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What is bentonite clay and what are its health benefits?

What is bentonite clay and what are its health benefits?

With it super absorbent, toxin-pulling abilities, Bentonite clay is now on its way to becoming the next best health trend in the years to come. Here's why it can be good for you!

Written by Sandhya Raghavan |Updated : May 30, 2020 1:37 AM IST

Nobody in their right minds will ever think of eating clay, right? You will surely find the very idea disgusting. But what if we told you that consuming clay may actually be good for you? But not just any clay, we are talking about the healing bentonite clay. In recent years, the health and beauty industries have focused their attention on this power-packed clay and are rediscovering its many benefits. With it super absorbent, toxin-pulling abilities, Bentonite clay is now on its way to becoming the next best health trend in the years to come.

What is bentonite clay?

Bentonite is a highly absorbent aluminium phyllosilicate clay that is comprised mostly of montmorillonite. It is named after the place where it was first discovered in North America, near Cretaceous Benton Shale in Wyoming.

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How does it work?

Bentonite clay is super-absorbent in nature and gets supercharged with electrical energy when it comes in contact with water. It creates a strong negative charge which helps in attracting the positively charged heavy metals and toxins, purging it out of the system. That s why it is recommended that the clay is never mixed or stored in metal containers. It will lose its charge and draw toxins from the metals.

It is antimicrobial

Bentonite clay has antimicrobial properties [1]. Therefore, it can be used to cure and soothe infectious skin conditions that result from microbial infections. Bentonite skin is best used as a clay mask for the skin. This powerful clay is best mixed with apple cider vinegar and applied directly to the skin. The absorbent nature of the clay ensures that the toxins and sebum from the pores are pulled out. So it is great for those with chronic acne. Infections skin problems such as dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis can be soothed by applying a layer of the soothing clay on the skin. [2]

It is good for stomach

In a study conducted in 1998 [3], bentonite clay showed promising results in removing rotavirus and coronavirus toxins from the guts of mammals; both the viruses are responsible for many gastrointestinal problems. Food grade (non-food grade clay may contain lead) bentonite clay can, therefore, be safely consumed to relieve gastrointestinal problems. [3] By clearing toxins from the stomach, the clay aids in the proliferation of good stomach bacteria.

Read product review: Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay (World s Most Powerful Facial)

References:

1. Williams, L. B., & Haydel, S. E. (2010). Evaluation of the medicinal use of clay minerals as antibacterial agents. International geology review, 52(7-8), 745-770.

2. Marks, J. G., Fowler, J. F., Sherertz, E. F., & Rietschel, R. L. (1995). Prevention of poison ivy and poison oak allergic contact dermatitis by quaternium-18 bentonite. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 33(2), 212-216.

3. Clark, K. J., Sarr, A. B., Grant, P. G., Phillips, T. D., & Woode, G. N. (1998). In vitro studies on the use of clay, clay minerals and charcoal to adsorb bovine rotavirus and bovine coronavirus. Veterinary microbiology, 63(2), 137-146.

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