Last year the juicing trend took the world by storm, and it’s not over yet folks. With juice shops popping up around every corner, the detox-savvy gurus love this latest trend in healthy living: drinking charcoal.
Yep, you heard us.
So what exactly is it?
Charcoal juice is essentially ‘activated charcoal,’ which is normal charcoal that has been heated to form pores. These pores are then used to trap chemicals.
Doctors have been using charcoal for years to treat poisonings and to stop harmful chemicals being absorbed by the stomach, but in detoxing circles it has distinctly more trendy uses.
Oh yes, charcoal juice as been used to cure a hangover, prevent gas, and of course trap all those toxins we don’t want floating around our systems. Plus, it’s been reported to taste just like water.
Now we know what you’re thinking, surely ingesting charcoal can’t be good for you?
Are there any side-effects?
There are few side-effects of consuming activated charcoal, but it has been known to cause constipation and black stools – so bare that in mind before you stock up the fridge.
This trend is exclusively stateside right now, with a few exceptions dotted around London. What do you think? Should it stay that way? Or do you want to hop on the charcoal bandwagon?
