Which foods should be avoided with Shilajit to help consume Shilajit for the best results? Shilajit is a natural substance used for centuries due to its numerous benefits.
By understanding the potential interactions, you can make an informed decision about how to incorporate Shilajit into your wellness routine.
Before exploring further, please read the disclaimer located at the end of this webpage.
What Are Shilajit and Its Key Benefits?
It has been formed over centuries by the slow decomposition of flora in the rocky mountain layers.
Shilajit has a characteristic black color like asphalt, containing many natural substances from hundreds of years.
Humic acid and fulvic acid are two natural ingredients that bring many human health benefits.
Here are some key benefits of Shilajit:
- Enhance brain function and concentration.
- Improves Testosterone Levels: Shilajit increases testosterone in men.
- Reduce fatigue: Supplementing shilajit can help the body restore energy and improve prolonged fatigue when working and studying daily.
- Slows down the aging process: Fulvic acid in shilajit can prevent aging.
- Improve muscle strength.
- Help skin disorders and improve skin health.
Related Article: Can You Take Safed Musli And Shilajit Together?
10 Foods You Should Avoid Consuming with Shilajit
Highly Processed Foods
This type of food often contains many additives, colorings, and preservatives. Consuming a lot of these foods can be harmful to your health and pose a potential risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes,...[1].
Consuming highly processed foods such as Shilajit may reduce its effectiveness.
High-Sugar Foods
High-sugar foods, glucose, and fructose cause lipid and carbohydrate metabolism disorders in the body.
Added sugar promotes increased energy balance, weight gain, fat storage, and thus overweight or obesity [2].
Shilajit will best show its benefits when the body is in energy balance, so reducing the consumption of sugary foods can enhance the positive effects of Shilajit.
Caffeine-rich Beverages
Although moderate caffeine consumption may not negate the benefits of Shilajit, excessive consumption of caffeine-rich beverages may cause unwanted effects.
Caffeine may affect the body's pH balance or compete with certain minerals for absorption, potentially reducing the effectiveness of Shilajit [3].
Furthermore, consuming too much caffeine can lead to overstimulation, restlessness, and sleep disruption. These effects contradict Shilajit's calming and balancing properties.
Read more: Can You Take Shilajit With Multivitamins Together?
Alcohol
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, affecting many different functions of the body.
It can impair cognitive function, motor skills, and judgment, and excessive or frequent alcohol consumption can lead to a range of health problems, including liver damage and cardiovascular and addiction issues.
When consumed with Shilajit, alcohol interferes with the body's ability to absorb and utilize the nutrients and bioactive compounds found in Shilajit.
Alcohol can disrupt digestion, reduce nutrient absorption, and reduce Shilajit's effectiveness in supporting health.
Foods High in Oxalates
Oxalate-rich foods such as cabbage, leeks, celery, blueberries, etc. can combine with minerals in Shilajit, reducing their absorption and the effectiveness of Shilajit.
Particularly in people prone to kidney stones, excessive consumption of oxalate-rich foods combined with other factors may increase the risk of kidney stone formation.
Although Shilajit is not known to contribute to kidney stones, oxalates from dietary sources may increase this risk when consumed simultaneously [4].
Milk and Radish
Shilajit and Milk are often combined to deal with diabetes [8]. However, if you combine Shilajit and Milk, you should not use radish because it can cause digestive disorders.
Instead, separate Shilajit and milk from radishes to maximize their benefits [9].
Fatty and Greasy Foods
Fatty foods can slow digestion and reduce the absorption of nutrients from the digestive tract. It includes essential minerals and bioactive compounds found in Shilajit, which can reduce its bioavailability and effectiveness.
High-fat diets, significantly those rich in unhealthy fats like trans fats and saturated fats, can contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation in the body.
Meanwhile, Shilajit is known for its antioxidant properties, which can help counteract these effects [5].
However, consuming too much fatty and greasy foods and Shilajit can weaken its ability to minimize oxidative stress.
Spicy Food
Spicy foods can irritate the digestive tract, leading to symptoms such as heartburn, indigestion, and stomach upset.
Consuming Shilajit supports digestive health; the combination can cause these symptoms.
The intense flavor and heat of spicy foods can overwhelm the taste and palatability of Shilajit, making consumption more difficult.
Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits may increase stomach acidity, potentially altering the pH balance and environment in which Shilajit is digested and absorbed. The acidity of citrus fruits can cause unpleasant digestive symptoms.
