Activated charcoal in food and drinks: is it good for you?
Forget activated almonds — ‘activated charcoal’ is the new wonder food popping up in juices. Is it good for you?
When scouting for ingredients for a new line of juices, Eric Helms, founder and CEO of New York’s Juice Generation, turned to a recent trend in the cosmetic industry: activated charcoal.
Popularity has grown for beauty products containing activated charcoal, or charcoal that has been heated to increase its ability to trap chemicals, and Mr. Helms wondered if the concept also could be applied to beverages. Last fall, he added a line of juices containing the substance in lemonade, a protein drink and a juice made of mixed greens on a trial basis. Within months, they became the best-selling products at Juice Generation’s 15 stores, Mr. Helms says.
Activated charcoal has been showing up in a widening range of products from crackers to tablets and biscuits. Product manufacturers and medical experts say the substance is increasingly being used by health-conscious consumers looking for ways to detoxify their systems. Other health-benefit claims include whitening teeth, clearing up skin and easing digestive problems.
The products aren’t cheap. Juice Generation sells its activated-charcoal drinks online for $US58 ($79) for a package of six, 16-ounce bottles, the same price as its other juice offerings. A 125-gram box of charcoal crackers from Fine Cheese Co., in Bath, England, retails online for the equivalent of about $US4.50 ($6).
Doctors have mixed reactions to the health claims. Some dentists say activated charcoal can whiten teeth by removing tartar. However, Sejal Shah, a New York dermatologist, says she doubts there is a direct correlation between clear skin and ingesting activated-charcoal products.
“A juice with charcoal may temporarily give you a nice glow” by helping to remove toxins from the body, Dr. Shah says. “But having a diet that is well-rounded and rich in antioxidants is the best way to benefit skin care.”
“Detoxing and cleansing are very popular these days, and I think that’s why there’s so much buzz about charcoal,” says Jessica Marcus, a registered dietitian in New York. “People are always looking for a magical cure-all.”
Still, some people are turned off by the products’ black colour and others associate charcoal with barbecue briquettes, which aren’t activated. “We’ve brought them to food shows and sometimes people will seem pretty interested in the crackers, but don’t have the courage to try them,” says Ann-Marie Dyas, owner of Fine Cheese, which has made its activated-charcoal crackers since 2009.
Mr. Helms, of Juice Generation, says the company places literature in its stores to educate consumers about the benefits of activated charcoal. It also holds tasting events.
Annie Atkinson, a 30-year-old beauty blogger in New York, says she is a regular Juice Generation customer. She was slow at first to warm to the idea of drinking activated charcoal, but she now consumes juices containing the substance about once a week.
“The taste of charcoal is not necessarily delicious,” Ms. Atkinson says. “It’s tangy and has an acidic aftertaste. But I think it’s doing something good for my body.”
Activated charcoal has been used internally since the 1800s for poisoning cases. United Kingdom-based J.L. Bragg created its first charcoal biscuits around 1860 to appeal to the health-conscious in Victorian England. It reintroduced charcoal products in 2007. Since then, biscuit sales have more than doubled, says John Briggs, the company’s owner and managing director.
The activated charcoal J.L. Bragg uses is made from coconut shells, according to the company’s website. “Activated charcoal can adsorb poisons, bacterial toxins, viruses and gases in the intestines” and carry them out of the body, the website says. Mr. Briggs says many of the customers for his charcoal products are pregnant women trying to ease digestive problems during morning sickness.
Dietitians say people on certain medications should be careful about consuming the products. Activated charcoal can bind to and flush out vitamins, minerals and some drugs, in addition to toxins, from the body.
“The problem is that it isn’t selective; it sweeps the good with the bad,” says Ms. Marcus, the dietitian. She notes that some research has also suggested activated charcoal can lower cholesterol and help treat cholestasis, in which the flow of bile from the liver slows or stops.
Juice Generation recommends customers use its activated-charcoal products a maximum of two or three times a week, Mr. Helms says. Mr. Briggs of J.L. Bragg says his company’s biscuits don’t contain enough charcoal to neutralise medication.
Activated-charcoal products also are available for pets. Old Mother Hubbard, a dog-food manufacturer in Gloucester, Mass., introduced its line of Char Tar treats intended to help freshen dogs’ breath, says Chanda Leary-Coutu, a senior marketing manager at the company.
Fine Cheese’s Ms. Dyas says customers for her activated-charcoal products are drawn more by the novelty than any dietary benefit. “Black is so chic,” she says, and the crackers pair well with cheeses and salmon.
“What they’re tasting is a nice, textured cracker,” she says. “It’s a perfect neutral partner, if you just want to taste the other ingredient.”
When play is not a game
Apparent addiction to video games may be hiding other issues.
Xi’s China fills void left by US
Moves in Europe highlight America’s fading influence.