![]() ![]() "Make sure you get the real stuff," she advised. Joiner, who has eaten clay for over 20 years, refuses to eat certain clays because they contain sand or have a gritty taste. "Everywhere that geophagy has been recorded, it's passed down that there's a certain location where the dirt is tastier or they know it to be cleaner," Gibson-Staneland said. ![]() "In Africa, they eat the dirt from termite mounds," she added, noting that the dirt and clays from termite mounds are rich in minerals.īecause not all clays are created equal, women who eat clay are very particular about which clays they consume. "It's about women lacking nutrients or women in impoverished conditions who don't have access to health care, adapting," said Gibson-Staneland. Dairy products like milk and cheese would provide important dietary calcium - when these are absent, pregnant women may seek other sources. These are essential minerals for the human diet but even more critical during pregnancy.Įrica Gibson-Staneland, an anthropologist at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla., has found that geophagy is more often found in cultures that do not practice dairying. Mineral content in clays vary from region to region, but many contain high levels of calcium, iron, copper and magnesium. It may simply be that women who had this craving were more likely to survive and pass on this tendency to their offspring." "Soil is nature's multi-mineral supply," he added, "and nature favors behaviors that lead to survival. "Mineral demand goes up substantially during pregnancy." ![]() "Mineral supplements are a pretty new phenomenon," said Katz. Medical professionals studying geophagy are also considering whether the minerals in some clays are especially beneficial for pregnant women. But when South American Indians eat these potatoes in combination with alkaloid-binding clays, the potatoes are safe to consume, according to Diamond. Glycoalkaloids, for example, are commonly found in potatoes and can cause diarrhea, vomiting and neurological problems in humans. Jared Diamond, professor of geography and physiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and author of "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" has written on clays that are especially good at binding with plant toxins.ĭiamond notes that many traditional cultures cook food like potatoes, acorns and bread in clay as a way of protecting against the toxic alkaloids and tannic acids that would otherwise make these foods inedible. Katz, nutrition expert at the Yale School of Medicine and a medical contributor for ABC News.Ĭlay's ability to absorb plant toxins is well documented. "It is possible that the binding effect of clay would cause it to absorb toxins," said Dr. ![]()
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