A Priceless Natural Treasure
Authentic shilajit from the Himalayas is one of the most potent and rare natural substances in the world, and its high price tag reflects its exceptional quality and the complexities involved in its harvest.
But obtaining this extraordinary substance comes with considerable challenges—both in terms of its natural rarity and the dangerous, labor-intensive process of harvesting it.
It’s crucial to be able to distinguish genuine Shilajit, as less than 5% of the products sold under the “Shilajit” label are authentic.
Why Are There So Many Fakes?
The rise of fake Shilajit products on the market can be understood through a simple analogy: the world of luxury designer goods. Just as counterfeit designer handbags or watches flood the market, fake Shilajit has become a widespread issue. The underlying reason for both is the same—high demand for something rare, valuable, and coveted, paired with the potential for significant profit.
Scarcity Breeds Imitation
Just like a limited-edition Louis Vuitton bag or a Rolex watch, authentic Shilajit is rare and hard to come by. Genuine Shilajit, especially the high-quality resin sourced from the Himalayas, is incredibly difficult to harvest.
It comes from remote, high-altitude locations, where access is treacherous, and the process is time-consuming. The scarcity of authentic Shilajit makes it a high-ticket item, and when something is rare and valuable, there will always be opportunists looking to cash in.
Just as counterfeiters churn out fake luxury handbags using cheap materials to mimic the look of the real deal, counterfeiters in the Shilajit market mimic its appearance—often using cheaper, harmful substances like synthetic resins (ozokerite), heavy metals, or additives—to create products that look similar but offer none of the health benefits of the authentic substance.
Deceptive Marketing
Counterfeiters in ‘high ticket’ markets rely on clever packaging and persuasive marketing to fool consumers. A fake designer bag often comes in an impeccable box, with high-end branding and even authenticity cards, giving the illusion of legitimacy. In the Shilajit market, fake products are marketed with buzzwords like “pure,” “organic,” or “wildcrafted” to create an impression of authenticity, while the actual product inside may be far from it. This deceptive branding is often enough to lure buyers who are unaware of how to differentiate between genuine and counterfeit Shilajit.
Consumer Desire for Wellness
Just as there’s a global obsession with designer goods as a status symbol, there’s a growing trend toward natural wellness, and Shilajit has become the star of the show.
People seek out Shilajit for its purported health benefits, including boosting energy, enhancing cognitive function, and promoting overall well-being. Its reputation as a “superfood” has created a surge in demand, making it a prime target for counterfeit products.
The same way that fake designer items appeal to those wanting to showcase their status without paying the premium, counterfeit Shilajit products attract consumers looking for the wellness benefits at a lower price, essentially being duped with a replica with little to no benefits at all.
Most are imitations or are either:
- Real, but heavily cut with non-beneficial or even harmful fillers.
- Very low grade quality, poorly purified, damaging delicate nutrients.
- Similar looking substances like mummyo, ozokerite, fertilser grade fulvic acids.
- Contain no Shilajit at all.
The Reason
In the Himalayas, where the ideal conditions exist for its formation, Shilajit is found at altitudes of around 13,000 to 18,000 feet (4,000 to 5,500 meters). This means that the harvesting process takes place in extreme conditions, where temperatures can drop to -20°C (-4°F), and the environment is characterized by unstable terrain, thin air, and difficult access routes. Only a select few regions in West Nepal, near Api Mountain, Dolpa and areas west of Mount Everest, produce the highest quality Shilajit.
Put simply, the scarcity and dangerous accessibility of genuine Shilajit from the Nepal Himalayas plays a crucial role in its cost. Only handful of remote villages are able to harvest and by the time it arrives to the city it passes through so many hands, there is a potential it gets cut with all kinds of nasties to gain larger profits. This is common in lower economic countries, and a means for survival.
Companies openly make bold claims of there ‘high purity’, blindly trusting dubious suppliers off alibaba. However we witnessed first hand how deceptive and misleading the quality really is once it hits the major cities and handled by various third parties.
Rarest Natural Consumables
The chart below presents data from independent sources that highlight Shilajit as one of the rarest consumable substances on Earth. A quick search for counterfeits of these high-end items will reveal a surprising truth: they’re often faked, just like Shilajit. The reason? Their immense rarity and high demand make them prime targets for imitation.
Source: www.curiousnotions.com
The Earthlete Network
Thats why the team at Earthlete have built a completely new independant network with generational harvesting groups across West Nepal where they have been traditionally collecting for millenia.
We work in collaboration with local government officials and industry experts to carefully monitor and overlook each step of our process. Safeguarding a truly premium product, unlike anything else found on the market.