Meat & Fish
Combining Shilajit with animal proteins may hinder its absorption and effectiveness.
You should maintain a reasonable diet to optimize the digestive process and enhance the body's ability to absorb nutrients. Combining meat or fish with Shilajit can lead to indigestion.
Notes to Consume Shilajit Safety and Effectively
Below are some notes when using Shilajit
- Choose Shilajit from reputable and reputable suppliers to ensure the quality and origin of the product.
- Always follow the manufacturer's or your healthcare professional's instructions.
- Follow recommended dosage and usage to ensure safety and effectiveness.
- Dosage: The recommended dosage is usually 300-500 mg daily, with gradual increases to assess tolerability [6].
- Cyclical Use: Take Shilajit daily for 1-3 months, then take a break before starting again.
- To maximize Shilajit absorption, the most appropriate time to take Shilajit is in the morning, before breakfast on an empty stomach [7], based on studies.
- Store Shilajit at room temperature and away from direct sunlight to preserve the quality of the product.
- Combined with a balanced diet: Use Shilajit as part of a balanced, nutrient-rich, varied diet. Make sure you consume adequate amounts of water and nutritious foods to maximize the benefits of Shilajit.
- Monitor your body's reactions: Carefully monitor how your body reacts after using Shilajit. If you experience any side effects, discontinue use and consult a professional.
- Pregnant and nursing: Avoid using Shilajit during these periods.
Conclusion
Besides the benefits of Shilajit, users should pay attention to foods that can affect the absorption of Shilajit, such as high-processed foods, high-sugar foods, caffeine, alcohol, foods rich in oxalates, fatty and greasy foods, Milk and raMilkes, spicy foods, citrus fruits, and fish meat.
Avoiding foods that interact with Shilajit is essential to receive the maximum effectiveness of this natural supplement.
By following these tips on using Shilajit safely and effectively, users can take full advantage of the benefits it brings to health.
References
- [1] Moubarac, Jean-Claude, et al. “Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods and Likely Impact on Human Health. Evidence from Canada.” Public Health Nutrition, vol. 16, no. 12, 21 Nov. 2012, pp. 2240–2248, www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/consumption-of-ultraprocessed-foods-and-likely-impact-on-human-health-evidence-from-canada/22FD38DE1BB3B5CD42B843A36D9D8D25/core-reader#, https://doi.org/10.1017/s1368980012005009.
- [2] Witek, Kacper, et al. “A High-Sugar Diet Consumption, Metabolism and Health Impacts with a Focus on the Development of Substance Use Disorder: A Narrative Review.” Nutrients, vol. 14, no. 14, 18 July 2022, p. 2940, https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14142940.
- [3] Akpoghelie, O. J., et al. “Evaluation and Consequences of the PH and Caffeine Content of Energy Drinks Marketed in Delta State, Nigeria.” Journal of Chemical Society of Nigeria, vol. 45, no. 4, 7 July 2020, https://doi.org/10.46602/jcsn.v45i4.494. Accessed 8 Oct. 2020.
- [4] Choudhary, K., & Monika. (2017, November 23). Conceptual review on etiopathogenesis and management of urolithiasis in Ayurveda with proven clinical trials. ResearchGate; unknown. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321254438_Conceptual_review_on_etiopathogenesis_and_management_of_urolithiasis_in_Ayurveda_with_proven_clinical_trials
- [5] P Usharani, & Chandrasekhar, N. (2022). Shilajit extract reduces oxidative stress, inflammation, and bone loss to dose-dependently preserve bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteopenia: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine, 105, 154334–154334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154334
- [6] Stohs, Sidney J. “Safety and Efficacy of Shilajit (Mumie, Moomiyo).” Phytotherapy Research, vol. 28, no. 4, 3 June 2013, pp. 475–479, https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5018.
- [7] Shankar, Uma, and Srikanthbabu Perugu. “Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety of Adjuvant Ayurvedic Therapy in Patients with Severe Post-Covid Mucor-Mycosis at a Government Tertiary Care Hospital – a Case-Control Study.” Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, vol. 13, no. 3, 1 July 2022, pp. 100585–100585, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaim.2022.100585. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.
- [8] Wilson, Eugene, et al. “Review on Shilajit Used in Traditional Indian Medicine.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology, vol. 136, no. 1, June 2011, pp. 1–9, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2011.04.033. Accessed 17 May 2022.
- [9] Das, B. (2014). Concept of Dietetics and its Importance in Ayurveda. ResearchGate; OMICS Publishing Group.
