For most of us, “eating dirt” is more figurative than literal – and even then, it’s not presented as a good thing. Every so often, though, somebody will look at the ground, see the clay or mud or dust at their feet, and think, “yum”.
It’s called geophagy – from the Greek “geo”, meaning earth, and “phagia”, meaning eating – and it’s weird as heck. But it’s also a mainstay of human history – and, in certain circumstances, it’s not as nonsensical as it may seem.
“Earth eaters” through history
You might be surprised at how long we’ve been eating dirt. In fact, the practice goes so far back that it arguably predates “we” at all.
“The oldest evidence of geophagy practiced by humans comes from the prehistoric site at Kalambo Falls on the border between Zambia and Tanzania,” environmental geochemist Peter Abrahams wrote in one 2013 review. “Here, a calcium-rich white clay was found alongside the bones of Homo habilis (the immediate predecessor of Homo sapiens).”
Our species may have evolved from “handy” to “brainy”, but geophagia tagged along for the ride. References to the habit can be found in the fourth century BCE works of Hippocrates, and in textbooks from Aulus Cornelius Celsus half a millennium later; Pliny went so far as to recommend it, at least under very specific circumstances – when mixed into a porridge-like cereal, he advised, red clay “has a soothing effect […] as a remedy for ulcers in the humid part[s] of the body such as the mouth or anus,” that it “arrests diarrhea, and […] checks menstruation.”
Not all physicians were so supportive of swallowing soil, of course. Turn up in Avicenna’s surgery, in 11th century Persia, with a dirt-eating complaint, and he might recommend a course of imprisonment. Enslaved people in the Americas who were found eating earth might be forced into face masks or mouth-locks to stop the behavior, while their free peers may simply have been declared insane and thrown into whatever passed for mental healthcare back then.
Throughout all that time, though, there were some people who got something of a free pass when it came to eating dirt. It was seen as understandable if you were in a famine, for example; it was almost expected if you were pregnant. And that’s because…
But why would somebody eat dirt?
Strange as it may sound, there are actually quite a few reasons a person might chow down on the ground.
“Any person who studies geophagy undertaken by humans will invariably confront a problem during their research. Few people will believe them,” Abrahams wrote. “Yet many of these people will readily accept that wild animals deliberately eat soil.”
“For example, television programs which feature wildlife may show animals consuming soil, with the presenter commonly stating that the soils are being eaten for their mineral nutrient content,” he continued. “But many people find it more difficult to accept that humans can deliberately eat soil.”
For somebody under famine conditions, for example, eating soil may be one of the only ways to acquire minerals like iron or zinc – or, of course, to simply achieve a feeling of fullness. In fact, you don’t even need to be starving for the ground to start looking tasty: there are some places, like Nigeria or South Africa, where people ingest significant amounts of soil the same way you might take a supplement, believing that it has some dietary benefit thanks to the nutrients within.
In pregnancy, meanwhile, when the entire body goes a little wackadoo, people often report an urge to eat not just soil, but all kinds of weird things – it’s a disorder called pica, and it’s as mysterious as it is problematic. As with starvation victims, it’s potentially connected to nutritional deficiencies: “Sometimes, a mother isn’t able to adequately nourish herself due to socio-economic factors or could be suffering from a mental illness and coping with unwanted feelings,” registered dietician Shawna Melbourn told Today’s Parent in 2019. “But, regardless of the reason, it’s not a choice that the mother makes.”
Alternatively, it could be that these parents-to-be are using the soil as a stand-in for a packet of Tums or Rennies. “For pregnant women in India and Africa, fine red clay may diminish nausea possibly by coating the gut and absorbing toxins,” suggested Malawian science communicator Muza Gondwe back in 2010.
“Europe long ago did away with this practice but in Africa, it is still thriving in villages and in cities, or at least where you can find a tree or anthill with doti (dirt),” she wrote. “Despite the possible side effects, my pregnant aunty was less irritable and less queasy after her indulgence.”
We know: that soil might be somehow “good for you” sounds strange. But in fact, the idea of earth as medicine isn’t as foreign as you might think: clay can be used in recipes to detoxify other ingredients, for example, and calcium carbonate – you probably know it best as chalk or limestone – is an active ingredient in most antacids. Activated charcoal, while not pure geophagy material, is arguably in the same ballpark, and that’s literally on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines.
Disbelief of the practice is, Abrahams admitted, “perhaps understandable for members of a developed urban society that is educated, has ready access to modern pharmaceuticals, and which has increasingly, in both a physical and mental sense, become more remote from soils.”
Nevertheless, “there are perfectly sensible reasons as to why certain people deliberately eat soil,” he wrote, “and the consumer can benefit from indulging in geophagy in a number of ways.”
Should I… eat earth?
So, geophagy isn’t necessarily as weird or deranged as it seems. Should we all start doing it, then?
Well, short answer: no. Long answer: there’s a reason we have things like the FDA, people!
“It has been suggested that the practice should be considered within the normal range of human behavior, an enlightened viewpoint that I personally support,” Abrahams wrote.
“However,” he added, and you should definitely read this bit, “before the reader hurries away to indulge in geophagy, a word of warning is necessary. Aside from the benefits that eaten soils can impart to the consumer, very serious health problems may also result.”
Earth can contain helpful minerals like iron and zinc, sure – but it can also contain lead, arsenic, nickel, and other toxic metals. Soil contaminated with poop carries a whole extra zoo of risk, including bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and the potentially fatal hepatitis A.
That’s all bad enough for you, but it’s even worse if you’re carrying a passenger. “Eating non-food substances is potentially harmful to both you and your baby,” cautions the American Pregnancy Association. “Eating non-food substances may interfere with the nutrient absorption of healthy food substances and actually cause a deficiency.”
In short: if you’re craving dirt – and you have literally any better option – please don’t indulge. See a doctor, get some supplements… and stay away, we suppose, from Avicenna.
All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text, images, and links may be edited, removed, or added to at a later date to keep information current.
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
Source Link: Geophagia – Why Some People Eat Soil, And Whether You Should Try It Too (Spoiler: No)