Jerry Oullette introduces a customer to a Chaga beverage at the Millbrook Farmers’ market.
Jerry Ouellette has quite a resume. Before launching Chaga Health and Wellness which is a regular vendor at the Millbrook Farmers’ Market, he was the former Ontario Minister of Natural Resources, Junior Minister of Northern Development and Mines, Junior Minister of Transportation, and a recipient of Chief and Queen Scout Awards and Conservation Leadership award from Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH). Millbrook/South Cavan students might also recognize him as a gifted outdoor educator who came to their school and encouraged them to build a greater appreciation of nature using the forest beside the school as a backdrop. He also produces a podcast called “Under the Canopy” where he encourages people to find their “outdoor passion” and live a life closer to nature.
During his tenure as the MNR, he was introduced to the health benefits of Chaga mushrooms by a colleague. A bit compulsive by nature, he has undertaken more than 3,000 hours of research into the plant, which has been used by First Nations people for more than 1,000 years and is also widely used in northern including Finland and Russia.
After learning about the properties of Chaga mushrooms, he tried it himself, and his results encouraged him to share his findings with others.
Chaga is classified as a mushroom but it has a bitter, slightly vanilla taste. They grow on birch trees in colder, norther climates. While the exterior looks like black charcoal, inside is a yellow, spongy centre. They are high in fibre and low in calories and are dried or frozen to be preserved. Ouellette controls the quality of the products he sells with a team who harvests all of the mushrooms in his products.
Despite their extensive use throughout history, these mushrooms are fairly new to modern western medicine, which is beginning to recognize some of their broad health benefits, due in part to their particularly high antioxidant content. Western medical experts confirm that this fungi has been used throughout history to boost immunity but indicate that more research required to fully understand the benefits its consumption. The high antioxidant content of the fungi has been linked to a reduction in inflammation of the gut, and some early studies indicate that it can reduce blood sugar levels, improve insulin resistance and reduce “bad” cholesterol levels. Other studies show that they fight harmful bacteria and even slow the growth of some cancer cells. Because Chaga mushrooms stimulate the immune system, their consumption is not recommended for those with auto-immune diseases. As with any natural dietary supplement, dosages are critical. Before incorporating this or any other dietary supplement, people are advised to speak to their doctor as it could interact with other medical treatments. This is particularly important for those with Type 2 diabetes or who are on blood thinners as these mushrooms contain a protein that affects blood clotting.
Chaga Health and Wellness offers dried Chaga mushrooms blended into tea or coffee products or as pure preserved products consumers can add to their own dishes such as smoothies.