Certain edible clays and soils  in the natural and unaltered form are inert and safe for life, like food and water (H2O). Water is a natural compound and if one were to separate the hydrogen molecule from water by the refining process, it could be used to fuel cars of the future or make bombs and therefore is not only harmful and toxic but lethal. If one were to take a spoonful of earth from their own back yard and have it chemically analyzed, they would find many of these same elements. When chemically rearranging these elements by the refinement process,  they also become harmful or highly toxic. The elements on the periodic table may be altered by many industrial processes through molecular isolation (separation) and further combined with other elements and chemical procedures to make products. An example in metals, alloys area among the most common combination for things like tool steel in knifes and machines.  Many factory or manmade drugs also fall into this group. Many times both are harmful  or even toxic to plant, animals, humans as well as the environment itself. 

Molecular rearrangement, isolation, and combining other refined elements making industrial/factory compounds are totally different than elements found in nature. Throughout the world, soils that contain different minerals and clays are what plants utilize for growth and life itself. The nutrients in these soils transfer into plants by a process called plant root nutrient uptake. As a result, what elements found in plants come from the soil and the soil contains clay. If the plants that animals and humans eat to live are harmful or toxic, then plant, animal and human life would not be on earth as we know it.  Certain edible clays when ingested are like food and water, is not only safe but provide many natural health benefits, including a high nutrient source, detoxification, PH and blood balance, colon cleansing, assist in total body healing, to mention a few.