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Interesting article.

On a somewhat related note, a few years back my GP advised me to eat the odd piece of food that had been dropped on the floor, and to stop cleaning as much; the reason being that a blood test had revealed I was low in zinc. His reasoning was that since dust has reasonable quantities of zinc, I should be able to be adequately provided with it via my environment. Apparently his idea worked, because in the next test my zinc was over the ideal (This could be a fluke, of course).

No mention of beneficial microbes, which is what I imagine the primary benefit of this practice is. Soil is loaded with the local microfona.

"In addition, dirt might also be a source of beneficial microbes, although it could just as easily be a cause of bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infection."

Reminds me of an old saying here, "Dreck isch gsond." ("Dirt is healthy.").

Science seems to agree: http://www.nature.com/news/early-exposure-to-germs-has-lasti...

That's all I found there: https://www.dropbox.com/s/iglg0o8umpo5hmx/Screenshot%202015-... (popup window screenshot).

Eat Dirt