Chaga mushroom has been used for centuries by various ancient cultures around the world.  Most notably, the ancient Siberians of Russia incorporated chaga mushroom extensively into their diet.  It was well known that these people frequently brewed teas and made soups with this powerful medicinal mushrooms.

These ancient Siberians credited chaga for helping them adapt to the harsh climate of Russia.  They believed that this mushroom helped them live a long and healthy life well into their old age.  In fact, many of these ancient Siberians lived well into their late 90’s despite living in a cold and harsh climate (1).

Chaga is often referred to as “The King of Medicinal Mushroom” and has earned this name outright.  No other medicinal mushroom in the world can quite compare to chaga mushroom.

However, what about those with candida overgrowth?  Can they benefit from consuming chaga mushroom?  Also, what are the benefits of consuming this mushroom?

We’ve answered all these questions plus more in the post below.  By the end, you will understand why chaga is king when comes to medicinal mushrooms and why you should consider adding it to your diet if you suffer from candida overgrowth!

What is Chaga Mushroom?

Unlike most mushrooms that develop into fruiting bodies, chaga mushroom does not.  In fact, chaga is like no other mushroom you’ve ever seen before.  At first glance you would never guess that this mushroom is, well, a mushroom!

This is because chaga grows primarily on birch trees.  Its appearance is that of a big black mass and is often referred to as a “sclerotia.”  This sclerotia is a hardened mass of mycelium which houses high amounts of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and polysaccharides.

Chaga is fairly easy to identify since its dark black burnt appearance is hard to miss.  There is ongoing debate as to why chaga grows primarily on birch trees and its true role.  Some believe that chaga has a symbiotic relationship with birch trees and helps to protect the tree from premature death.  We tend to agree with this theory since chaga mushroom typically grows on birch trees that have been injured.

That all being said, this mushroom takes years to develop in a forest.  The presence of chaga in a forest indicates an old ecosystem and a forest that has yet to be disrupted by outside sources.

Highest Amount of Antioxidants in the World

Despite its lack of popularity, chaga is one the highest food source of antioxidants in the world.  No other food on the planet even comes close to touching the antioxidant content present in chaga mushroom.  Not even cacao, which is considered by most to be the second highest food source of antioxidants, can compare to the levels of antioxidants present in chaga.

Those suffering from candida overgrowth, or for those seeking optimal health, should focus on getting more antioxidants in the diet.  It’s been well known that antioxidants help to protect the body against free radical damage and premature cell damage in the body (2). 

Those dealing with an overgrowth of candida will inevitably have high amounts of free radicals circulating through the body.  This is because this pathogenic fungus can release several different toxic byproducts which can lead to rapid degeneration in the body.

By obtaining more antioxidants in the diet, individuals can help to protect themselves from this rapid degeneration and can help prevent premature cell death in the body.

Great Source of Beta-Glucans

The importance of obtaining enough beta-glucans in the diet is an understatement for anyone dealing with a chronic health condition such as candida overgrowth.  Beta-glucans are a class of polysaccharides which offer immense benefits to the body’s immune system.

Research has shown that beta-glucans can help the immune system function more optimally and can help to protect against autoimmune conditions (3).

Unfortunately, due to poor diet, most do not obtain enough beta-glucans in their diet.  Typically, the only sources in which an individual will obtain this polysaccharide is through products containing yeast.  However, most modern food sources containing yeast are extremely unhealthy and can actually spur the growth of candida in the body; i.e. bread, wine, beer, ect.

Luckily, medicinal mushrooms such as chaga contain more beta-glucans than any other food product in the world.  It’s for this reason that medicinal mushrooms were used extensively in Traditional Chinese Medicine in order to help balance out the body’s immune system.

In fact, health enthusiast and herbal/mushroom expert, Daivd Wolfe, believes that an individuals entire immune system can be rebuilt using chaga mushroom daily for six months.

Contains Betulinic Acid

More and more research is beginning to pour in over the benefits of betulinic acid.  Betulinic acid is powerful triterpenoid which occurs naturally in most medicinal mushrooms.  However, betulinic acid is remarkably high in chaga.

Research has shown that betulinic acid contains powerful antiviral, antimalarial, and anti-inflammatory properties (4)(5)(6).

In fact it’s been shown that betulinic acid contains powerful antifungal properties and can help inhibit the growth against several different forms of candida species (7).

Luckily, simply by consuming a decoction, or extract of chaga mushroom, you will be naturally obtaining extremely high amounts of this powerful triterpenoid.  It should be mentioned that triterpenoids are strictly found primarily in medicinal mushrooms such as chaga.  Since most of the general population do not consume medicinal mushrooms, most are deficient in these extremely beneficial compounds.

Interestingly, every long living culture incorporated some form of medicinal mushroom into their diet.  Most notably would be the Okinawa of Japan who consumed maitake mushroom (hen of the woods) regularly.

Excellent Source of Melanin

Chaga mushroom is naturally a rich source of the amino acid melanin.  This amino acid is responsible for the pigmentation of the skin.  As a result, it’s said to help boost overall skin health, especially enhancing the skin tone.

Although this is not directly related to candida, it’s an added bonus of consuming chaga mushroom daily.

Interestingly, one study found that melanin can help to protect the skin from UV damage and may be helpful in protecting against various types of skin disorders (8).

Antifungal Despite being a Fungus

As we wrote before in our post about whether or not mushrooms are good for candida, many are under the misconception that mushrooms should be avoided.  Many experts claim that since mushrooms are a fungus, they can make a candida condition much worse.

The theory is that since candida is fungus, all outside sources that are fungal in nature must be “bad.”  Unfortunately, this type of thinking is ill-advised and one dimensional.  It’s well known that Chinese Medicine has used various types of medicinal mushrooms in order to combat fungal infections in the body.

In fact, it could be argued that medicinal mushrooms such as chaga and reshi contain the most powerful anti-fungal properties out of any food in the world.  That being said, do not expect to get the same benefits from your typical store bought mushrooms.  Most medicinal mushrooms can not be consumed as food, rather, they must be brewed as a tea or made into an extract.

Bottom Line – Should you Include Chaga into Your Diet?

In our opinion and experience, chaga mushroom can make an excellent addition to the diet of anyone seeking optimal health or suffering with candida overgrowth.  Chaga is a powerful immunomodulating medicinal mushroom that can offer a wide array of benefits to those suffering with chronic sickness.

Its high source of betulinic acid make it perfect for combating various pathogens in the body.  Also, it’s naturally a rich source of immune boosting beta-glucans.  Beta-glucans are essential for maintaining a healthy immune system and protecting against immune system dysregulation.

As an added bonus, chaga is a rich source of the skin boosting amino acid melanin!

How to Consume Chaga Mushroom

As mentioned before, the best way to consume most medicinal mushrooms is as a tea or extract.  If making a tea, chaga chunks are preferred.  Simply grind up the chunks of chaga (coffee grinder works good) and boil for 5 minutes and let simmer for 20 minutes.  Once done, strain out the chaga powder and enjoy!

Also, for those looking for something more convenient, chaga can purchased as an extract.  This is typically sold as an alcohol extract and usually comes in a dropper bottle.  Although alcohol should be avoided by anyone suffering with candida, the amount that will be obtained from the extract is minuscule. 

Many claim that alcohol extractions of chaga mushroom are stronger since the triterpenoids are not very water soluble but will release highly into the alcohol.  As a result, alcohol extractions claim to have more triterpenoid content.

That all being said, we personally believe chaga is perfectly find as a tea as this was traditionally how it was consumed.  However, extracts of this medicinal mushroom can be great as well!