![]() “In fact, it is these little pores that endow the activated charcoal with its powerful adsorption properties,” referring to the process by which “atoms or molecules from a gas, liquid, or dissolved solid bind onto a surface.”īefore it hit mainstream food culture, activated charcoal was a popular ingredient for detox enthusiasts. “You can imagine activated charcoal as a sponge with its many tiny pores,” writes Discover Magazine’s Eunice Liu. This process dramatically increases the surface area of the charcoal, which partly explains why it is such a powerful detoxifier. The resulting ash is then processed with steam or hot air at equally high temperatures to produce a “microporous structure.” Food-grade activated charcoal is most frequently produced by heating coconut shells to extremely high temperatures until they are carbonized, or completely burned up. While technically made of the same material as the charcoal briquettes in your barbecue, activated charcoal is a decidedly different thing. If consumed in excessive amounts, activated charcoal can cause some adverse health effects - but definitely it isn’t as “dangerous” as some might believe. There’s been a little bit of fearmongering regarding the ingredient, like pieces at Self and BoingBoing that warn people to “definitely avoid” foods dyed black with activated charcoal because they’re “not safe.”Īs always, the truth lies somewhere in the middle, between the natural health evangelists and complete skeptics. Still, as the trend has grown, a number of articles have raised concerns about whether or not activated charcoal is safe to consume. Instead, the appeal is directly attributed to the fact that black-hued dishes are relatively rare and unique - and also happen to look really, really cool. This time, the craze isn’t necessarily attributed to activated charcoal’s purported health benefits. The black ice cream from shops like Morgenstern’s in New York City and Los Angeles’ Little Damage have been posted to social media thousands of times, along with inspiring countless copycats at ice cream shops across the country. The idea of charcoal as a detoxifier isn’t going away anytime soon, but consumers are now more interested in charcoal-tinted ice cream and pizza because it makes for excellent Instagram fodder. It’s a potent detoxifier, which has also helped activated charcoal attract an ardent following among the crunchy juice-cleanse types, who claim that the supplement (usually taken in pill form, though the powder can be mixed into a glass of water) can do everything from preventing hangovers to mitigating the side effects of food poisoning. Activated charcoal, the ingredient that creates this “super-black” hue, has made its way into coconut ash ice cream, detoxifying lemonades, pizza crusts, and boozy cocktails that are as black as your cold, dark soul.Īctivated charcoal, also known as activated carbon or coconut ash, has long been a staple in hospitals, where it is used to prevent poisons and lethal overdoses of drugs from being absorbed by the body. Perhaps a goth response to the ubiquity of unicorn lattes and rainbow bagels, dyeing foods a deep, inky black has become one of the year’s biggest food trends. ![]() ![]() If you’ve taken a peek through Instagram recently, one thing is clear: Black food is everywhere. It was updated Jto reflect the NYC Department of Health’s recent crackdown on charcoal-infused foods. Editor’s note: This story was originally published June 7, 2017.
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