'Mushrooms of immortality': Why chewing on chaga could shake up your whole health routine

'The king of medicinal mushrooms', 'the gift from heaven and the gods', and 'the mushroom of immortality'. These are just some of the names given to chaga over the centuries, with the fungus' properties being praised as far back as the Norse shamans of ancient times. Limited scientific studies have been done on the mushrooms, but their extensive use and supposed benefits have made today’s yoga teachers, health chefs, and nutritional therapists rave about them. As a result chaga have recently become a frequent ingredient on the menus of health-conscious cafés and shops.

Chaga, or Inonotus obliquus, is an adaptogenic mushroom, meaning that it is said to aid our body in adjusting to chemical, physical, or biological stress, helping it return to the balanced state of “homeostasis” by stimulating the body’s stress-protection responses. The fungus mainly grows on the bark of birch trees in colder climates throughout the northern hemisphere – including in Nordic forests. Its appearance resembles a dark clump of burnt charcoal, but within there is a soft core with orange tissue.

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The chaga mushroom has been harvested and used extensively for centuries for its apparent medicinal properties, which are thought to include a boost to humans' immune systems and support with fighting inflammation. In addition, chaga is said to help prevent and fight cancer, lower blood sugar levels and cholesterol. It is known to be a very nutrient-dense mushroom and is loaded with antioxidants, which can help protect our cells from free radicals, slowing the aging process. Chaga is also rich in a wide variety of minerals, nutrients, and vitamins, such as vitamin D, zinc, iron, magnesium, B-complex vitamin, amino acids, fibre, and calcium.

Although it is always good to consult with a doctor as well as listen to our own bodies before consuming anything with limited scientific studies behind it, chaga can easily be found in most health stores for anyone curious to try. However, you might not need to look further than your own garden or the nearest forest.

Norwegian yoga teacher and essential oil expert Marlen Bakke has been using this potent superfood for years and her family has been picking the mushroom for generations. “I collect it together with my father in the woods in northern Norway where I come from," she says. "He is the expert and knows which ones are ready to be used. We dry them, and then prepare them as a powder or tea. It’s fantastic that we have this amazing adaptogen here in our own woods.”

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Bakke also explains that she deploys it to boost her body in various ways. “I use a small spoon of chaga powder in my morning decaf coffee, that’s how I like it best. I use it as an energy booster and to keep a strong and clear focus, reduce fatigue and stress, and help my body fight viruses and bacteria, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties.”

Swedish nutritional therapist, chef, and author of four books Cecilia Davidsson is also a devoted chaga-fan and has found various ways to use it in her own cooking. “I like both the small pieces of it and the powder. I love to add a teaspoon to my coffee and or when I bake something with chocolate and cacao," she says. "The flavours go really well together since chaga almost has this sweet and caramel like taste to it.”

These qualities have seen 'chaga lattes', where chaga powder is mixed with hot water or foamed milk and a bit of honey and vanilla, become a new alternative to coffee at many health-conscious cafes and restaurants. It can also be used in a range of other beverages, as Davidsson notes. “I often make my own chaga tea and broth by just boiling chaga and water," she says. "I use it as the liquid in smoothies or make an elixir with it together with other herbs and spices, such as cardamom, clove, cinnamon, and bay leaves. This is amazing for the lymphatic system and it is also anti-bacterial.”

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In addition to chaga's flexibility, Davidsson highlights how common it is in Scandinavian nature. “I actually have a chaga in the garden of our country house," she says. "It has been growing on a tree for years, but I think it is time to harvest it now this upcoming spring. Chaga is without doubt one of my all-time favourites among all mushrooms and I hope more people can discover it and take advantage of the fact that such a nutritious gem with many health properties actually grows right outside the door.”

For those harvesting it in the wild, it is important to leave about 20 per cent of the chaga on the tree and not to pick the whole thing, in order for it to regenerate more easily - though even then this process make take years. Opinions differ over the best time to harvest chaga, but it is essentially possible to pick it all year round. So on your next walk in the forest, keep your eyes peeled for this fungal royalty and potential natural health boost. Who knows, chaga could be the change in your health routine you've been looking for.