The ‘Jurassic diet’ might sound unusual – but it is said to come with a host of health benefits.
The ‘diet’ – which involves adding diatomaceous earth, also known as D.E, to your daily meal plan – is thought to aid in weight loss, gut health and even your skin.
According to Australian holistic expert Lee Holmes, the ancient superfood is a raw food source made from fossilised remains of algae and a one-kilogram bag costs a very affordable $20.
Australian holistic expert Lee Holmes (pictured) is a big believer in the benefits of taking food-grade diatomaceous earth
Lee is a strong advocate for taking D.E and has written several diet books about the benefits of eating this fossilised product.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Lee said D.E can help with weight loss, including addressing problem areas around the stomach.
It can be added to soups, smoothies, curries or taken on its own with water.
‘It helps clean out the accumulated build-up of waste, toxins, metals and mucous in the digestive tract.
‘It’s completely vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo friendly and it helps increase nutrient absorption, waste removal and improves digestion.’
‘It is so good for people with arthritis because the silica forms well into the body and is absorbed really well,’ she told Today Tonight Adelaide.
What is Diatomaceous earth?
Diatomaceous earth, also known as D.E, is a raw food source made from fossilised remains of algae
* Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring sand extracted from the earth
* It consists of microscopic skeletons of algae, known as diatoms, that have fossilized over millions of years
* There are two main types of diatomaceous earth: food grade, which is suitable for consumption, and filter grade, which is toxic to humans but has many industrial uses
* The diatoms in diatomaceous earth are largely made up of a chemical compound called silica
Source: Heathline.com
Retired naturopath Marilyn Gunston (pictured) has been taking D.E for 10 years and said the product is good for your nails, bones and skin, hair and bowels
‘And it also gets rid of parasites and worms.’
Professor Mark Cohen (pictured) offered a mixed response to the health claims of ingesting D.E
Professor Mark Cohen, a professor of integrative and holistic medicine at RMIT in Melbourne offered a mixed response to the health claims of ingesting D.E.
‘It contains a lot of minerals and phosphates that are really good for plant health and also good for the general mineral composition of our bodies.’ he said on the program.
Professor Cohen explained eating D.E is a little like fertilising your gut – in that if you think of gut bacteria as like the ‘soil within you.
‘You have these villi from you intestines that actually mine that soil for nutrients so this is actually improving the soil that’s inside our gut.
However, he added before anyone takes any supplement, it’s always worth asking the question about what they are trying to achieve.