What Happens if You Eat Chalk? 🤔

Chalk is not something most people even think to eat.

But many people, especially children, crave for chalk or other non-foodstuffs. 😮

I got so many questions about it, asking what happens if you eat chalk?

So, let me explain. 🧐

What Happens if You Eat Chalk?

Eating chalk can harm your teeth and digestive system. It also causes constipation, poisoning, parasites and loss of appetite. 😮

The main component of chalk is calcium carbonate, a form of limestone. [1]

It is formed deep under the sea by the compression of microscopic plankton that had settled to the sea floor. 

But don’t think blackboard chalk only contains calcium carbonate. 😮

Calcium carbonate is typically bound with kaolin clay, Oleic acid, and Sodium hydroxide. [2]

Also, a variety of formulations are used to make chalk. Most of which are made from calcium sulfate hemihydrate (Plaster of Paris), which reacts with water to form Gypsum. [2]

Dry pigments may be added for increased whiteness or coloration. [2]

So, eating chalk is definitely not beneficial to you in any way. 🤔

Regular chalk eating does many harm as mentioned earlier.

The Final Word

Chalk eating or the feeling of eating chalk might be a medical condition called pica.

Pica is a rare eating disorder that involves consuming items that are not typically food and do not provide nutritional value. 😮 [3]

If this is your case, please consult with a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.


This article is written by a certified nutritionist and verified by scientific evidence. ☑️

We rely on reputed and specialized media sites, academic research institutions, peer-reviewed studies, government agencies, and medical associations to source information. 📰

We avoid using tertiary references. Know more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. 🧐

Following are the references of this article.

  1. WikiPedia: Chalk. Accessed 13 November 2021[]
  2. Cameo: Blackboard Chalk. Accessed 13 November 2021[][][]
  3. National Eating Disorders Association: PICA. Accessed 13 November 2021[]
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About the Author

A. R. Choudhury, ARChoudhuryMSc,

A. R. Choudhury also known as Abdur Rahman Choudhury is a nutritionist in West Bengal, India, with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Biochemistry.

He has done his diploma in nutrition, and completed various certification courses from several universities. He also has considerable research experience in PCOS. 🏅

Abdur currently lives in India and keeps fit by weight training and eating mainly home-cooked meals. 💪 🥗

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