Shilajit Block

A 20 g block of raw shilajit resin sourced from the Indian Himalayas, sold in a food grade pack that you tear a small piece from as you need it. Shilajit is a dark, sticky, concentrated resin that forms over long periods in high-altitude rock. If you are looking for shilajit in the UK in its least processed form, resin rather than powder or capsules, this is it, and it has been our best-selling product over the past year.

A pea-sized piece is one serving, which the brand puts at about 100 servings per block. It dissolves in a warm drink and has a strong, earthy, slightly bitter taste.

What it is

Shilajit is sold in three forms: resin, powder and capsules. Resin is the least processed, which is why it looks like black tar and behaves like toffee. The raw material collected from mountain rock is purified by dissolving it in water, filtering out grit and evaporating the water slowly until a thick resin remains. Done gently, that gives the soft block in this pack.

The block hardens in a cold cupboard and softens in a warm room or in your hand, so if it is too firm to tear, hold the pack for a minute first. A pea-sized piece is about 200 mg, which is where the brand's figure of 100 servings from 20 g comes from. It dissolves fully in warm water in a minute or two with stirring and turns the water a deep brown.

The brand states that the origin is verified in the Indian Himalayas and that the product is lab tested, with a certificate shown in the product photos. We repeat both as the brand's statements and have not verified them ourselves. The brand's original description refers to the Sherpa people of the Himalayas; we mention that as context, not as a claim about the product.

It is made by Sherpa Shilajit, an independent UK brand. If you get through a block quickly, the same resin comes as a 30 g jar.

How to take it

Tear off a pea-sized piece and stir it into warm water or a herbal tea until it dissolves. The brand's direction is once a day on an empty stomach, and never more than twice a day. Most people take it first thing, in the drink they would have anyway. Warm milk and herbal tea mask the mineral taste better than plain water.

• 20 g block in a food grade pack
• About 100 pea-sized servings of roughly 200 mg
• Once a day on an empty stomach; do not use more than twice a day
• £21.99 works out at about 22p a serving

Keep it sealed. Resin is sticky and will attach itself to anything it touches, so fold the pack closed or decant into a small jar with a lid. It does not need refrigerating, and the cold makes it harder to tear.

What's inside

• Raw shilajit resin, 20 g
• Origin: Indian Himalayas, verified by the brand
• Form: sticky, concentrated resin, sold as a solid block
• Lab tested, according to the brand, with a certificate shown in the product photos

Shilajit is a mineral-rich exudate that seeps from rock faces in high mountain ranges, most famously the Himalayas. It is thought to form over a very long time from plant material and minerals compressed in rock. The purified resin is what is sold; the brand does not publish an analysis of its mineral content, so we do not quote one.

Who it's for

People who want shilajit as the traditional resin rather than a capsule, and who do not mind a little ritual in the morning: tear, stir, drink. It suits anyone who already starts the day with a warm drink and wants to add something to it. It is also the format for people who are sceptical of powders and capsules and want to see the raw material.

If you want no taste and no mess, resin is not the format; a capsule would be, though we do not currently stock one. If you want another mineral product for the kitchen rather than the mug, the Celtic sea salt sits on the same shelf.

Pairs well with

The coarse Celtic sea salt is the other product on our minerals shelf, a kitchen salt rather than a supplement. People who take shilajit in the morning often take ashwagandha capsules too, the other Ayurvedic staple we stock. For a morning drink to dissolve it into, the caffeine free chicory coffee has a strong enough flavour to carry it. See the whole shilajit, salts and minerals shelf and our best sellers.

Frequently asked questions

What is shilajit?

A dark, tar-like resin that seeps from rock in high mountain ranges and is purified for sale as a food supplement. It comes as resin, powder or capsules; this is the resin.

How do I take shilajit resin?

Tear off a pea-sized piece and dissolve it in a warm drink. Once a day on an empty stomach, and never more than twice.

Where does it come from?

The Indian Himalayas, with origin verified by the brand.

What does it taste like?

Earthy, mineral and slightly bitter. Herbal tea or warm milk masks it better than plain water.

Read our guide what is shilajit and how is it taken for where it comes from, how it is purified and how the three formats compare. Herbastore ships this product from the UK, with free UK shipping on orders over £40. Orders are packed by Herbastore UK, so if you are buying from more than one of our brands everything arrives together.