Who, What and Why?
The idea and people behind Chaga101.com
We are a bunch of Chaga lovers and have been for many years. We decided to contribute our time to share what we know about this amazing super food because we think that Chaga has been underestimated. Therefore, we jumped into the virtual world and started the Chaga101.com blog.
In the beginning, it was hard, because many of the “facts” we knew where not on the internet. We wanted to separate truth from fiction and verify our experiences. Through our extensive research, we now have a much better place for people to learn everything they need to know about Chaga.
Let’s make everything clear about Chaga
There are too much mystery, error, and falsehood around Chaga. And for other things we want to know, there isn’t anything at all. How can the interested reader distinguish truth from hype? We wanted to make the Chaga world a better place.
OUR FOCUS: Spread the word of Chaga Mushroom – one of the greatest disease-fighting superfoods in the world!
Who We Are?
The “Author” Guy
Rick is the guy behind the idea of Chaga101. He gets the basic Chaga knowledge from his long term love of the forest. He graduated Now it’s his mission to bring more people to Chaga. He loves hiking and camping on wild Canada forests, and his travels there have brought him his expertise in harvesting chaga. Rick’s favorite Chaga Recipe: Pure Chaga Tea with honey and lemon…Mmmm!
Mick “Nerley” Simmons (MD)
The “Editor” Guy
Nick is the guy who fixes our texts and gets the grammar right. He holds a MD in mycology and gives nutrition-related lectures. His first encounter with Chaga was at the age of 5 (thanks Momo (His grandmother)). Nick’s favorite Chaga recipe: Chaga tincture – once a month!
The “Designer”Girl
Kris is behind those beautiful hand-drawn pictures. It’s her passion to bring art to life. If she’s not making drawings, you can find her traveling around the world. Or making JavaScript and other “nerdy” stuff. You can order her work on Upwork. Kris’s favorite Chaga Recipe – Chaga Ice Cream with cinnamon.
We Believe In:
E – Expertise
A – Authoritativeness
T – Trustworthiness
Privacy
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FDA Compliance
The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other medical body. We do not aim to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease. Information is shared for educational purposes only. You must consult your doctor before acting on any content on this website, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition.
Information In This Site
The information on Chaga101.com is meant for informational and educational purposes only. We try to be as skeptical and realistic as possible, but not everything is black and white. Chaga101.com isn’t responsible for any consequences arising from the use or misuse of Chaga. Please consult a healthcare practitioner before making changes to your diet or taking supplements that may interfere with medications. Don’t assume that you can treat yourself without a doctor’s advice.
Chaga isn’t a miracle against serious diseases!
Chaga101.com & Copyrights
All the content and pictures in Chaga101.com (Chaga 101) are copyright protected!
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Chaga101.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
We’ve spent countless hours creating the content to Chaga101 site. It has taken us a huge amount of time and expense to build this site. Feel free to use this information for your personal purposes. However, if you want to use our pictures on your site or for your business purposes, let us know!
We Are Gathering Chaga Related Information!
Send Us Your Chaga Pictures
We are building up the ultimate Chaga Mushroom gallery. You can be part of it – just pick 1-2 your best Chaga pictures and send them to us.
Write in the Subject: My Chaga Picture(s) and in the body: Your first name, year and place. Do not forgot to add picture (at least 400 pixels on the widest side)
Send them to team <at> chaga101.com
Send Us Your Chaga Recipes
We are gathering Chaga recipes!
Do you have a favorite Chaga mushroom recipe? Let us know, and we will help to share your inventions. It could be a traditional use with a new flair, or it could be a bizarre new Chaga recipe.
To send a recipe, write in the Subject Line: My Chaga Recipe(s) and in the body, write Your first name, last name, location, and recipe. Do not forget to add ingredients, the time it takes to make it, and a picture. The picture should be at least 400 pixels on the widest side.
Send them to team <at> chaga101.com
Contact Us
Drop us a few words.
Do you have any suggestions, recipes, testimonials or anything else you want to share with us? Let us know. We are interested in every piece of feedback and information. Contact us on:
Call 518-299-9620 (Our partner Birch Boys)
Greetings: I do have one question…. Once the Chaga is ground to a powder, what is the shelf live, how long should or could it be stored. How must it be stored?
Thanks for your time in answering this question.
Hi Dan,
Have a look at Chaga Storing & Preparing page: https://chaga101.com/chaga-harvesting-preparing/
I find that the flavor of chaga is so mild that it takes on the flavor of additives. As an example, I like to have 1/2 cup hot coffee mixed with 1/2 cup chaga tea. In the mornings. Tastes like a regular cup of coffee. In the evening I like a cup of hot chaga tea and add a flavored organic teabag, as I would in plain hot water. I might add, chamomile tea is a good choice or it may be more difficult to fall asleep due to the extra energy chaga gives you!
Thanks for your recipe Carol! We should try it 🙂
Are there any Canadian Chaga products/suppliers that you recommend?
Hi Helen,
For example, Annanda Chaga is a reliable Chaga provider from Canada: https://www.annandachaga.com/
Hi there, as a matcha and chaga tea lover i like to mix my teas. i take about a cup of chaga tea (preade) and a cup of milk and heat. then Mix in my teaspoon of Matcha, some Macca powder, cinnamon, and a little honey. boom, that’s it. my daily morning drink.
Thanks for your recipe. We will include it to our recipes section
I may have missed it but can you please tell me , does the outer black shell have to be removed or can you just leave it on?
