Chaga Extract Powder

Traditionally, our ancestors boiled mushrooms in water to make a soothing tea. Boiling served several purposes: killing contaminants, softening the flesh, and extracting the rich soluble polysaccharides.
Paul Stamets

Wondering is dried Chaga good? For some, raw Chaga powder or Chaga chunks is the best complementary health solution. The traditional way to consume Chaga has been to take the whole mushroom and ground it into a organic mushroom extract or cut into chunks so you could brew it later.

You should be aware that you can’t simply consume raw Chaga mushroom since humans cannot digest raw Chaga. The only proper way of using raw organic Сhaga powder to enjoy the benefits of this medicinal mushroom is to brew it. During brewing, the chitin in the mushroom cell wall is destroyed and nutrients dissolve in the hot water.

Brewing process is still the same as it was hundreds of years ago. However, today there are a few other ways how you can get health benefits from Chaga. One of the popular ways is to use wild Сhaga extract. The extraction process involves breaking down the raw Chaga mushroom into small pieces, brewing them and then extracting water to get the most health benefits from all the main components. The end result is water-soluble Chaga powder.

Many are happy to cut the raw Chaga from its birch tree and brew it, right on the spot. Others enjoy packaged dry Chaga which will be sufficient for brewing your Chaga tea at home. After all, this is how we learn about Chaga’s health-supporting benefits.

Chaga extract, on the other hand, can be used in a variety of ways without the brewing process. Some use Chaga extract powder stirred in hot water or in their favorite drink. Others mix it with coffee, foods like yogurt and even in fruit and vegetable smoothies. You can create your own party drinks and refreshing teas for everyone to enjoy. Believe it or not, you can put it even in your soup!

Whatever your preference for consumption, the most important consideration is the quality of your Chaga. Look for the best suppliers with extensive knowledge and a passion for this King of Herbs and the environment in which it is harvested.

If you are like most people who rely on Chaga mushroom extract for the health benefits, you want to gain the most out of your supplements by using the highest potency and most thoroughly studied products available.

However, not all companies that sell Сhaga liquid extract use the same extraction process. Many use extract that is made by the traditional water extraction process while some others use “dual extraction” that Chinese companies started to produce in the early 2000s.

With that in mind, we want to offer a difference between the two methods:

• Water extraction
• Alcohol extraction
• Dual extraction (water + alcohol)

In the water extraction process, the Chaga is steeped in hot water for hours. During the hot water extraction process, mushroom cells are broken down and water-soluble compounds from the raw mushroom are dissolved. These compounds remain in the liquid. The leftovers of raw product and additional, usually unimportant, compounds that are not soluble in the water remain in the solids that are discarded after the process is finished.

We need to point out that Sayan extraction process is more complex than one someone might perform in their home with their own raw Chaga. There is additional use of pressure, temperature, surface area of raw materials, etc.

Once the water extraction process is complete, the insoluble parts of raw mushrooms are removed and the liquid is put through a dryer to evaporate away the water, leaving only a powder. There are several ways how you can evaporate the liquid, and we will explain this process separately.

Usually, hot water extraction is first. Then with leftover solids, you add to a mixture of alcohol and continue to cook. Once complete, you will again separate the liquid from the solids and either remove the alcohol solution or add this liquid to hot water extract liquid for further liquid evaporation.

What are the components which we get by alcohol extraction? From Reishi mushrooms, we get triterpenes (hydrocarbons). These components play an important part and should be present in all Reishi products. These triterpenes are responsible for the bitter taste of reishi extract and are good indicators of how good the extract is, the bitter the better.

Chaga mushroom also contains triterpenes, sterols (inotodiol) and trametenolic acid which all could be extracted by alcohol extraction. It is important to mention that we have submitted our Chaga mushroom extract to independent Tampa Bay Analytical Research lab for triterpenes testing. And even though our extract was made by water extraction 2.77 % of triterpenes were detected in it. This proves that non-water soluble components are also present in Sayan Chaga extract which was produced without alcohol extraction.

You could probably find some claims on the internet that medicinal mushroom extract produced by alcohol extraction contains betulinic acid (triterpene) and this is the reason why alcohol extraction is superior to water extraction. This is not entirely true. The concentration of betulinic acid in the Chaga mushroom is extremely low, lower than 1%. Betulinic acid could be found in birch tree bark in much higher concentration and is usually derived from betulin. Betulin can be extracted from birch tree bark by alcohol extraction only. Both components are not water-soluble products.

We have developed a blend of Chaga extract with betulin, where betulin is properly extracted using alcohol from birch bark and not from Chaga mushroom. This pure betulin is than mixed with Chaga mushroom powder extract which created the most powerful and potent product in our lineup. But the addition of only 5% of betulin to medicinal mushroom tincture makes this product poorly soluble.

Other medicinal mushrooms like cordyceps, lions mane, shiitake and turkey tail do not really contain any non-water soluble ingredients that could provide health benefits. Thus they require only water extraction for developing extracts.

Some companies tout dual extract for the perceived value of having all of the compounds from the Chaga. As we mention above, these additional compounds include triterpenes and sterols like inotodiol, trametenolic acid, betulinic acid and chaga antioxidants, all of them are the non-water-soluble compounds. However, there are a few issues.

First, they are difficult to measure. Only a few labs can even measure the non-water-soluble compounds found in Chaga or reishi. So it is very difficult to verify the benefits of dual extraction if any.

