Tag: Edible minerals

Did you know that you likely consume small amounts of rock every single day? While you can't just pick up a stone and eat it, a surprising number of minerals and rock-derived ingredients are used in our food, beverages, and supplements. Learn what types of rocks can you eat and their important roles.

While many minerals find their way into our food supply, a fascinating geological fact is that halite, more commonly known as rock salt, is the only rock humans eat. This essential mineral, crucial for flavor and physiological function, has a storied past that has shaped empires and trade routes.

Minerals are essential inorganic elements for human health, but most are obtained indirectly through plant-based foods, not by consuming raw rocks. While the Earth's crust is rich in minerals, the concept of eating them directly is largely a misconception with potentially dangerous consequences. The key difference lies between digestible dietary minerals and indigestible geological ones.

While most people consider salt to be the only rock we intentionally eat, many mineral-based compounds from the earth are added to our food for flavor, preservation, or as nutritional supplements. From fortifying baked goods to giving chewing gum its texture, these substances are common in the modern diet. The truth is that salt is just one of many rocks and minerals we consume regularly.