All clay is volcanic ash.  As the lava flows down the side of the volcanic cone, the ash is blown high, oftentimes miles, into the sky.  Slowly it settles to the ground, sometimes nearby, sometimes hundreds of miles away, and in extreme cases it can circumvent the globe.

Volcanic ash, clay, falls into seven separate and distinct family groups.  Within these seven families there are thousands of different types of mineral compositions, each unique and serving vastly different purposes in our world.

Kaolin clays are best known for their uses in anti-diarrheal products such as Kaopectate.  While it absorbs toxins and bacteria to a limited extent, as do most clays, Kaolin clay acts primarily as a bulking agent.  Some health food companies of late have begun selling Kaolin as a mineral supplement.  I do not recommend natural Kaolin for any purpose other than severe diarrhea.

Illite clays are known for their commercial applications.  It is a green mineral clay found in marine settings.  Some cosmeceutical companies use this industrial clay in their “mud” formulations due to it’s high content of long dormant microbials and other sea life residue.  They are generally a non-swelling clay and aside from commercial uses, are known for topical use. I would not recommend taking Illites internally. Taking Illite internally appears to have a pronounced effect on the LUNGS within 12 hours of ingestion. 

Chlorite clays are know for their abrasive and cleansing properties.  Clorox cleansing, scrubbing powder is a typical product made from this clay.  Never use this caustic, abrasive clay on your body.

Vermiculite clays are used for making china, pottery and other like applications such as porcelain finishes on metals.  While Vermiculite is not recommended for use on the body, there is one company selling a USP grade Vermiculite for internal use.  This is not an adsorbent, swelling clay, and has both a positive and negative charge.  Therefore I do not recommend it as the best internal clay.

Mixed group clays occur when a volcano spews ash from several different internal plate formations.  It is not uncommon to find mixed group clay formation at many mines or quarries.

Lath-formed clays are yet another mixed form and a typical use is fired bricks for construction.  It is not suitable for use on the body.

Smectite clays compromise 99% of all clays used for health purposes today.  Smectites are unique in that they swell while absorbing and adsorbing positive charged ions.  It is the favored clay for health and dietary use as well as for many industrial applications.

Smectites are more complicated clays and have a higher exchange capacity than the other six family groups of clay.  It has the unique ability to adsorb and absorb toxins at a greater rate than any other group.

Within the Smectite family there are hundreds of different types of clays, each consisting of between 8 and 145 minerals.  The most common sub family is Montmorillonite.  Further along the Montmorillonite family tree are the various Bentonites. It’s from the Smectite family tree that we find the broadest spectrum healing modality on our planet – Calcium Bentonite Clay.

Montmorillonite Clay was named after the town of Montmorillon in France where it was first identified.  Its common name today is French Green and you will see it packaged under several different brands today and available in many health food stores. Your green swelling clays are known for their remarkable healing properties.  Not to say that non-swelling clays are not good also but due to the molecular makeup the swelling clays have a greater drawing or detoxing potential.

Bentonite Clay was named after the town of Ft. Benton, Wyoming where it was first identified by a miner named John Pascal.  His product was branded as Pascalite, which is a form of non-swelling calcium based Bentonite Clay.

Calcium Bentonite Clay is the rarest form of clay in the Smectite family.  There have been only a few finds throughout history of mines, which contained a pure vein, natural, Calcium Bentonite Clay.  Even though Sodium Bentonite, and Calcium Bentonite Clay are cousins from the same family genesis, they are as different as night and day in efficacy and intended uses. 

So, if you're looking for the best clay for detoxing, internal cleansing, or any sort of healing use, Calcium Bentonite Clay is the #1 clay of choice.