Bentonite (also known as montmorillonite) is a natural clay mineral of volcanic origin, created from volcanic ash deposits that are millions of years old. Some of the largest - and highest quality - deposits of bentonite occur in the Great Plains area of the United States. Bentonite is made of microscopic rectangular clay platelets, that when properly hydrated in water form a porous "house of cards" structure with an enormous surface area.

Great Plains Bentonite has maximum activity through special selection and processing to ensure an enhanced surface area and optimum adsorption. Studies have shown that maximum binding and removal of toxins occurs only with the rare naturally occurring sodium ion form of bentonite containing a specific range of exchangeable sodium ions. Using advanced processing methods, the special bentonite used in Great Plains has a huge surface area up to 960 square yards per tablespoon serving. To put that in perspective, a quart bottle of Great Plains Bentonite contains over 12 football fields of surface area!

Great Plains Bentonite has maximum purity. There are many different grades of bentonite, primarily designed for industrial uses. Yerba Prima uses only USP/NF pharmaceutical grade bentonite that has been through a natural four-step purification process. This not only ensures that the bentonite is ultra-pure, but also contributes to the light color and strong activity of Great Plains Bentonite. Bentonite has an unusual property you will notice when you open the bottle. After complete hydration, it becomes very thick and viscous when it sits for a while. If shaken or stirred, the bentonite can be poured, which is why the instructions say "Shake well before using." It will become thick once again if allowed to sit undisturbed.

Yerba Prima gives consumers a choice of pint or quart bottles. The pint bottle is shatter resistant amber PET plastic, and the quart bottle is amber glass.