How Brands Extract the Compounds in Chaga Mushrooms

 Chaga mushrooms are well respected and known as the king of medicinal fungi. This black encrusted mushroom, scientifically named Inonotus obliquus, grows on birch trees throughout North America and Norther Europe.

There was a time when Indigenous tribes used it in pipe ceremonies, healing moxibustion, and even as an antiseptic after childbirth. Today, it is sold in the form of Chaga gummies, tinctures, capsules, and powders. Chaga has most notably been used as a medicinal tea with profound healing properties.

Over the years, two extraction methods have been used to isolate the compounds in Chaga mushrooms. Both methods offer a different outcome and health benefits.



Hot Water Extraction

Hot water extraction is comparable to a conventional tea-making process. It is the most common and cheapest method. Ideally, you should avoid boiling the mushroom as over time, this will cause the bioactive beta glucans to disintegrate. This may also destroy many of the naturally occurring phytonutrients and vitamins.

The beta D-glucans, the bioactive part of these polysaccharides, may contribute approximately 35% in a very pure extract. Polyphenolic components like melanin are water soluble, and they will also be present.

Water-insoluble components like betulinic acid, phytosterols, and betulin will be absent in a hot water extract. Several extraction rounds combined with modern techniques may result in high levels of polysaccharides of up to 60%.

Alcohol Extraction

Alcohol extraction involves using ethanol or methanol to isolate the water-insoluble components to make Chaga gummies. Alcohol extraction is often used as a second step after hot water extraction because ethanol alone will not be able to break down chitin effectively.

Alcohol for Tinctures

190 high-proof ethanol is extremely effective when making Chaga tincture. It is also the only edible solvent that can effectively extract the non-water-soluble compounds found in Chaga mushrooms.

Using vodka or rum to make Chaga tincture will not be as effective in extracting the compounds from Chaga mushroom.

Most tinctures use ethyl alcohol, which is a high-proof alcohol that is commercially available and very safe for consumption. Given that the amount of tincture ingested is very small, the amount of alcohol consumed is negligible.

Benefits of Alcohol Extraction

Alcohol facilitates fast absorption of the nutrients in Chaga. Alcohol-based tinctures are extremely fast-acting and effective because alcohol enters the bloodstream quickly. The tongue and cheeks contain capillaries that quickly absorb alcohol.

When you take Chaga tincture under your tongue, it enters your bloodstream directly. In doing so, it delivers the benefits of the tincture almost immediately.

Tinctures usually contain 25% alcohol as a minimum, mostly to act as a preservative. The alcohol increases the shelf life of the product by up to 5 years.

Side Effects of Chaga

Despite being an extremely beneficial mushroom, Chaga gummies are not without side effects. This fungus is a vasodilator and can replicate the effects of a blood thinner. If you have any planned surgery, stop taking Chaga products at least 8 to 10 days before.

Chaga also decreases blood sugar levels. Diabetics should seek medical advice and monitor blood sugar levels if taking Chaga tincture daily.

Location: United States

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