As we all know, Chaga is famed for its various medical values and potent compounds that can be made to be bioavailable for the human body. Like with anything there’s always another side to the coin, this time let’s have a closer look at oxalates found in Chaga and its potential negative affects on your kidneys.
Those prone to kidney stones, as well as people diagnosed with kidney disease or Crohn’s disease, are advised to avoid Chaga altogether. In healthy moderation, oxalates in Chaga do not pose any health threats to the average person.
Everything in moderation is the best piece of advice to keep in mind, even when talking about superfoods. We’ve previously discussed the most common “Side effects of Chaga mushroom”, this time we’ll focus on one of the compounds responsible: oxalates. We’ll also go over what you should keep in mind to mitigate the potential overuse of Chaga and the manifestation of apparent symptoms.
What are oxalates?
Oxalates are naturally incurring compounds found in plants and fungi like Chaga. Some other oxalate-rich food examples are rhubarb, spinach, kale, black tea, and even everyone’s favorite cacao. In plants, oxalates work on getting rid of extra calcium by binding to it. This helps the plants, as excess calcium can block plants from getting the nutrients they need.
With the human body, it gets a bit more complex. In addition to calcium, oxalates bind to minerals like iron. For most people’s health, this is not a problem. The newly developed compounds will simply be excreted as waste.
When do avoid oxalates
Like with anything there are people whose bodies don´t do well with oxalates. There’s some thought that oxalates can contribute to kidney stones, but that’s only if you’re already prone to them.
TAKE NOTE IF:
- Your doctor has advised you to stay away from oxalates rich foods.
Some examples of high oxalate foods are potatoes, legumes and beans, wheat, soy products, spinach, beets, processed meets, and Chaga mushroom. Make sure to consult with your doctor and research the topic to best support your body.
02. You’ve struggled with kidney stones in the past or know to be genetically prone to them
Kidney stones are small, hard deposits of minerals that form in your kidneys over a long period of time before eventually passing through your urine. The stones can be diagnosed in various different ways like a urine test, blood test, x-rays, etc. To read more about the topic head over to Revervehealth’s article on “Kidney stones: What are They and How are They Treated?”
03. You’ve been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease (IBD)
Inflammatory bowel disease is an umbrella term used to describe disorders that involve chronic inflammation of your digestive tract.
Again, if you recognize yourself from this list, notice negative side effects from consuming Chaga or other oxalate-rich foods – simply do your best to steer away from them, to avoid any complications.
Is chaga bad for kindeys?
As we discussed, those prone to kidney stones, as well as people diagnosed with kidney disease, IBD, or kidney stones advised to avoid Chaga all together, and should certainly consult with a licensed physician before consuming Chaga or any other oxalate-rich foods. What happens is that in your bloodstream, free oxalate may bind with free calcium to produce calcium oxalate crystals. Over time, excessive presence of these crystals could lead to kidney stones, gout, and physical damage to the kidneys, while simultaneously depleting essential calcium needed for healthy growth.
Otherwise, when consumed in moderation, oxalates in Chaga do not pose any health threats to the average person.
The risks posed by oxalates in Chaga mushrooms are considered minor to healthy individuals kidneys when consumed regularly.
It’s extremely important to consume high-quality and correctly processed Chaga to make sure all the incredible health benefits of the fungus are made bioavailable for you.
What else does Chaga contain?
Chaga contains a large number of polysaccharides in the form of β glucans, which have a strong antioxidant activity inside the body. These compounds help fight off free radicals, maintaining a normal cell cycle. They also act as prebiotics to stimulate the growth of healthy gut microbiota.
On the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) scale, Chaga is an ultra-potent source of antioxidants and is naturally rich in betulinic acid. The fungus benefits your health by supporting normal vital functions on a cellular level.
Other things found in the fungus are trace minerals like antimony, boron, chromium, copper, germanium, manganese, selenium, and zinc. As well as macro minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Here’s a talk by Siim Land, discussing the health benefits of Chaga Mushroom.
Things to look out for when buying chaga
- Ultimately the best-harvested chaga is from fall or winter, not only is the visibility better, due to fallen leaves. But the temperature is below 5 degrees Celsius, and that is when the sap starts to run. Sap is the fluid found in chaga, containing dissolved mineral salts and nutrients.
- Make sure you trust the people to use best practices for sustainable harvesting. Chaga should never be harvested immature, it takes up to 20 years for the fungi to be considered fully mature. 20% of the chaga should always be left on the tree, this allows the sclerotium to grow back.
- Sclerotium is a precious part of the superfood, containing high amounts of melanin. This is where a lot of your antioxidants hide. That’s why we recommend our readers to buy chaga chunks instead of powder. It’s easy to determine whether the sclerotium is still intact on the nuggets. Also don’t forget, the little chunks can be reused up to 6 times without losing their potency and long brewed tea from the nuggets tends to taste sweeter. If you’re interested in the topic, check out our recenlty published article on “Does chaga increase melanin?”
