Many are familiar with the feeling of an irresistible desire to eat a piece of chalk. And some can’t do without a daily serving of this supplement. What caused this need of the body, and what chalk can be consumed? Food chalk, which does not contain harmful substances and is purified, is ideal for eating.
What caused the desire to eat chalk?
Such a strangeness in taste preferences, as an unexpected desire to eat chalk, most often indicates a malfunction in the body. It should be understood that a piece of white matter will not save the true cause of desire. Experts say that the problem may lie in iron deficiency anemia (anemia). Lack of iron causes a decrease in hemoglobin. This condition leads to rapid aging of the body.
Calcium deficiency is another reason for eating chalk. Without receiving this trace element in the required quantities, the body begins to give such peculiar “signals”. To normalize the condition, it is necessary to revise the daily diet and start taking supplements, for example, food chalk.
Even 10-15 years ago, they wrote on the board with lump chalk, which can even be eaten. It was such chalk that many managed to taste. It does not contain any harmful substances in the composition, but also does not have special benefits for the body.
Calcium carbonate is the main component of lump chalk. It is used for the manufacture of medicines that make up for the lack of a trace element in the body, improve the condition of hair, nails and bone tissue.
Is it possible to eat chalk during pregnancy?
During the period of carrying a baby, the female body experiences a huge load. Almost every pregnant woman suffers from a deficiency of trace elements and nutrients. Such a problem can be expressed in an irresistible desire to nibble a piece of chalk. Pregnant women may also like the smell of soap, whitewash.
Experts say that in small quantities of chalk (food) during pregnancy, you can use the expectant mother. However, such a “delicacy” should be selected carefully. Crayons for drawing contain various additives and are completely different in taste from the original. It is better not to eat them in food.
A piece of natural chalk for a pregnant woman will be a good source of calcium. Before using such an unusual product, it is recommended that you consult a doctor. Perhaps the expectant mother will need to undergo an examination to find out the reasons for this desire.
Food chalk: benefits and harm to the body
According to doctors, only pharmacy chalk purified from various harmful inclusions and impurities is suitable for consumption. It will bring the body only benefits: strengthen the walls of blood vessels, make up for the deficiency of calcium ions. It is necessary to take such chalk according to the age dosage.
For lovers of chalk, the most delicious is the food, purified product. A few small pieces per day will not cause harm to the body. Although, on the other hand, one should not expect special benefit from this “delicacy”. Food chalk does not affect the lack of nutrients in the body.
Chalk food: application
Most cannibals can not live without a favorite treat and day. Each of them has its own "dose". How much chalk can be consumed so as not to harm the body? Experts recommend not to get involved in eating this substance.
Food Chalk helps some people cope with the increased acidity of the stomach. To do this, it is ground into powder and consumed one teaspoon per day. Some pharmaceutical preparations designed to lower the acidity level of gastric juice contain calcium carbonate. The substance has antacid properties and can be used for peptic ulcer disease.
Can I give chalk to children?
Unexpected taste preferences can be observed in children. For parents, this is a kind of signal that a growing body lacks nutrients. If the baby began to eat chalk, it is worth considering that the child’s diet is not balanced. Calcium deficiency during the period of active growth of the skeleton poses a serious danger to the normal physical development of the child. A trace element is necessary to strengthen muscle and bone tissue, is involved in the formation of strong teeth.
Craving for chalk can develop in a child with low hemoglobin. Iron deficiency
anemia in children is a dangerous ailment. The body begins to suffer from a lack of oxygen, which leads to rapid fatigue, dizziness. With such problems, you should definitely contact your pediatrician.
Denying the child the desire to eat a piece of chalk is not worth it. However, you should choose the most secure product for this purpose. School chalk, or one intended for drawing, is completely unsuitable for use as a dietary supplement.
Harmless is pharmacy chalk. It is released in the form of calcium gluconate tablets. Dosage is calculated depending on the age of the baby. Purified chalk (food) can also be given to nibble a child. It is rarely found in pharmacies. Most often, such a “delicacy” is acquired through online stores.
Additional measures
Constantly eating chalk (even food) is not an option. To compensate for the lack of trace elements in the body, you should adjust the diet. In case of anemia, it is useful to consume iron-fortified foods. These include:
- liver (pork and beef);
- buckwheat grain;
- Garnet;
- prunes
- bananas.
With a great desire to eat a little piece of chalk, of course, you can. Only this must be a quality product. It should be remembered that you can use only white chalk, purified from various harmful substances (food). Photos of such a product are in our article. Please note: the pieces of chalk must be irregular in shape. Sometimes you can find sawn chalk in the form of bars. On their surface, grooves from cutting with tools are visible.