In Haiti, where 80 percent of the population lives on less than $2 a day, the poorest have resorted to eating cookies made out of mud, salt, and vegetable shortening because a daily bowl of rice is too expensive. A 16-year-old nursing mother interviewed by the Associated Press says that she eats the mud cookies several times a day, even though they make her stomach hurt. Her only other option is to go without food.
A reporter sampling a cookie found that it had a smooth consistency and sucked all the moisture out of the mouth as soon as it touched the tongue. For hours, an unpleasant taste of dirt lingered. Assessments of the health effects are mixed. Dirt can contain deadly parasites or toxins, but can also strengthen the immunity of fetuses in the womb to certain diseases, said Gerald N. Callahan, an immunology professor at Colorado State University who has studied geophagy, the scientific name for dirt-eating.
Haitian doctors say depending on the cookies for sustenance risks malnutrition.
"Trust me, if I see someone eating those cookies, I will discourage it," said Dr. Gabriel Thimothee, executive director of Haiti's health ministry.
Marie Noel, 40, sells the cookies in a market to provide for her seven children. Her family also eats them.
"I'm hoping one day I'll have enough food to eat, so I can stop eating these," she said. "I know it's not good for me."
The cookies sell for 5 cents a piece, while two cups of rice sell for 60 cents, up 50 percent from a year ago. Due to the world-wide price hikes and the damage to crops as a result of the 2007 hurricane season, the U.N. has declared a state of emergency in Haiti and other Caribbean countries.
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I read this @ Jezebel. I used to eat soil-mainly red but it felt nice until I was told not to do it again by my parents.
I'm obsessed with natural remedies etc helping you so as bad as this may seem…. :/
Heartbreaking.
I used to eat chalk and paper. Leave it to me to turn this sad story into a contest. Really though, I miss chalk
Chalk? That sounds painful. I think I saw a news report that people in South Africa (I could have the wrong country) were eating clay dirt.
What can we do about world poverty? I mean, I know those "feed a starving child for just pennies a day" commercials are bull. So what can we do?
OMG. That's so sad. And the government wont even let her come in.
hairsmystory.com
excuse me, "them."
hairsmystory.com
This article literally brought me to tears…we are the fattest country in the world with fucking refrigerators in our car for God's sake!!! Damn, I really want to try to do something. And those feed the children thing are a scam…Damn shame
Despite all the help Haiti has been getting wether politically or economically, where as United Nations Peace keeping forces patrolling the streets every day, on wonders whether an investigation is neded to be launch to look at those organizations,governments,humanitarians, that they have contributed or helped the people of that beautiful island,and where all the money gone? This is outrageous!
http://www.haitiaction.net/New....._12_8.html
Unfortnately, all the "aid" they get goes straight into the Tourism sector (like many other Island countries).
Dirt eating has been common in Africa for ages (as well as in other continents. For example, in Nigeria there's a clay/chalk rock called Inzu (think I spelled it right). It's usually the girls who go crazy for it, but guys eat it as well. A lot of pregnant women like to eat it, something to do with the minerals it has.
Ike's right but I don't think that's the name. Can't remember though.
I SMH at the fact that Cubans can stay if they reach the U.S. without being caught by the Coast Guard but Haitians can't. I did some data work for the IRC. I don't remember seeing any Haitians though there were a lot of Cubans.
A 16 year old nursing mother? I guess eating dirt cookies is'nt a form of birth control.
These people really need to change the culture from top to bottom.
Haiti is very poor because the government is corrupt. The people are good and beautiful and the culture is good and beautiful, but the government is completely corrupt so nothing is ever done about the abject poverty in which so many people live.
there are still some people in GA who eat white clay [kaolin] now and then. something to do with the minerals, like Ike said.
but this - this makes me want to cry.
This is what happens when a people have self-determination to no longer be enslaved and the former masters never getting over their defeat. DEMOCRATICALLY ELECT Aristide gets ousted…by yours truly. Haiti is made to pay a bogus loan because of the audacity to ask for reparations from the French. And so on and so forth. It is sooo sad and the drama (world events) has to play out because people elsewhere are played out i.e. Gossip,mind-less entertainment,KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES and just plain ole UNAWARE. But hey! "Its a round world and what goes around,comes…! History says so not I.
i wish i could help well my school did a can food drive it is very sad well god bless them
This organization is doing something about hunger in Haiti - feeding children 1 meal a day in Haitian Schools - heartsforthehungry.org.
They claim all dollars goes direct for food and food only