Activated charcoal is a black, odourless, flavourless powder that has been used since ancient times to treat various ailments. It is a type of charcoal that’s processed to make it more porous. It’s sold in both supplement and powder form, as well as added to various food and household products. It’s most commonly utilized in medical settings to treat drug overdoses or as an emergency anti-poison remedy. Health researchers have discovered that the components found in charcoal have health benefits and are hygienically beneficial. Here are some of the benefits according to various verified sources.
Health Benefits of Activated Charcoal
To keep things simple, we will look at three major benefits of activated charcoal:
1. Poisoning
Taking activated charcoal by mouth is useful for trapping drugs and other types of chemicals to stop poisoning. It should be used under the guidance of a healthcare provider along with standard treatments for poisoning. Activated charcoal is said to be most beneficial when taken within the first hour after an overdose or poisoning. An individual must take activated charcoal between 1 to 4 hours of poisoning for it to work. The sooner the better. Activated charcoal is not effective in all cases of poisoning. For instance, it appears to have little effect on alcohol, heavy metal, iron, lithium, potassium, acid, or alkali poisonings
2. Teeth Whitening and Oral Health
Dozens of teeth-whitening products contain activated charcoal. Many oral health products that contain activated charcoal claim to have various benefits, such as being antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal, and detoxifying. Please note that this has not been supported by scientific research but is based on individual testimonies.
3. Skin Care
Researchers have reported that activated charcoal can help draw micro-particles, such as dirt, dust, chemicals, toxins, and bacteria, to the surface of the skin, which makes removing them easier. Around the world, many different traditional medicine practitioners use activated charcoal powder made from coconut shells to treat soft tissue conditions, such as skin infections. It may have an antibacterial effect by absorbing harmful microbes from wounds.
Side Effects
Activated charcoal is considered safe in most cases, and adverse reactions are infrequent. It is safe when used short term. However, common side effects include constipation and black stools. It is also likely safe for most adults when applied to wounds.
How To Make Activated Charcoal
- Build a medium-sized fire. The fire should be hot enough to cause wood pieces to burn.
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Pack a metal pot with small pieces of hardwood.
If hardwood is not available, you can substitute almost any dense, fibrous plant material, like coconut shells. Insert your hardwood pieces or plant material into a metal pot, then cover it with a lid. The material you burn should be as dry as possible before you put it in the pot
- Cook the pot on an open fire for 3 to 5 hours to make charcoal. Set the lidded pot on the fire. As the material cooks, you should see smoke and gas escape from the vent hole in the lid. Doing this will burn away everything from the material except the carbon (charcoal) in it
- Clean the charcoal with water once it cools. The charcoal now in your pot will stay hot for a while. Give it plenty of time to cool down. When it’s cool to the touch, transfer the carbon to a clean container and rinse it with cool water to remove ash and any remaining debris, then drain the water
- Grind up the charcoal. Transfer the cleaned charcoal to a mortar and pestle and grind it up into a fine powder. Alternatively, you could put the carbon in a durable plastic bag and crush it up into a fine powder with a tenderizing mallet or a hammer. Allow the charcoal powder to air dry completely.
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Activate the charcoal.
Combine calcium chloride and water in a 1:3 ratio. Be careful when you mix these substances; doing so will cause the solution to get very hot. You’ll need enough of the solution to cover the charcoal completely. If you can’t find calcium chloride, you can substitute it for bleach or lemon juice.
- Cover the bowl and let the charcoal sit for 24 hours. Cover the bowl and allow it to sit untouched. After that, drain as much of the remaining moisture from the bowl as possible. Cook the coal for another 3 hours to activate it.
There is a difference between ordinary charcoal and activated charcoal. There are many similarities between charcoal and activated charcoal, but they are not the same. Activated charcoal is produced at higher temperatures than charcoal. Activate charcoal is much more porous than charcoal. Activated charcoal is much more effective in filtering material and a more effective adsorbent than charcoal. Activated charcoal is more commonly used in medicine than charcoal. Please before using charcoal, consult a physician.
