Do yourself a detox favor: Skip the activated-charcoal latte with an alkaline water chaser

Unless you have overdosed or been poisoned, there’s no substantial evidence that activated charcoal will benefit you. Popping it in pill form at home or drinking it in your latte is not a good idea — no matter how darkly pretty those lattes look on Instagram.

 The truth about activated charcoal in beauty products

There’s no evidence to support the use of activated charcoal in beauty or health products.

What is activated charcoal and is it safe?

Although it sounds like something you’d use to fire up the barbecue, activated charcoal is the latest ‘detox’ trend. It’s typically made from carbon-containing material, like wood, that is heated at high temperatures to create charcoal, then oxidised – a process known as “activation”.

Activated Charcoal Beauty Products That Work (Black) Magic

Charcoal is the game-changing ingredient in the latest cleansers, masks, peels, and even toothpaste, acting as a powerful sponge to suck up any impurities in its path. Get ready for the ultimate beauty detox.

Activated charcoal doesn’t detox the body – four reasons you should avoid it

Although consuming activated charcoal may seem like a harmless health trend, there are several reasons you should avoid these products.

Activated charcoal doesn’t detox the body – here's why you should avoid it

Charcoal is more likely to rid your gut of vitamins and minerals than it is to boost health.

Activated Charcoal Is Trendy—But Is It Safe?

Charcoal is hot right now—as in, it’s having a moment. No, not in your campfires or stoves, but in your food, drinks and personal care products. You can find activated charcoal in pretty much anything these days, from face cleanser to toothpaste to cocktails—and even ice cream. Activated charcoal is similar to the charcoal in your barbeque, except it is manufactured specifically for medicinal use. Why? Some people claim it has health benefits, including removing toxins from the body and skin. The trend is most popular among millennials.

Big Health Trend: Here's Why All the Cool Kids Are Drinking Charcoal Now

Activated charcoal is a specific type of charcoal that's meant to be ingested, so don't go rummaging through your backyard barbecue for a fix.

Can Eating Activated Charcoal Really Detox Your Body?

Here's what you should know about the black food trend

Can You Detox With Activated Charcoal?

Activated charcoal has become quite trendy lately, with companies adding it to foods like ice cream, lattes, and even pizza crusts in the hopes of providing a detoxifying boost. The seemingly magical black powder has come to the forefront as a natural way to detox our bodies, but questions swirl around efficacy, quality, applications, and potential side effects. Different from the charcoal you grill with, which is a known carcinogen, activated charcoal is commonplace in both the medical world and in the wellness community. Used in hospitals for overdoses and seen in juice shops as a detox “lemonade,” it has many potential health benefits and detoxification abilities.

Charcoal Ice Cream Is Actually a Thing, But Should You Be Eating It?

We got the scoop on the science behind this food fad.

Charcoal Juice Is Now a Thing

Charcoal’s powerful binding abilities may have an unwanted side effect: “The problem with charcoal is that it’s non-specific. It’ll bind to anything it finds adsorbable,” Olson says. “That could include toxins as well as nutrients.”

Charcoal: The New Beauty Advantage

Charcoal is the beauty industry’s ingredient du jour—used to cleanse and detoxify in everything from scrubs to toothpaste. But is it a gimmick or a godsend?

Debunking the Hype Surrounding Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal has become a very big trend in health and wellness in the last few years. From toothpaste to detox drinks, you can find activated charcoal on many grocery store aisles. Unlike regular charcoal, which is commonly used for grilling, water filtration and art, activated charcoal is oxidized, increasing its porosity and surface area. But does it live up to all the hype? The short answer is no, according to an INTEGRIS Health physician who has looked into the matter for us.

Everything You Need to Know About Eating Activated Charcoal

It’s not going to kill you, but don’t overdo it.

Here's the truth about activated charcoal, the latest supplement trend

“We are constantly looking for a quick fix, and we are searching for it because we have screwed up our diets most royally. Putting activated charcoal into your diets isn't getting back to the basics—[it’s] a quick fix with no scientific evidence,” she says.

I Ate Activated Charcoal to Try to Prevent Myself from Getting Drunk

People from various corners of Pinterest boast about the many benefits of activated charcoal—from detoxing stomachs to curing hangovers. I decided to put the new fad to the ultimate test and popped some charcoal pills.

It's in smoothies, toothpaste and pizza – is charcoal the new black?

The latest food and beauty fad doesn’t just look good on Instagram, it comes with dubious health claims too. Is it just a gimmick to absorb maximum cash from gullible consumers?

Most Claims About Activated Charcoal Are Lies

Black is the new black, at least when it comes to pizza, ice cream, toothpastes, and all the other “activated charcoal” products that have lately flooded the marketplace—and probably your Instagram feed. Along with their arresting looks, these products are often pitched as potent detoxifiers capable of scrubbing your gut and blood of harmful agents.

Putting Activated Charcoal in Your Pizza Doesn't Make It 'Healthy'

For the past couple of years, activated charcoal has benefited from the kind of good publicity that follows several thousand semi-related hashtags. The supplement gone from being a poison-control remedy—Control + Z in capsule form for anyone who accidentally ate a decorative soap—to every beauty blogger's favorite tooth whitener to a GOOP approved facial cleanser to a must-have food and drink ingredient.

The Activated Charcoal Trend Isn’t Just Nonsense—It Could Actually Hurt You

While the ingredient is good to use for beauty purposes (it acts like a magnet for dirt, oils, and odor), experts warn that using it to detox is unsafe—and unnecessary.

The Benefits of Activated Charcoal

When you think of charcoal, you probably picture charcoal briquettes on a grill, cooking burgers, hot dogs, and chicken. Believe it or not, it’s the same type of charcoal used in many of the products you’re seeing on the shelves. However, the charcoal you use for barbecuing hasn’t been activated at high temperatures and contains several toxic substances.

What Are Activated Charcoal Pills—And Are They Actually Good For You?

Can the dirty little capsules really clean out your body?

What Is Activated Charcoal Used For, and Does it Really Work?

Proponents claim that activated charcoal is a “natural detoxifier” that can remove harmful substances from the body.

What You Need to Know About an Activated Charcoal Detox

Recently, activated charcoal has become more popular in the wellness world for its detoxifying properties, popping up not just in juice bars, but also in supplements, face masks, and even toothpaste! Proponents say activated charcoal products help the body with general detoxification - improving digestion, reducing gas and bloating, promoting healthy skin and kidney function, boosting energy, and more.