Believe it or not, researchers at the University of South Australia have claimed that clay materials in a specific type of dirt can actually help with weight loss.

That is, if consumed together with an evening meal. These Australian researchers believe to have found the solution to the modern-day obesity epidemic, which costs the economy on a global level an entire $2 trillion annually, and even more on prevention efforts.

Could it really be as simple as dirt? Researchers found that the clay materials are able to attract fat droplets and soak them up. Not only were the clay materials found to trap the fats within their particle structure, but they also were found to prevent them from being absorbed in the body.

Montmorillonite, the natural clay material that is purified from dirt was tested on three groups of rats.  After the research period ended, it was found that the clay was actually even more effective than orlistat, a popular weight loss drug.

Researchers are currently working on combining the two, for the best results, since the drug inhibits the enzyme that digests fat molecules, while the clay traps the fat.

Although in many cultures consuming dirt is considered a problem, humans have actually been eating dirt for thousands of years, and it may be very well be our answer to solve the issue of obesity.