In return, we support these communities through our initiative projects where we donate additional profits back to these regions to create opportunities to support and mitigate other social economic issues they are faced with, such as schooling, woman's upskilling and access to food.
2 SIMPLE METHODS TO TEST YOUR SHILAJIT AT HOME
1. Burn Test
The burn test is one of the simplest and most commonly used methods to help determine if Shilajit is real or fake. While it’s not a foolproof test, it can give you some clues about the authenticity of your Shilajit.
How to Flame Test Shilajit
Start by taking a small, pea-sized piece of Shilajit resin from the sample you want to test. Use a clean, heat resistant surface like a metal spoon or butter knife.
Apply Flame - Use a lighter, match, or any small flame source to gently heat the Shilajit. Hold the spoon a few centimetres above the Shilajit and observe how it reacts to the heat.
Observe the Results
Real Shilajit: Genuine Shilajit, when heated, should soften and start to develop and bubble into a charcoal ash slowly without producing any significant flame or dripping off the spoon. It should not produce a strong or pungent odor. The resin should not ignite or leave behind a harsh, synthetic smell.
Fake Shilajit: Many counterfeit or fake Shilajit products are made with added chemicals or synthetic materials. When you heat fake Shilajit, it will burn and start to drip off the spoon like plastic, emit a chemical or plastic-like odor, or leave behind a black, sticky residue. Some fake Shilajit may even produce excessive smoke, indicating the presence of non-organic or harmful substances.
Why This Works
Shilajit is a natural resin that contains a variety of minerals, plant compounds, and organic matter. When heated gently, it expands into a charcoal ash due to its natural composition, rather than melting away. Fake Shilajit, on the other hand, is often made from synthetic substances or mixed with other cheap fillers that don’t behave the same way under heat.
2. Dissolve Test
The dissolve test is another useful way to help determine if your Shilajit is authentic and properly purified. Real Shilajit should dissolve easily in warm water, releasing its rich, mineral-laden composition without leaving any residue or solid particles. Fake or adulterated Shilajit, on the other hand, may not dissolve fully, or it might leave behind synthetic materials, fillers, and other impurities.
How to Dissolve Test Shilajit
Prepare a Glass of Warm Water. Use a clean glass of warm (but not boiling) water. The water should be around 100°F to 120°F (37°C to 49°C). The warmth helps the Shilajit dissolve more easily, simulating the process you’d use to consume it as a supplement.
Add a small, pea-sized portion of the Shilajit resin. Place it directly into the warm water. You don’t need much—just enough to observe how it behaves in water.
Observe the Reaction
Real Shilajit: Genuine Shilajit will dissolve almost completely in warm water within a few minutes, sinking slowly in a “thread-like” manner, maintaining its form as it moves to the bottom.
The dissolved resin after mixing will turn the water into a dark rich golden colour similarly to whiskey. You might notice a slight froth or bubbles forming at the surface as it dissolves due to the natural minerals and organic compounds.
The dissolved Shilajit should have a smooth consistency and no floating particles or residue left at the bottom.
Fake Shilajit: poor quality Shilajit, particularly those mixed with fillers, resins, or synthetic substances, will not dissolve properly in water. Instead, it may:
Leave impurities at the bottom of the glass, indicating the presence of fillers, dirt or chemicals that do not dissolve.
Clump together or float without dissolving, which suggests that the product contains unprocessed or non-organic materials.
Create an unnatural texture, with the liquid becoming thick or sticky in a way that feels synthetic.
Change the colour of the water to something that looks dirty or muddy.
Check the After-Effects
After dissolving, real Shilajit may leave behind a slight mineral residue or trace at the bottom of the glass, which is a natural sign of its mineral content. However, this residue should be minimal and should not form large, sticky clumps.
Fake Shilajit, in contrast, may leave behind large amounts of residue or an oily film on the surface of the water.
Why This Works
Shilajit is a natural substance composed of organic plant matter, minerals, and fulvic acid, which are meant to dissolve naturally when combined with water. If the Shilajit dissolves smoothly and evenly, it indicates authenticity. Fake products, however, are often mixed with synthetic substances or chemical fillers that don’t dissolve in water and leave behind visible residues or particles. This can also be a result of poor purification methods.
At Earthlete, we take great care in preserving the full nutritional integrity of our premium Shilajit, which is why we implement a gentle low-heat filtration and sun-drying process that takes 60-90 days to complete.
Our strict purification process preserves the purity, where 1kg of raw shilajit will be refined to 150 grams of purified resin. Quality is everything.
This ensures that these nutrients are preserved at their most optimal levels, safeguarding its potency and bioavailability, while removing all unwanted contaminants and harmful waste from our finished resin.
