Inonotus obliquus, commonly known as the Chaga mushroom, is a fungus in the family Hymenochaetaceae. Russian and Scandinavians have known about Chaga’s health benefits for quite a long time. During the 16-17th century, the healing powers of Chaga became more formally recognized in medicinal texts. These ancient texts describe the use of Chaga to treat cancer, gastritis, ulcers, and tuberculosis.

Melanin is also the main pigment in our skin, and experts suggest that Chaga’s melanin content can enhance the health of your skin, keeping it beautiful and supple. It can help protect the skin and hair from sun damage and might even help diminish the size of spots.

Chaga is traditionally grated into a fine powder and used to brew a beverage resembling coffee or tea. Inonotus obliquus is claimed to have beneficial properties for human health, such as anti-bacterial, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant activities.