When I first started looking into Bentonite clay and using it, I, like many others, had been led to believe by information that I’d read online, that calcium bentonite clay was the only clay that should be used internally and that sodium bentonite clay was only suitable for external use.

However, I have since learned the truth and that is that all bentonite clay is suitable for internal use as long as it is clean, pure clay with no fillers and has been approved for internal use (this should always be stated on the packaging).

The article below has been written for me by Mathew Mason from Australian Healing Clay to clarify the whole calcium vs sodium bentonite clay issue.

Thanks Matt! 🙂

Bentonite Clay is classed as a smectite – swelling clay that has powerful drawing and absorptive properties. There are four types of Bentonite Clay, also referred to as Montmorillonite. They are:

• sodium
• calcium
• magnesium
• potassium

They are identified according to the higher amount of one of these exchangeable ions ie. sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium.

The most widely marketed are sodium and calcium. This is probably only due to availability. All types are used in a variety of industries unrelated to health and beauty ie industrial, agricultural, oil drilling (as a lubricant) and for road base.

No! It makes no difference which type of Bentonite you use. Because it’s all about the IONS!

IONS are atoms that have gained or lost one or more electrons. A common atom has no electrical charge, but ions have a positive or negative charge.

So ions are attracted to each other by their opposite charge. An exchange takes place that is purely electrical. It does not discriminate, so it does not matter if the ions are sodium, calcium, magnesium or potassium.

For example Arsenic has a positive charge and is looking for a negative charge to balance its electrons. Because all types of Bentonite have negatively charged ions they will bond with arsenic or any other positively charged particle.

This is how clay can be used as an effective cleansing or detoxing agent if you like. It binds to positively charged heavy metals or toxins & locks them away.

This is called adsorbing while absorbing does the locking away part.

Furthermore, sodium Bentonite clay contains calcium as an exchangeable ion and calcium Bentonite contains sodium as an exchangeable ion.

To convert Calcium Bentonite to Sodium Bentonite just add a small amount of salt to a cup of clay and it will have more sodium exchangeable ions and therefore sodium Bentonite.

One factor that could make a difference is the conductivity of the substance. For example sodium is a better electrical conductor than calcium so there may be an advantage is this regard.

In any case all types of Bentonite are considered to be abundant with exchangeable negative ions and that’s positive for us!

The lists of minerals that make up the different types of Bentonite are very similar. However, given they are natural substances, each varies in colour and texture and each deposit of clay has its own unique mix.

For the purposes of using clay as a cleansing agent, knowing the mineral analysis is of no practical advantage as there is no way of utilising this information.

Conversely in agriculture knowing the mineral make up of clay deposits in a field helps the farmer prepare the soil for crops. Clayey soil is poor forgrowing things and needs to be broken down or dissolved using a clay breaker such as gypsum or lime.

This breaks the clay down into its individual minerals which then become part of the growing soil. It is important to know which minerals are present in the soil and which are deficient so as to produce healthy crops.

There is growing interest in the idea that Bentonite clay has merit as a mineral supplement and the notion is increasingly being included in marketing.

However the test results for bio-availability we have had done confirm that the minerals are not bio-available.

They are not able to be absorbed through the skin when applied topically. Nor is our digestive system capable of breaking clay down into individual minerals that can be absorbed.

It has no value as a mineral supplement.

Which makes sense because if we could in fact digest it, we would forfeit its cleansing capabilities.

The benefit lies in clay remaining intact as it passes through our system attracting and absorbing toxins and locking them away.

Consequently, if our digestive system is clean and functioning optimally then it follows that more efficient nutrient uptake will occur.

The first thing to know is that the clay you purchase is Bentonite clay because these are classed as smectites - swelling clay - and have the ability to absorb toxins and pollutants at a high rate.

70 -90 cation exchange is ample.

It is important to choose volcanic clay and of course it must be pure/clean clay with nothing added.

Some clays can have buffers and fillers.

If taking it internally it must be stated on the label that it is food quality/edible.

The Bentonite clay we offer at Australian Healing Clay is a unique sodium/ magnesium Bentonite that is volcanic clay having a cation exchange of 90/meq.

It occurs with high natural purity that satisfies food standards as safe to ingest.

It is BP grade – suitable for use with naturopathic and pharmaceutical medicines. Sun dried and dry milled into fine powder (45 microns).

No other processing or treatment is done.

It does not clump heavily like some Bentonite making it easy to work with.

When hydrated it has a soft velvety texture and produces a very smooth paste.

French Montmorillonite clay which is actually sodium Bentonite has been commonly used by Europeans for many decades. French naturopaths have written about it and recommend it for all
applications.

Recommended reading

“Energy to Heal” by Wendell Hoffman
“The Healing Clay” by Michael Abehser
“Our Earth Our Cure” by Raymond Dextreit

The screen mesh size refers to the milled or granular size of the finished product. It is a measurement of the fineness of the powder.

Usually the finer the powder the quicker it will hydrate.

The mesh size does not affect the performance of the clay. It is the fine particle size of
Bentonite, meaning molecular size that provides a large surface area for absorption and is what separates it from other clay.

Australian 45 micron mesh size = USA 325 screen mesh.

Where To Buy Bentonite Clay?

You’ll find many brands of Bentonite Clay at online retailers including Ebay, Iherb and Amazon.

You’ll find the FOOD GRADE bentonite clay that I use and trust here.