1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:09,119 Speaker 1: Hey brain Stuff, I'm Lauren Vogel Bomb and this is 3 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: another episode from our archives. The one dependable thing about 4 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:16,240 Speaker 1: diet ads is that they're sure to rear up at 5 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,440 Speaker 1: the beginning of the year. Today's classic regards a recent 6 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: one that involves eating activated charcoal. Is that a good idea? 7 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: And why are people doing it? Hey brain Stuff, Lauren 8 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 1: Vogel bam here. Maybe you don't cringe at charcoal concoctions 9 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 1: that turn your teeth temporarily black in the pursuit of 10 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: a gleaming smile, but charcoal smoothies. If a line must 11 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:43,159 Speaker 1: be drawn, perhaps swilling a thick, earthy smoothie with the 12 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: unappealing hue of a mud puddle presents just such an opportunity. 13 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: Activated charcoal, the same stuff left over after you grilla steak, 14 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,320 Speaker 1: is making its way into everything from smoothies and juices 15 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: to pasta and bread. It's widely touted as having detoxifying properties, 16 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: and in some cases this is true. You'll find activated 17 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: charcoal in water filters, toothpastes, and facial cleansers, where it 18 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: does trap pollutants. Its ability to cling to certain chemicals 19 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,040 Speaker 1: and toxins, is why it's used as an emergency treatment 20 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 1: for poisonings and overdoses. Just a fifty gram dose of 21 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: activated charcoal has the surface area of about seven football fields. 22 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: That's a lot of little nooks and crannies that can 23 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,759 Speaker 1: be used for absorption, all created by the high heat 24 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:31,320 Speaker 1: burning of wood or coconut to create an ingestible carbon. 25 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: And yes, I said adsorb, not absorb. Absorption is what 26 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 1: happens when something soaks in. Adsorption is what happens when 27 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 1: something sticks on. Because of all of those crevices and 28 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: activated charcoal, you might say that its surface is molecularly sticky, 29 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:51,559 Speaker 1: though certainly the word absorb is fine to use. Colloquially, 30 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: activated charcoal superpowers are, however, relegated to the digestive tract. Sure, 31 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: it can work as a powerful d cleaner on surfaces 32 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 1: like teeth and skin, but it really shines by trapping 33 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: poisons anywhere along the journey from ingestion to expulsion. There 34 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: are misguided assumptions fueling the charcoal taking trend, though, including 35 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: the idea that the substance can absorb any so called 36 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: toxin in the body to improve your overall health. Adding 37 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: activated charcoal to food and drink for frequent use could 38 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 1: actually cause nutritional issues because it indiscriminately absorbs vitamins and 39 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 1: minerals too. Nutritionist Pip Read told The Huffington Post activated 40 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:37,239 Speaker 1: charcoal doesn't decipher between toxins and good nutrients, so taking 41 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 1: it too regularly or with food means that the charcoal 42 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: will also absorb the nutrients in your system. The same 43 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 1: goes with any medications you take. We recommend do skepticism 44 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: about any nutritional trend that promises to detoxify you. Your 45 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 1: digestive system and liver do an excellent job of that 46 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 1: already and frequently. The best way to keep yourself detoxified 47 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 1: is to eat a balanced diet of veged boles and 48 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:04,119 Speaker 1: proteins to keep those systems working well. I know that's 49 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: less Instagram herble, but it's more scientifically accurate. Today's episode 50 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: is based on the article why are people eating activated Charcoal? 51 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: On how stuff Works dot com? Written by Laura L. Dave. 52 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 1: Brain Stuff is production of Our Heart Radio in partnership 53 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: with how stuff works dot Com. It is produced by 54 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: Tyler Klang. For more podcasts my Heart Radio, visit the 55 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 1: air Heart radio, app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen 56 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.