WEBVTT - BrainStuff Classics: Should You Really Eat Activated Charcoal?

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of I Heart Radio.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey brain Stuff, I'm Lauren Vogel Bomb and this is

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<v Speaker 1>another episode from our archives. The one dependable thing about

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<v Speaker 1>diet ads is that they're sure to rear up at

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<v Speaker 1>the beginning of the year. Today's classic regards a recent

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<v Speaker 1>one that involves eating activated charcoal. Is that a good idea?

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<v Speaker 1>And why are people doing it? Hey brain Stuff, Lauren

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<v Speaker 1>Vogel bam here. Maybe you don't cringe at charcoal concoctions

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<v Speaker 1>that turn your teeth temporarily black in the pursuit of

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<v Speaker 1>a gleaming smile, but charcoal smoothies. If a line must

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<v Speaker 1>be drawn, perhaps swilling a thick, earthy smoothie with the

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<v Speaker 1>unappealing hue of a mud puddle presents just such an opportunity.

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<v Speaker 1>Activated charcoal, the same stuff left over after you grilla steak,

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<v Speaker 1>is making its way into everything from smoothies and juices

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<v Speaker 1>to pasta and bread. It's widely touted as having detoxifying properties,

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<v Speaker 1>and in some cases this is true. You'll find activated

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<v Speaker 1>charcoal in water filters, toothpastes, and facial cleansers, where it

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<v Speaker 1>does trap pollutants. Its ability to cling to certain chemicals

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<v Speaker 1>and toxins, is why it's used as an emergency treatment

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<v Speaker 1>for poisonings and overdoses. Just a fifty gram dose of

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<v Speaker 1>activated charcoal has the surface area of about seven football fields.

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<v Speaker 1>That's a lot of little nooks and crannies that can

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<v Speaker 1>be used for absorption, all created by the high heat

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<v Speaker 1>burning of wood or coconut to create an ingestible carbon.

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<v Speaker 1>And yes, I said adsorb, not absorb. Absorption is what

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<v Speaker 1>happens when something soaks in. Adsorption is what happens when

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<v Speaker 1>something sticks on. Because of all of those crevices and

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<v Speaker 1>activated charcoal, you might say that its surface is molecularly sticky,

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<v Speaker 1>though certainly the word absorb is fine to use. Colloquially,

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<v Speaker 1>activated charcoal superpowers are, however, relegated to the digestive tract. Sure,

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<v Speaker 1>it can work as a powerful d cleaner on surfaces

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<v Speaker 1>like teeth and skin, but it really shines by trapping

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<v Speaker 1>poisons anywhere along the journey from ingestion to expulsion. There

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<v Speaker 1>are misguided assumptions fueling the charcoal taking trend, though, including

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<v Speaker 1>the idea that the substance can absorb any so called

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<v Speaker 1>toxin in the body to improve your overall health. Adding

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<v Speaker 1>activated charcoal to food and drink for frequent use could

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<v Speaker 1>actually cause nutritional issues because it indiscriminately absorbs vitamins and

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<v Speaker 1>minerals too. Nutritionist Pip Read told The Huffington Post activated

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<v Speaker 1>charcoal doesn't decipher between toxins and good nutrients, so taking

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<v Speaker 1>it too regularly or with food means that the charcoal

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<v Speaker 1>will also absorb the nutrients in your system. The same

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<v Speaker 1>goes with any medications you take. We recommend do skepticism

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<v Speaker 1>about any nutritional trend that promises to detoxify you. Your

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<v Speaker 1>digestive system and liver do an excellent job of that

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<v Speaker 1>already and frequently. The best way to keep yourself detoxified

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<v Speaker 1>is to eat a balanced diet of veged boles and

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<v Speaker 1>proteins to keep those systems working well. I know that's

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<v Speaker 1>less Instagram herble, but it's more scientifically accurate. Today's episode

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<v Speaker 1>is based on the article why are people eating activated Charcoal?

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<v Speaker 1>On how stuff Works dot com? Written by Laura L. Dave.

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<v Speaker 1>Brain Stuff is production of Our Heart Radio in partnership

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<v Speaker 1>with how stuff works dot Com. It is produced by

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<v Speaker 1>Tyler Klang. For more podcasts my Heart Radio, visit the

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