What on Earth is Diatomaceous Earth?

We get lots of interest in our Diatomaceous Earth and thought we would share all we have learned about Diatomaceous Earth since we first discovered its health benefits.

Diatomaceous Earth is one of the first products we launched Essential Minerals with.  We first discovered Diatomaceous Earth while looking to treat IBS naturally after years of taking medicines that had little or no impact on IBS. From research, we discovered this thing called food-grade diatomaceous earth—aka fossil flour, a powder rich in silica that was reported to have dozens of health benefits.

So What is Diatomaceous Earth? 

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is the remains of microscopic, algae called diatoms that lived in ancient oceans and lakes that have accumulated in the sediment of rivers, streams, freshwater lakes and oceans all over the world for hundreds to thousands to millions of years that are now dry areas of land.

Is all Diatomaceous Earth the Same?

No! and this is important. There are commercial grade varieties and there are food grade varieties. For health and cosmetic purposes, it has to be food grade. Food grade varieties can also differ depending on which water source they come from. In our research to find the best DE, we selected a Mexican Fresh Water Food Grade DE for it purity, high levels of Silica (92-95%) and additional mineral content that included Sodium, Magnesium, Iron, Calcium, Selenium, Titanium, Copper and Manganese.

Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE), is a super, super fine white powder, that is why it is often referred to as fossil flour. It is actually lighter than flour, that is how fine it is. 

What are the Reported Health Benefits?

The most sought-after benefit of DE is for its ability to cleanse the digestive track. "Diatomaceous earth is known as a natural treatment for parasites and pathogenic microbes in the digestive tract," says Robin Foroutan, MS, RDN, HHC, an integrative medicine dietitian.

Examined under a microscope and magnified 7000x, DE's lovely silky flour like texture actually appear as spiny honeycombs or tiny cheese-grater like cylinders. DE particles are negatively charged. Heavy metals, a number of pathogenic bacteria and viruses, pesticides and drug residues are typically positively charged. As the tiny particles of DE sweep through the digestive tract, the tiny cheese-grate cylinders gently exfoliate the digestive tract, while attracting or drawing in the positively charged nasties, capturing them within their framework and consequentially passing them out as waste. Regular consumption of DE can therefore have a powerful detoxifying effect. We find this process is enhanced when DE is mixed 50/50 with our Sodium Clay and taken as a slurry.

In addition to all that cleansing, DE deposits its mineral content whilst it travels through our system, supplementing us with its mineral make -up, most notably, Silica. Collagen, which is extremely important for healthy skin, hair, nail and bones is mostly made up of silica.  When we're deficient in silica, our collagen breaks down more quickly, which makes the skin look old and dull, hair thin and dull and nails weak and brittle. Taking silica may restore and repair the collagen in our body.

Due to both its ability to exfoliate, cleanse, detox, and supplement Diatomaceous Earth is a star in natural health and is used in soaps, hair products, toothpastes, deodorants, face masks and scrubs to name a few.