Turns Out, Eating Placenta Is Basically Useless

Finger, Cheek, Chin, Forehead, Happy, Bangs, Facial expression, Wrist, Jaw, Gesture,

(Image credit: Archives)

By Samantha Leal published 8 June 15

Remember when everyone would go on and on about how good it was for new mothers to eat their leftover placentas because it helped with postpartum depression and recovery after childbirth and pain relief and was basically magic? Remember when super famous people like Kourtney Kardashian and Gaby Hoffmann and January Jones would say things like, "it's not gross or witchcrafty" and encouraged others to either take dehydrated placenta pills or mix up some placenta into delicious smoothies?

Yeah, maybe not. A study by researchers at Northwestern University found that there are no benefits from digesting placenta. None. Nada. There were also no real detriments, if that makes you feel better. (Though the study notes that not a ton of research has been put into looking at the risks...so, way to go, science.)

Moral of the story? Celebrities are not doctors. And maybe talk to your doctor before eating something that you pushed out of your own body.

Samantha Leal

I'm Sam, the senior editor at MarieClaire.com. I love shining a light on awesome people doing things that matter, cool products and hacks for everyday life, and advice you'll actually use. I'm pretty much always looking for the perfect GIF for any situation. When I'm not trolling the internet, I can be found dancing like a weirdo or napping like it's my job. Right now, I'm probably eating or drinking something filled with sugar or booze. (Sorry, mom.)