You may have heard of some of the properties of Diatomaceous Earth, but do you know the full extent of its wonderful benefits?

Let me first go over the different grades of Diatomaceous Earth. The type that you get at the hardware store that you use for pools and gardens is NOT the same as the edible grade used for pets. The hardware brands cut it with toxins and sometimes pesticides, so DO NOT feed these to your pets! Plus, it is not ground as fine and can cause mechanical damage as well. However, the food grade Diatomaceous Earth is safe to put on skin and to even eat! It has the consistency of flour and is pure white.

What is Diatomaceous Earth?

Crushed up shells of fossilized sea critters called diatoms. You should look diatoms up on an image search, they look pretty amazing! The shells are made up mostly of silicon and is therefore mostly inert when consumed.

Key Benefits of Diatomaceous Earth:

- Pest control

- Absorbs toxins from the digestive tract

- Aids in calcium absorption

How does Diatomaceous Earth (DE) help with pest control [1]?

While it won’t harm a mammal, to something as small as an insect the Diatomaceous Earth is abrasive. Warning: it is also abrasive to reptiles, so do not put it on them! The DE sticks to insects that walk over it and rubs off their protective waxy coating. Once the coating has been removed, they rapidly lose all of their body moisture. The bugs literally dehydrate to death. This may seem mean, but when you have dealt with a flea infestation or bed bugs no mercy shall be had.

In order to kill bugs, simply sprinkle where the insects are found. For example, if you are trying to deal with fleas on your pet and in your house, rub DE all over your pet (not in their eyes or nose, they may cough) and sprinkle around carpets, beds, and baseboards. Make sure to get down to the skin on those long-haired breeds! DE is also an effective ant killer as well.

DE is also used for killing internal parasites, such as round worms. The DE damages the intestinal worms, causing them to die and be expelled. Simply feed a tspn or so for a week to kill internal parasites!

How does DE help with toxins?

DE binds toxins in ingested items and in the colon while it passes through the digestive tract. The bound toxins can then pass through the body safely, before causing damage. For example, DE was used to decrease fungal toxicity in chickens [2], as well as reduce radiation poisoning in humans.

DE also helps with Calcium absorption?

Calcium is an important mineral for bone and joint health. A study by K. R. Martin [3] showed that consuming silica leads to increased bone mineral density. This means more calcium being absorbed and deposited in bones for a stronger, healthier skeleton!

There you have it! The many benefits of Diatomaceous Earth! It is definitely something we always have around the house – just in case.

[1] Diatomaceous Earth General Fact Sheet, http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html

[2] Effect of diatomaceous earth on the performance and blood variables of broiler chicks during experimental aflatoxicosis, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jsfa.3127

[3] THE CHEMISTRY OF SILICA AND ITS POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS, https://search.proquest.com/openview/0ef95b1f8a16d8bff97ad01761253dc5/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=28850