At lunch with Depak and Hira of Satvika Bhoga (pure food) and Scott M, learned that not only poor Southerners in the US eat Clay. It fills the stomach and is habit forming. Depak said it's done in France for stomach problems. Scott said they sell Clay in the market here in Bali - for eating it's called Ampo here and is associated more with Java. See Wikipedia on Ampo.