Speaking of mushroom tea, almost nothing is said to happen. Tea is a fresh drink and mushrooms are vegetable foods from nature. Both have different places, but then both can be integrated into one product. This is what is called chaga tea!
Chaga mushrooms are famous for the king of medicinal mushrooms and have been a traditional medicine for centuries in the eastern world. Chaga mushrooms have only recently become popular and spread to the western world. Apparently, in the western world this mushroom is becoming popular and its demand is increasing rapidly. Finally, the Chaga mushroom is processed into tea. We will see more about the benefits of Chaga mushrooms and what makes it special when it becomes Chaga tea, read on this article to add knowledge.
Also see: Oyster Mushrooms Health Benefits
A Brief Introduction to Chaga Mushrooms
In scientific language called Inonotus Obliquus, this is a fungus that grows on birch wood, usually in sub-arctic climates, such as Northern Europe, Northeast America, and North Asia. The benefits of Chaga mushrooms for health have been practiced for centuries ago, and only in the last few years has this mushroom become popular to the western world. The outer part of the Chaga mushroom looks hard and black with a cracked texture like the appearance of charcoal. Inside the chaga mushrooms appear softer with a brownish yellow color.
Chaga Tea
In terms of taste, Chaga mushrooms like vanilla and those that have been tasted say there is not the slightest taste of mushrooms. This can be caused due to the vanilla content in mushrooms as well as contained in vanilla beans. Consuming Chaga tea is very easy, even recommended to brew with arrow water like making regular tea. Next, we see the nutritional value of this mushroom tea.
Nutritional Facts of Chaga Mushrooms
Chaga mushrooms contain nutrients as follows:
Calories – 5 grams, Fat – 0 grams, Carbohydrates – 0 grams, Sugar (Glucose) – 0 grams, Fiber – 5 grams, and Protein – 1 gram.
In addition to the above nutrients, Chaga mushrooms also contain mineral nutritional values as follows:
- Vitamin B-complex
- Potassium
- Copper
- Magnesium
- Vitamin D
- Manganese
- Zinc
- Calcium
- Iron
- Rubidium
- Selenium
- Cesium
- Amino Acids
With such rich nutrient content, what are the health benefits that can be obtained from Chaga mushroom tea? Here we see the benefits of Chaga tea.
Also read: Nutritional Value of Mushrooms
1. Delay premature aging
One of the causes of aging is oxidative stress, Chaga mushrooms are able to slow down and even eliminate oxidative stress so that they can prevent wrinkles and dull skin. Wrinkled and aging skin is the effect of oxidative stress and this will experience aging faster when supported by exposure to ultraviolet light, and air pollution. So, drinking Chaga mushroom tea is useful for removing the causes of premature aging.
2. Lower cholesterol
Furthermore, the benefits of Chaga tea are reducing levels of bad cholesterol or LDL. This tea is rich in antioxidants whose function is to eliminate bad cholesterol in the body. We know that this bad cholesterol can have a bad effect and deadly to the body because it causes heart disease, and strokes, or more precisely, cardiovascular disease.
3. Chaga tea has a role in fighting disease
The function of Chaga tea against disease is the result of a study of animals. So, this has not been studied in humans and it is hoped that the positive effects of Chaga tea can also benefit human diseases. Then there needs to be further research as a scientific material in this matter.
This animal study was carried out in mice. Mice that have tumors are then given supplements from chaga. What are the results? It turned out that after being given a chaga supplement, the tumor in the rat was reduced or shrunk by 60%. While a separate study, scientists found that chaga mushrooms were able to prevent liver disease.
4. Lowers Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Levels
Blood pressure and blood sugar are two diseases that are very much experienced by end-time humans. These two types of deadly diseases can be treated and treated by consuming Chaga mushroom tea. This tea can reduce blood pressure while also lowering blood sugar. Meaning; Chaga tea is beneficial for people with high blood pressure and diabetics. The nutritional content that makes it a natural remedy, now Chaga tea is very popular in the world and its market demand is increasing.
5. Good for immunity
The next benefit is building immunity, Chaga mushrooms are able to stimulate the production of substances that play a role in controlling the immune system, these substances are “interleukin-6 (IL6), plus T lymphocytes”. The function of this substance is to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses in the body, so as to create a body that is safe from disease.
6. Chaga is rich in anti-war games
Because it contains anti-inflammatory, Chaga tea is good for intestinal health. This has been proven by research on animals. Animals that are the object of research experience inflammation associated with ulcerative colitis, this disease is then successfully cured with the chaga extract. Chaga works by pressing the chemical radiator that melts during inflammation.
7. Chaga mushrooms contain anti-virus
Who would have thought this fungus contains anti-viral which is related to the type 1 Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) virus and is an antiviral against hepatitis C. This was found after the research conducted in 2015. As a treatment for hepatitis C, it was also found after a trial of animal cells that infected the hepatitis C virus. The results were very surprising, the chaga extract was able to reduce infection in just 10 minutes.
8. Good for increasing stamina and endurance
After a long time testing on animals, it was found that chaga was able to provide endurance. Mice fed with chaga extract, they are able to swim even farther away. So, there is no doubt that for humans it also has the same effect.
This is very likely to occur because there is an increase in glycogen activity in the liver and muscles. This condition will improve physical performance and avoid fatigue.
9. Chaga Mushroom functions as an antioxidant
Chaga mushrooms contain superoxide dismutase (SOD), this is a powerful antioxidant that plays an important role in providing health benefits of Chaga tea. These antioxidants play a role in neutralizing the damage caused by free radicals. Based on the results of the study, it was found that the amount of antioxidants called “superoxide dismutase” was the same as a person’s age and health condition.
So, the amazing benefit of Chaga tea is to maintain health so that it is long-lived. Health that is maintained continuously will provide a longer life span.
10. Low-calorie Chaga tea
You don’t need to afraid with Chaga mushrooms because they are low in calories, including those of you who are on a diet program to lose weight. In grams, it only contains 5 cereal, it can be said to be 1: 1 between grams and calories. Consuming low-calorie foods will slow down weight gain because calories are a unit of energy. Someone who consumes low-calorie food or drink, then he can cut his weight.