TikTok’s latest and strangest trend: eating dirt to reduce wrinkles

Do you want to improve your gut health, reduce wrinkles, and treat acne? Eat dirt. At least, according to the latest health trend making the rounds on TikTok.
“[One] A spoonful of organic biodynamic soil has more bacteria than people on Earth,” Stephanie Adler, fertility and hormone trainer, told her TikTok followers in a closed post. In the background, a child is cutting through the dry mud. “I love eating dirt,” admitted one TikTok creator. “I don’t care what anyone says. No one can make me stop eating it.”
For those horrified by the idea of eating dirt in their own backyard, many vendors have set up shop on digital marketplaces including Etsy and Amazon to offer edible dirt and other geologic snacks that are suitable for human consumption, at prices above $10.
Flavor notes for one listing (currently 35% off) include: “Rich red earth tones, earthy, cement.” In case you were wondering, it doesn’t taste “too small, too earthy,” according to one reviewer. Another added: “Sweet. Mouth watering. A wonderful taste of the world. “
The practice of eating dirt actually has a name—geophagia: the deliberate habit, or urge, to eat soil, earth, or clay—and it dates back to Hippocrates more than 2,500 years ago. While some may eat soil sprinkles from our unwashed vegetables, eating dirt has been linked to pregnancy, certain psychological conditions, and nutrient deficiencies, according to WebMD. .
Pica, a type of eating disorder, describes a strong desire to eat non-food items, with sufferers sometimes craving dirt, clay, chalk, and/or starch. Many pregnant women may also crave dirt, perhaps because of the potential dirt that can harbor certain toxins and parasites, research suggests. Some cultures also believe that eating dirt can be good for you. However, as it stands, there is very little concrete research supporting the benefits of eating dirt in the general population.
According to Heathline, the risks of eating dirt may outweigh any potential benefits, especially if you are pregnant. Soil can contain a number of hazardous substances including heavy metals, parasites, and even human waste. Geophagy can also interfere with your ability to digest necessary nutrients, and the clay in your stomach binds to iron, zinc, and other nutrients, increasing the risk of anemia. For a healthy snack, stick to bananas.