Curious about crafting your own Chaga Chai Tea? You’re in the right place! We’ve got the perfect recipe to help you create this delicious and health-boosting brew at home. But that’s not all—we’ll also dive into the incredible benefits of Chaga, explore what this powerful fungus is, and explain how it can support your health. Whether you’re new to Chaga or already a fan, this DIY recipe is sure to spark your taste buds.

The Benefits of Mushroom Chai Tea

Before we dive deep into the benefits, you should first understand what Chaga is. Chaga, scientifically known as Inonotus obliquus, has been used in medicine for centuries. It's found most frequently in Russia, particularly Siberia, but can also be found in West Virginia. Quite the difference, huh?

What's even more interesting is that it's not actually a true mushroom. It's a parasite, but not the kind you're thinking of. It's not like a flea or tick. It's a parasite that's generally found on birch trees though it can be found on oak, poplar, spruce, elm, and alder trees.

Fortunately, it's not known to kill the tree and the part we use is toward the trunk. We don't have to harm the tree in any way to use its medicine. And, to top it off, scientists are beginning to believe there's a symbiotic relationship between the fungi and the tree--this means they may be benefiting one another. But, the research continues on this portion of the topic.

Grab Your Ingredients

Before you get started making your own chaga chai, you'll have to grab the necessary ingredients. This is the recommended recipe for all the spicy notes most love about chai with the added benefit of chaga for therapeutic purposes. But-- don't feel the need to include everything if there's an ingredient you don't like.

You might need to experiment with the measurements to find your perfect blend, but this recipe is a great starting point.

• ½ cup cardamom pods
• 12 cinnamon sticks
• 2 TBS whole cloves
• 2 TBS black peppercorns
• 2 TBS allspice berries
• 1TBS coriander seeds
• ¼ cup whole star anise
• ¼ cup powdered chaga mushroom
• ½ cup loose red rooibos tea

**If you don't have time to look around for your ingredients or you'd like our recommendations, click the links in the bulleted list above.**

After You Get the Goods

Once you've got the goods, it's time to make the perfect cup.

1. Seed crushing: Crush all of the seeds, sticks, berries and pods with a mortar and pestle.
2. Mix together: Mix the crushed mixture with the loose red rooibos tea
3. To crush or not to crush: The cardamom, cloves, allspice berries and coriander can remain uncrushed or made into a powder for the tea--try it both ways to see which you prefer.

If you don't want to use the mortar and pestle, you can chop the herbs in a coffee grinder or high-powered blender. I personally enjoy the mortar and pestle because it feels more natural and it's incredibly relaxing (and not overly noisy) but if you're trying to whip this up quick, grinders become super handy.

FAQ's About Chaga Chai Tea

We're going to address a few questions below, but if you have more, don't be afraid to leave them in the comments section below.

Are there any interactions I should be made aware of?

We can't answer that for you specifically. Discuss the option with your doctor if you are currently taking medication or have any underlying health conditions.

Why do herbalists and holistic doctors say not to drink Chaga tea at night?

Chaga can provide you with a surge of energy which is generally most beneficial in the morning... unless you're a 3rd shifter.

Why is there so much hype about the antioxidants in Chaga?

Antioxidants combat free radicals in the body that could lead to disease. That's why we want to find foods that contain them. But here's the kicker: Chaga contains about 1,300x more than blueberries!

Peace, Love, and Mushroom Tea

Now, grab a good book and a fleece blanket and enjoy the crisp outdoor air while sipping on your good-for-your-health brew.

For further reading, check out our sources:

Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) induces G0/G1 arrest and apoptosis in human hepatoma HepG2 cells

Isolation and characterization of a novel platelet aggregation inhibitory peptide from the medicinal mushroom, Inonotus obliquus

Antihyperglycemic and antilipidperoxidative effects of dry matter of culture broth of Inonotus obliquus in submerged culture on normal and alloxan-diabetes mice

Progress of research on Inonotus obliquus

Chaga mushroom extract inhibits oxidative DNA damage in lymphocytes of patients with inflammatory bowel disease