page_title: Geophagia
section_title: Contemporary practices
hierarchical_section_title: Geophagia / Humans / Contemporary practices
caption_attribution_description: English: Several different rocks of clay-like material being sold at a local market in Kabwe, Zambia. These are usually purchased by pregnant women and consumed.
context_page_description: Geophagia, also known as geophagy, is the practice of eating earth or soil-like substances such as clay, chalk, or termite mounds. It occurs in many non-human animals and has been documented in more than 100 primate species. Geophagy also occurs in humans and is most commonly reported among children and pregnant women. Human geophagia is a form pica - the craving and purposive consumption of non-food items - and is classified as an eating disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders if not socially or culturally appropriate. Although its etiology remains unknown, geophagy has many potential adaptive health benefits as well as negative sequelae.
context_section_description: In Africa, kaolin, sometimes known as kalaba (in Gabon and Cameroon), calaba, and calabachop (in Equatorial Guinea), is eaten for pleasure or to suppress hunger. Kaolin for human consumption is sold at most markets in Cameroon and is often flavoured with spices such as black pepper and cardamom. Consumption is greatest among women, especially during pregnancy. Another example of geophagia was reported in Free State Province in South Africa, where the practice was geochemically investigated.
  In Haiti, poor people are known to eat mud biscuits made from soil, salt, and vegetable shortening. These biscuits hold minimal nutritional value, but manage to keep the poor alive. However, long-term consumption of the biscuits is reported to cause stomach pains and malnutrition, and is not recommended by doctors.
  Bentonite clay is available worldwide as a digestive aid; kaolin is also widely used as a digestive aid and as the base for some medicines. Attapulgite, another type of clay, is an active ingredient in many anti-diarrheal medicines.
caption: Several different rocks of clay-like material being sold at a local market in Kabwe, Zambia. These are usually purchased and consumed by pregnant women.
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