In the health and fitness industry, it’s inevitable that one will come across some rather far-out ideas that supposedly help to improve the quality of life. I know- I’ll try just about anything! Which has its ins and outs. However, there is one key ingredient that you may see popping up all over the place these days, and for good reason.
Can you guess what this ingredient is?
It’s Activated Charcoal.
You may be asking yourself: “how in the world can consuming charcoal help me?”
In fact, it can help quite a bit.
Surprising as it may seem, activated charcoal is an antidote that has been used for hundreds of years, particularly as a remedy to the accidental consumption of poisonous substances. It works through a process called adsorption (not to be confused with the process of absorption), where it creates a chemical reaction that traps toxins and binds chemicals to its porous surface. This process is why it is so effective in reducing the effects of poison consumption.
Activated charcoal has many other uses outside of poison control that makes it a fantastic substance to consume and use on a daily basis. For external use, it can whiten teeth, reduce pore size, and thoroughly cleanse your skin.
When consumed, there are a litany of uses that make activated charcoal a useful tool if your stomach is upset. It alleviates gas and bloating, eases joint pain, can reduce high cholesterol, strengthens your organs by removing the toxins and chemicals from your kidneys and liver, and even treats alcohol poisoning or prevents hangovers after a night of too much wine. And if you have a stinky housemate or someone with digestive distress, it’s a fair one to offer to share. I’ve been known to slip this to a stinky kid on occasion or one with an upset stomach on a car trip.
It’s not optimal for daily internal use as it will bind with your vitamins and nutrients as well as it does with toxins, however, used periodically, it can be a great staple to have on hand.
If you aren’t already convinced, activated charcoal also has uses for the home that make it even more worthwhile to have around. In fact, if you have any sort of water filtration system, you probably use a small amount of activated charcoal each day, as most water filters contain charcoal! Not only does activated charcoal clean the water you drink, but it also is useful as an effective mold cleansing product, something that unfortunately many houses cannot go without.
Let me know! Do you use charcoal? What do you notice?