Chaga: The Non Mushroom

While commonly called a mushroom, Chaga is a unique fungal canker that primarily grows on birch trees. This dense woody mass contains beta-glucans, melanin, inotodiol and birch compounds like betulin and betulinic acid that can help to support your immune system†.

All wild harvested from Siberia and extracted to increase the bioavailability of the beneficial compounds like beta-glucans.

• Hot water extracted from 100% Chaga
• Still contains all non-water soluble components
• Made from Certified Organic Chaga
• Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, Vegan
• Guaranteed >8% Beta-glucans
• No added starch or grain of any kind
• 500mg pills, 60 and 150 serving options
• Verified for quality at accredited 3rd party labs
• Made in an NSF certified facility in the USA

Why Beta-Glucans Matter

Beta-glucans are the most abundant and primary active compound found in mushrooms and mycelium.

These complex polysaccharides are where much of the immunological benefits come from which is why it is so important to validate and guarantee beta-glucan content.

A lack of beta-glucans can be attributed to many things like low quality ingredients, improper processing and extraction or the addition of fillers like grains (see alpha-glucans).

All Real Mushrooms products have verified levels of beta-glucans right on the label so you can trust that you're getting the benefits you deserve.

Do You Really Know What’s in Your Mushrooms?

Many products that claim to contain mushrooms actually contain none. What they are is the mushroom's root system, known as mycelium, which is grown on grains like rice and oats and this grain cannot be separated from the final product. This residual grain contributes high levels of starch which in turn dilutes the potential for active compounds like beta-glucans.

A 2017 study from Nature on reishi supplements found that 74% of products were inauthentic with 68% containing starch-like polysaccharides (ie. fillers).

ConsumerLab also found similar results in their reishi report and found Real Mushrooms to be their #1 choice.

Why Chaga Mushroom Health Benefits are So Diverse

The chemical composition of chaga was first studied by German-born chemist and pharmacist Johann Georg Noel Dragendorff in 1864. Since then, scientific analyses have revealed a diverse array of over 200 different bioactive metabolites. Many of these can support human health, including:

• Polysaccharides, including beta-glucans
• Triterpenes - has anti-viral properties and antioxidant, anti-ulcer, anti-gastritis, and immunomodulatory effects.
• Benzoic acid derivatives - Known to help prevent bacteria from developing infections.
• Sesquiterpene - Provide anti-herbivory effects, anti-microbial activity, and allelopathic function.

Polysaccharides (Including Beta-Glucans)

Polysaccharides are large molecules made up of many simple sugars (monosaccharides). The most important polysaccharides found in chaga are the (1>3)(1>6)beta-D-glucans. Beta-glucans from functional mushrooms like chaga provide unique opportunities for the discovery and development of new therapeutic agents. In recent years, beta-glucans have received much attention due to their many health benefits, such as immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, and antioxidative activities.