WEBVTT - Should You Really Eat Activated Charcoal?

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to brain stuff from how stuff works, Hey, brain stuff,

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<v Speaker 1>Lauren vocal bomb here. Maybe you don't cringe at charcoal

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

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

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

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<v Speaker 1>the unappealing hue of a mud puddle presents just such

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<v Speaker 1>an opportunity. Activated charcoal, the same stuff left over after

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<v Speaker 1>you grilla steak, is making its way into everything from

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<v Speaker 1>smoothies and juices to pasta and bread. It's widely touted

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<v Speaker 1>as having detoxifying properties, and in some cases this is true.

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<v Speaker 1>You'll find activated charcoal in water filters, toothpastes, and facial cleansers,

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<v Speaker 1>where it does trap pollutants. Its ability to cling to

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<v Speaker 1>certain chemicals and toxins is why it's used as an

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<v Speaker 1>emergency treatment for poisonings and overdoses. Just a fifty gram

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<v Speaker 1>dose of activated charcoal has the surface area of about

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<v Speaker 1>seven football field olds. That's a lot of little nook

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<v Speaker 1>and crannies that can be used for absorption, all created

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<v Speaker 1>by the high heat burning of wood or coconut to

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<v Speaker 1>create an ingestible carbon. And yes, I said adsorb, not absorb.

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

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<v Speaker 1>what happens when something sticks on. Because of all of

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<v Speaker 1>those crevices and activated charcoal, you might say that its

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<v Speaker 1>surface is molecularly sticky, though certainly the word absorb is

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<v Speaker 1>fine to use colloquially. Activated charcoals superpowers are, however, relegated

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<v Speaker 1>to the digestive tract. Sure it can work as a

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<v Speaker 1>powerful deep cleaner on surfaces like teeth and skin, but

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<v Speaker 1>it really shines by trapping poisons anywhere along the journey

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<v Speaker 1>from ingestion to expulsion. There are misguided assumptions fueling the

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<v Speaker 1>charcoal taking trend, though, including the idea that the substance

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<v Speaker 1>can absorb any so called toxin in the body to

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<v Speaker 1>improve your overall health. Adding activated charcoal to food and

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<v Speaker 1>drink for frequent use could actually cause nutritional issues because

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<v Speaker 1>it indiscriminately absorbs vitamins and minerals too. Nutritionist Pip Read

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<v Speaker 1>told The Huffington Post activated charcoal doesn't decipher between toxins

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<v Speaker 1>and good nutrients, so taking it too regularly or with

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<v Speaker 1>food means that the charcoal will also absorb the nutrients

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<v Speaker 1>in your system. The same goes with any medications you take.

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<v Speaker 1>We recommend do skepticism about any nutritional trend that promises

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<v Speaker 1>to detoxify you. Your digestive system and liver do an

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<v Speaker 1>excellent job of that already and frequently. The best way

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<v Speaker 1>to keep yourself detoxified is to eat a balanced diet

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<v Speaker 1>of vegetables and proteins to keep those systems working well.

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<v Speaker 1>I know that's less instagrammable, but it's more scientifically accurate.

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<v Speaker 1>Today's episode was written by Laurie L. Dove and produced

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<v Speaker 1>by Tyler Klang. For more on this and lots of

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<v Speaker 1>other topics that will stick with you, visit our home planet,

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<v Speaker 1>How Stuff Works Outcome