Second, maybe the manufacturer used other ingredients or fillers like starch or grain to increase the percentage of the components in the final product.

Third, maybe the extract is mixed with something else and just simply called dual extract, or maybe it doesn’t even have non-water soluble components.

Having said that, it is more important to see the lab testing result for each extract and made a conclusion than just simply say that dual mushroom extracts are superior comparing to water extract. It is possible to have dual extracts with a lower concentration of beta-glucans than in hot water extracts.

At present, companies, often from China, present dual extraction with alcohol as something beneficial for mushroom extracts and other supplemental products. This is not supported by research. This method is often cheaper for the company to perform and may result in slightly lower prices for consumers. But the slight cost changes are offset by the unknown.

So if you are looking for fancy dual extract mushroom products, our advice – do not rush. Not all mushroom requires dual extraction process to offer you the most health benefits, but all medicinal mushroom require extraction. Lab analysis would be the proper documentation which will help you to make a decision about the quality of the extract and help you to buy a good product.

A significant factor in the production of high-quality Chaga extract is the actual method of drying of the water extract of Chaga. Today, manufacturers of Chaga extract use the following methods of drying:

• Thermal spray drying (extract is dried according to the principle of the centrifuge and hot air)
• Alcohol extraction
• Freeze drying (sublimation or lyophilization)

There is a common misconception among Chaga consumers that  Chaga mushroom extract powder of a dark brown color signifies a quality product. Of course, the dark color of the extract indicates high quality, however, you must be careful, since the heat-drying method can burn the extract and also result in an unnatural dark brown color. This is atypical for extracts produced by a freeze-drying process.

How can you distinguish Chaga extract produced by freeze-drying from its counterpart dried the thermal spray method? The picture shows two types of Chaga extract. You can click on the picture to enlarge it. As seen in the photograph, the external difference is obvious.

The extract on top – brown in color, shows Chaga extract dried via thermal spray. This extract is slightly burnt – in fact, it has the natural color of the extract when dried in this manner.

The extract on the bottom – Chaga mushroom extract dried via freeze-drying. This extract is darker and never overcooked.

Although both are water-soluble extracts, Chaga extract produced via freeze-drying is dissolved in water of any temperature instantly and completely, while the other extract has a flour-like consistency, sometimes floats on the surface of a liquid and will dissolve only after mixing, forming a precipitate.

Freeze drying (sometimes also called sublimation} process (lyophilization) is shown in the picture. Interestingly, the word lyophilization is translated from Greek as “dissolve” and “love”. Hence, our Chaga extract, dried in a freeze dryer has been dried with love. Freeze drying is more difficult and expensive than other methods. Freeze-drying requires:

• careful preparation of liquid Chaga extract before drying, in order to release the maximum active ingredients from the insoluble impurities and ballast substances
• providing a vacuum for complete drying of the Chaga extract
• carrying out a long process of drying

Careful release of the liquid form extract and insoluble particles prior to drying allows to produce a dry extract with high solubility; using such an extract as a tea or dietary supplement is much easier and much more pleasant.

In contrast to other drying processes, freeze-drying preserves the consistency, color, shape, and potent flavor of the original product. Because the product is warmed only slightly, the vitamins and minerals are preserved as much as possible. Within seconds, freeze-dried ingredients rehydrate and are restored to their original, freshly harvested condition. Contact with water restores their original color, aroma, and flavor.

Chaga extract produced by Sayan using freeze-drying technology offers many advantages over Chaga mushroom extract obtained by heat drying. We are the only manufacturer of Chaga products that use this technology, other companies use the most conventional heat drying technique. Heat drying involves the use of high temperatures, which undoubtedly leads to partial damage to the molecules of Chaga’s biological substances and a reduction in ineffectiveness.

Chaga mushroom extract produced using our method has a pleasant aroma and a pronounced taste. Freeze-dried Chaga extract can be stored over a long period of time without losing its beneficial properties.

Only the Sayan extraction process yields a dry Chaga extract with an acceptable level of moisture. Products that have been freeze-dried to retain their organoleptic properties, are readily soluble, weigh very little, and have a long shelf life. All their vitamins are preserved, proteins are hardly denaturized at all, and thus their nutritional value is retained.

The geographic origin of Chaga plays an important role in the quality of the Chaga mushroom extract. A study conducted by Zubr T.P., Vasilev I., Khoroshutin P.P. and Aksenova G. I. 2010, titled “Comparative evaluation of the quality of raw Chaga, used in the manufacture of dry extract” found that Chaga gathered in the forests of Siberia is more potent compared to Chaga grown in others regions of the world.

Chaga Extract Will Improve the Quality of Your Life

One of the goals in our life is to live to an advanced age, but for many, the real goal is to live a high-quality life, which includes your overall health and well-being. If you’re feeling good, you’ll be more likely to enjoy life and all that it has to offer.

Join Sayan customers who used our Chaga mushroom extract for health-supporting benefits. Our customer’s reviews could be found on our website. They have said that using Chaga mushroom extract resulted in more energy, healthier skin, better digestion, and improved well-being. This product, along with other healthy lifestyle efforts, can be part of your strong and healthy life. *

If you have questions about the differences between raw Chaga and Chaga extract, please e-mail or call us, we are always happy to talk to our customers!

* These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product does not intend to diagnose,  treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.