We seem to be mentioning quality Shilajit quite often lately. Of course, every one of your reading this knows the difference between good and bad supplements. The chemical structure of supplements of lesser quality is always less beneficial for our health. In some cases, the effect of a bad product can cause damage to our health. So, regarding Shilajit, there are few guidelines and general rules that need to be followed if you want to end up with something that’s safe and good for your health. That being said, lets get to it!
GENERAL APPEARANCE
Firstly, we should stop at the moment you open the jar. The content you see inside should be thick and resin-like… imagine it like a very sticky black paste. The surface should be of even coloration and a bit glossy.
Its also important that your Shilajit doesn’t come in the form of pills of powders. ”But why? It seems pretty harmless and almost like the same stuff?”
Well, like most of the other potent and healing natural substances, the active ingredients are most concentrated in their original form. When this thick black resin is collected on the slopes of Altai mountains it’s still mixed with many impurities like dirt and dead plant residue but it contains the highest possible amount of everything Shilajit has to offer. Naturally, it can’t be delivered to your door in that state, so all the collected Shilajit has to go trough a cleaning process. We won’t bother you with the whole process, because naturally, we wrote a whole blog about it. It’s sufficient to say, that during the cleaning and especially drying process Shilajit can get damaged, or rather, lose its potency. That’s why quality Shilajit should always be dried at a low temperature to preserve as much nutrients as possible. Just the fact, that Shilajit can come in the form of a pill or a powder tells us that we’re dealing with an inferior product. Nature gave us a gift in its purest form and it our duty to preserve the perfect simplicity.
WHAT ABOUT THE SMELL?
Just like appearance, the first smell can tell us a lot. Good quality Shilajit should have a strong, earthy, rich and natural smell. Products of bad quality can smell like ammonia or some other chemicals that are (not supposed to be, but still are) used during the cleaning part. Of course these cutback save much money but its usually at the expense of the final customer. Make sure your Shilajit has a nice smell, but be warned, sometimes it can even smell a bit hot or spicy…and that’s totally fine.
FINALLY, THE FIRST TASTE
Shilajit has a very special flavor. It’s not exactly the most pleasant thing you could ever taste, but then again, it’s a completely natural substance dug from the mountainside at 3000 m above sea level in the Altai mountains. That means, that its flavor can be described as very earthy and natural, which isn’t even a bad thing. In fact, some people really like the taste of Shilajit and have no problem eating it from the spoon. Its also quite a bit on the bitter side so its recommended that you mix it with warm water (read all about this topic here).
Either way, how much you like the taste is your personal preference. What matters is the purity of the above described taste where anything that does not belong in that section clearly shows its been tempered with too much. Good Shilajit will be bitter and can even leave tingling sensation on the tongue, but its taste must always be earthy.
HOW ABOUT LABORATORY TESTING?
A very good question. Its all good words and nice promises, but when trying to figure out if you should buy a supplement, there’s always the scientifical approach to the matter. The Shilajit you get on the market can actually contain heavy metals, so naturally, it should be tested. But, who actually does that? Since we’re determinated to bring a good quality product on the market, our product is regularly tested for quality… and we always gladly send all the necessary papers and evidence to anybody who wants to look at it (just leave us a message any social media or right here).
This is maybe the most important part because nothing is worse for your health then toxic metals or fertilizers (which some people actually use). If somebody claims something about quality, never hesitate to ask a few questions.
So, to sum everything up. Good quality Shilajit is actually not that easy to come by. It all depends on the whole process of harvesting, where it was harvested, how it was processed and even how it is packed. Our Shilajit even comes in purple glass jars that protect it from UV degradation. With everything in mind, you can safely buy a product from a brand that got your trust and end up with the most important thing…your good health. Nature provided us with this amazing gift that in its purest form can change everything, so make sure you get the best kind possible.
