New Roots Chaga is an excellent source of fungal polysaccharides with immune-modulating properties. It boosts the immune system and has strong antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. It is an anti-inflammatory that relieves pain, purifies the blood and protects the liver.
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is a woody fungus that grows on birch trees and has a black, scarred surface resembling burnt charcoal, with a clear interior. It is found on black birch in Russia, and on white birch in Canada, Japan and Scandinavia.
Chaga is not as well known as other medicinal mushrooms such as coriolus, maitake or shiitake; however, recent studies confirm that it belongs to this elite group, due to its many health benefits.
Chaga's main active compounds are triterpenes, sterols and polysaccharides, which are known to boost immune function and cellular health.
The beta-glucan, a polysaccharide found in chaga, inhibits the formation of abnormal cells and triggers an appropriate immune response.
Polysaccharides are large, complex molecules with many physical and chemical properties. Polysaccharides help the body adapt to stress, stimulate immune function, and contribute to overall health.
Triterpenes are a class of compounds that give chaga a bitter taste. Chaga's triterpenes strengthen the immune system, increasing the body's resistance to disease and lowering cholesterol levels.
Chaga also contains inotodiol, a compound that helps destroy abnormal cells.
Worldwide research on chaga focuses mainly on its ability to improve immune response, lower blood sugar levels, and combat abnormal and mutagenic cell growth.
Not only does chaga stimulate the immune response, it also reduces inflammation. Its ability to perform several actions at different levels makes it a powerful adaptogen.
An adaptogen is a plant that provides a healthy boost to the body's resistance to stress and health problems. Adaptogens generate a non-specific response throughout the body, exerting a normalizing effect. They have different effects on different people, depending on the body's needs.
Chaga first attracted worldwide attention when Nobel Prize-winning author Alexander Solzhenitsyn wrote about its healing powers.
It boosts the immune system and has strong antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. It is an anti-inflammatory that relieves pain, purifies the blood and protects the liver. In addition to being rich in antioxidants, this remarkable mushroom is considered an adaptogen that supports overall well-being.
Although identified relatively recently, this unique mushroom is gaining in popularity within the medicinal mushroom category.