Hi Wendi, you can leave it on
Hello! I love chaga tea and I was wondering, how do I know when my chaga chunks are used up? I usually bring them to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes. (Do you recommend simmering raw chunks longer?) I was going to simmer for longer but I was wondering what color change in the tea I’m looking for so I know when to change my chaga chunks. My tea is currently very pale orange/brown instead of a rich deep color. Thank you!!
Hello C Lee!
Raw chunks require more time. The ideal tea color would be brown/orange. We’d suggest to use powder or smaller chunks to get all of the healthy ingredients out of it. Typically, you can re-use Chaga 2-4 times.
I have some Dried Chaga that my daughter in law dried in 2016 and did not use all of it. It is in a glass jar and was in a dark pantry. How long can we keep chaga?
Hi Carla,
If kept in a dry place, Chaga can last for years.
I have been drinking chaga for about a month now, started with 1 cup and worked up to 2 cups a day. At first I felt nothing, but in the last week I’ve been getting a lot of hot flushes and my breast have tiny shooting pains. I’m well past menopause at age 64 but was wondering if chaga is affecting my estrogen. ?????
If you feel such side effects, you should stop or pause drinking Chaga. It definitely can affect your estrogen.
I love your buying guide for quality chaga but I’m interested in where to find other quality mushrooms like lions mane, cordyceps and reishi. Who and where is good place to buy those?
Thanks for the kind words Ryan. We’re not familiar with other informational sites about other mushrooms.
Also I read that it’s best to brew chaga in a tea bag or holder and remove grounds to drink but is it ok to consume the chaga powder itself, just stir it in?
Chaga powder itself doesn’t have any effects. You should heat it up to get all the useful ingredients out of it.
My apologies, one last thing…. I can’t seem to find the article now but I read that unless chaga is prepared a very specific way it causes liver damage and can cause certain types of cancer and this is supposedly found in a study. Are you aware of this? Any truth?
Hi Ryan,
We’ve never read about it. If you find that article, please share it with us, and we’ll analyze this information.
I’m so disappointed because I have read scientific studies that indicate chaga can be beneficial in many ways… BUT last weekend I drank about 12 oz of Chaga throughout the day (I blend it with green tea or coffee). By that evening, my throat began to feel very sore. I thought I must be coming down with strep, which still is possible. I tested negative for the single strain of strep my urgent-med tests, but because my throat was very painful, swollen and looked strep-like, I was provided antibiotics. Within one day the throat was 80% better, and in two days the sore throat was nearly gone, so I attributed the recovery to step bacteria responding to treatment. Today, ten days later, I began drinking chaga again. Evening is here, and my throat is feeling sore again. I am praying it doesn’t get to the extreme pain I had last week. I am concluding that I cannot drink chaga without having a throat reaction.
Darcy,
I you have side-effects when drinking Chaga, don’t use it!
Hi Darcy,
If you have side-effects when drinking Chaga, don’t drink it!
Hia. What is the dosage and frequency for double chaga tincture? Many thanks.
Wonderful website. I want to try double chaga tincture but am unsure of the dosage and frequency. Please let me know. Many thanks kim
Hi,
Few tablespoons is okay.
Confused regarding the dosage for the double extract. How much should be consumed on a monthly basis? Thank you.
hi all
I have chaga in my own forest
but no idea who interested in? I shure I can do for good price.last 30 kg of dry chaga I have sold for 8 euro per kg
so iff anyone interested let me know
Hi , I’m a chaga consumer and forager. I used your guide for producing my tintures. Thank you. I don’t live off mushroom hunting but it does suppliment my income and finances my chaga adventures. I harvest sustainably and ethically and sell my chaga , I think , at very reasonable rates. I would love to be featured as a seller on your site. I’m technology challenged. Like a caveman basically. It’s not that I can’t set up a web site of my own. I just don’t want to. How do I get in your good graces?
I am wondering if used granules would be a beneficial compost in my gardens or if the fungus would be detrimental to plants?
Hi Jo Ann,
Definitely!
I have recently made Double Extract with Alcohol and H20 for the first time. I used gallon jars filled jar with powdered Chaga. Then covered them for months shaking every day. After I strained Vodka out and placed remaining powder into Crock Pot for about 4 days covered in H20 reduced by half. I strained all liquid out.
My question is what can I do with “Extracted Alcohol/H20” Powder? Is there any uses or are all the medicinal parts gone into final liquids.
Also are there any websites you suggest for quality tincture bottles?
Hi Haruki,
Not that I know but there should be plenty of tincture bottles.
Is chaga tea still beneficial as long as the water still gets dark?
You can reuse the chunks for 2-3 times.
I’m interested in a printed copy of this article…. would like to know if you sell one? Or do I have permission to print it?…. for my own use.
Feel free to use it Barbara 🙂 Chaga101 is a free guide for everyone.
I was wondering if Chaga can be used as a parasitic cleanse? If so how much and how many times per day would make it effective?
How long is chaga tea good for in sealed jars. Can I make several batches to store so it’s more convient?
Also I make my tea in a crock pot simmer for 12hrs but when I reuse the chunks for another 12hr cycle the tea doesn’t get dark enough for my taste do I still reuse or is first round taking most of the benefits out of the chunks?
Hi Tom,
Yes, you can do that!
I got your email… you asked:
I was wondering who manages the content on your site? I have a super quick question for your editor.
I am the editor….
What can I do for you?
Hi team.
I am inquiring if you have any information for what to do with the used chaga after it is simmered as tea?
We leave pot of chaga in the crick pot year round using small chunks.
What can we do with the spent chunks? I cannot find anything online. They must be good for something.
Thank you
Penni