06A bitter mushroom that acts as a parasite on birch trees is revered for its medicinal properties, including immunity boosting, antiviral, and anti-diabetes effects. Chaga mushrooms aren’t the most attractive fungi on the block, and they’re not the tastiest either, but when it comes to medicinal value, chaga mushrooms are king. Typically consumed in tea form due to its bitter flavor, chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is a tree parasite that slowly decomposes tree trunks. Most often found on birch trees, the black-brown fungus typically infects 30- to 50-year-old trees and may grow on their trunks for another 80 years, producing a conk—a growth that resembles rust-colored charcoal. Chaga mushrooms have been valued since ancient times, when Hippocrates used chaga infusions to wash wounds. During the 12th century, chaga was valued for its anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, and gastrointestinal properties and was recommended for heart and liver diseases. Later, chaga became revered for its anti-cancer …
RSS Feed | The Epoch Times