagwat, S.A., Prior, R.L., Wu, X., Gebhart, S.E., Holden, J.M. 2007. “Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of Selected Food.” Dept. of Health Sciences. Boston, MA. U.S. Dept of Agriculture, National Institute of Health Project. 2003.
[3] H. Sharma, M.D., and C. Clark, M.D. From Contemporary Ayurveda. (Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1998).
[4] World J Gastroenterol. 2008;14(4):511-517.
[5] Int J Med Mushrooms. 2011;13(2):131-43.
[6] The Mycophile: Journal of the North American Mycological Association, 2006;47(1).

Bear’s Chaga: 
ORAC value of 153.200!

Antioxidants remove free radicals and support healthy cells. Thus we can see that antioxidants are crucial for our health. Scientists developed an ORAC scale, which is a standard recommended by USDA to measure the antioxidant capacity. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbent Capacity, or the strength with which a given substance wipes out free radicals. Obviously, the higher the ORAC score the more free radicals this certain substance can destroy.

The Brunswick Lab, USA conducted sophisticated test called ORAC 5.0 on our Chaga Ultimate-Super-Extract. It expands the ORAC platform to measure the antioxidant capacity of a product against five primary reactive oxygen species (commonly referred to as radicals) peroxyl, hydroxyl, peroxynitrite, superoxide anion and singlet oxygen. It is more informative than a simple Hydrophilic ORAC test. This test has revealed the full spectrum of the antioxidative capacity of our Chaga Ultimate-Super-Extract with impressive results!

Our Chaga Multi-Super-Extract has total ORAC value of 153.200 yTE/100g.

Undamaged Chaga Mushroom DNA

Modern technology and advanced equipment have allowed us to receive an organic Multi-Super-Extract without causing any damage to CHAGA DNA molecule. The average content of active substances may fluctuate from batch to batch within approximately 3% due to natural character of raw material:

Chromogenic complex: 60%
– Polysacharrides content: 35%
– Beta-Glucans: >33%

How to distinguish spray-dried Chaga Extract from freeze-dried?

Thermally dried Chaga extract has a light-brown color, it’s structure is dusty-like and it is not immediately soluble in water. Basically such light-brown extract has a insignificant amount of chromogenic complex content because it undergoes thermal drying process.

On the other hand, our sublimated Ultimate-Super-Extract is a fine, dark-brown or black powder with solid glistening black particles, not dusty. It has a pleasant taste (resembles instant coffee) and is odourless.

It is instantly soluble in water and convenient for preparation of mixed drinks, and pleasant to taste. My unadulterated Chaga Ultimate-Super-Extract has no additives, is GMO free and is made of 100% wild grown Siberian Chaga. My U-S-E has up to 60% of Chromogenic complex content!

Wild harvested Chaga vs. organic Chaga

The quality of a Chaga extract is exclusively defined by the amount of the chromogenic complex it contains (humic-like acids, melanin).

This chromogenic complex ensures the huge amount of antioxidants that Chaga is famous for. All other substances of the mushroom, like betaglucans, polyphenols, flavonoids, polysacharrides, trace constituents are thought to be the ones of second importance.

The reason is that all these elements can be found also in other mushrooms and crops, but the chromogenic complex is unique and can be found only in the wild grown Chaga mushroom.

This is why cultivated Chaga (labeled as “organic Chaga“, mainly from China), doesn’t possess any Chromogenic complex (melanins)! Manufacturers who use cultivated mushrooms do not mention this important feature in their test results (Certificate of Analysis), because artificially grown Chaga (“organic Chaga”) simply doesn’t have any chromogenic complex.

☢︎ FREE OF RADIATION & METALS GUARANTEED EVERY HARVEST EXAMINED!

Literature about Chaga

If you want to dive deeper into the world of Chaga and get different perspective from different authors, I highly recommend a few interesting books on Amazon, e.g. from David Avocado Wolfe or Klause Glebe.

Note: Please be aware of the fact, that the authors mainly refer to only Chaga powder or simple Chaga extract, which is a much minor quality to our U-S-E, however it is very interesting to get a more profound knowledge on the mushroom itself and it’s potential.

*) This is an informative excerpt from the publications of US author Bess O’Conner and merely represents the cultural-historical use of Chaga mushroom. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or any other public authority in other countries. This product is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please consult with a licensed healthcare professional if this is right for you. In this and in the context of current pharmaceutical legislation, we point out that we do not claim that our dietary supplement is related stand to improve or cure the indicated diseases! Please also read our disclaimer (link below).

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