Bizarre trend of eating DIRT is taking TikTok by storm…proponents say it keeps them wrinkle-free and fights tummy troubles

Meet the ‘crunchers’ who buy ‘edible’ soil, clay and chalk online for their many supposed health benefits.

There are numerous retailers active on digital marketplaces such as Etsy and eBay, offering rocks and other geological waste for human consumption for less than £10.

Suppliers use descriptive terms you would recognize in a wine shop and tout their product as “a very pleasant earthy flavor with a medium hard crunch.”

Another online seller sells something called “blue clay” and claims it has the scent of wild herbs followed by a “slightly sour aftertaste.”

On TikTok, there are countless accounts where people eat clay and chalk. People sit with a stick and a bowl of earth in their hands to eat it for their followers. Sometimes the videos are viewed millions of times.

Geophagy is a technical term for eating clay, chalk and soil. It has been practiced in certain parts of the world for hundreds of years.

Traditionally, it has been seen as a way to get trace minerals that people may be lacking in their diet, such as zinc, or to supplement their diet during difficult times.

It is also known to cure digestive problems and absorb toxins from the body, as claimed by several sellers.

One advert seen by MailOnline claims that taking it will clear up acne and combat hunger pangs, while another claims it can act as a ‘mood enhancer’.

Some even claim that it can relieve allergy symptoms and that it has anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties.

Another seller describes ‘blue clay’ as having a ‘delicious crunch’ with notes of ‘classic “wet concrete floor” with the scent of wild herbs’ followed by a ‘slightly sour aftertaste’

Surprisingly, the claim that clay can provide relief from complaints such as diarrhea is true.

The NHS has in the past prescribed a type of white clay called kaolin, which helps absorb toxins and remove them from the body.

However, it has become less popular compared to other over-the-counter remedies.

Some sellers also specifically state that their clay can help satisfy ‘pica cravings’.

Pica is a collective name for a common eating disorder that involves compulsive consumption of non-edible items such as hair, paper and soil.

Whether pica poses a health risk depends largely on what specifically a person eats.

According to Professor Gunter Kuhnle, an expert in nutrition and food science at the University of Reading, people may base their eating behaviour on the historical assumption that clay helps remove toxins from the body.

However, he warned that these earthly desires may ironically increase exposure to toxins.

“There would of course be contaminants in the soil, I would be particularly concerned about heavy metals,” he said.

An Etsy seller selling edible African clay claims it can help with facial acne and satisfy certain cravings

Other retailers even claimed that consuming their products could improve people’s mood

Professor Kuhnle said that soil, clay and chalk are not considered ‘food’ by the safety authorities and therefore these products are not subject to any health controls.

He urged anyone interested in eating clay for its health benefits — for example, to address a mineral deficiency or digestive issue — to seek guidance from a medical professional.

Not only is this because there are often better and safer options available, but sometimes deficiencies and digestive problems can be a symptom of a more serious health problem that requires further investigation.

TikTok trends have proven to be potentially dangerous in the past.

Earlier this month, MailOnline reported on a boy fighting for his life after a dangerous deodorant trend spiralled out of control on social media and caused a cardiac arrest.

Cesar Watson-King, from Doncaster, is alleged to have inhaled a tin of antiperspirant last month after an older boy introduced him to the craze, known as ‘chroming’.

This trend involves people inhaling toxic fumes from deodorant, hairspray and nail polish remover to get “high.”

Another TikTok craze that recently made headlines was the viral “cucumber trend” that saw people make salads using large amounts of cucumber in plastic containers.

However, experts warn that eating too many cucumbers can cause unpleasant side effects, such as diarrhea, flatulence and even kidney problems.