Hey there, viewers!
Charcoal is no longer the ugly thing that stains your hands.
I get it, the idea of using charcoal in our daily lives is intimidating.
But if you look at the benefits, you’ll come around.
Charcoal has emerged as a sought after ingredient in several beauty and wellness products.
In today’s video, we will be talking about 6 impressive uses of charcoal.
Several of them are ‘Do it yourself’ projects that may just change your life.
Can you use it in your juice?
How about your face wash and shampoo?
What about its effect on your teeth and stomach?
Let’s begin, shall we?
Charcoal Juice
Charcoal in my juice?
I don’t believe it.
It may not look like those delicious, blueberry-topped smoothies, but it has ample health benefits.
Activated charcoal is a fine, odorless powder often used in emergency rooms to treat overdoses.
It absorbs toxins, which makes it one of the top picks for medical and cosmetic uses.
Activated charcoal is added to drinks due to its ability to absorb and remove toxins
from your body.
It is obtained from organic material, like wood or coconut, and is of food-grade quality
that can be safely ingested.
Adding activated charcoal to your juice for detox purposes is safe because the human body
cannot absorb it.
When consumed, the charcoal passes through your body without hindering any physiological
processes.
Not only that.
It will also absorb toxins living in your body.
Do not worry about activated charcoal destroying the flavors of your delicious juice.
It is tasteless.
You won’t feel a thing!
As with everything else, you do need to exercise caution while including it in your diet.
Along with toxins, activated carbon can also absorb vitamins and minerals from your food.
This happens while passing through your digestive system.
We recommend you drink activated charcoal-loaded juice on either an empty stomach, or when
it doesn’t overlap with your meals or medications.
Remember to consume this juice only once or twice a week.
Less is definitely more!
Charcoal for teeth whitening
Wait, a thing as black as charcoal can actually give you clean teeth?
You mean teeth-whitening?
Are you kidding?
Nope!
Charcoal can do that for you.
Even if the black powder is made by superheating natural carbon sources like wood.
It looks black, but cleans like a top class industry-grade cleaner.
Activated charcoal is also used in toothpaste, as it helps whiten your teeth.
When you brush your teeth with activated charcoal, it binds and absorbs bacteria, viruses, tartar,
and plaque.
Since the bad breath causing bacteria and plaque get removed, you get to smile with
a set of pearly whites!
For better understanding, let me explain.
There are two types of stains on your teeth – extrinsic and intrinsic.
Extrinsic stains are the external ones caused by eating or drinking acidic foods, wine,
coffee, etc.
Intrinsic or internal stains are those that form due to internal health issues like trauma,
some medications, or weak enamel.
Activated charcoal is considered to be very effective for cleaning extrinsic stains from
your teeth.
It will absorb and remove plaque responsible for their yellowing.
What’s more- your gums would be clean too, as leftover food particles would be removed.
These food particles cause tooth decay in the long run.
Are you finding the list useful so far?
Well this next point will surely surprise you.
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Activated charcoal face pack
I am sure you all must have seen several cosmetic brands with activated charcoal.
From face washes to peel off face masks, activated charcoal seems to be winning every section.
But why is every brand and influencer talking about this wonder ingredient?
It turns out the deep cleansing properties of activated charcoal have won everyone over!
Your skin has tiny pores to keep it healthy and flush out excess oil.
But when it gets clogged by pollutants and toxins floating in the air, your skin becomes
dull and lacks lustre.
These clogged pores are the reason behind several skin problems like acne, blackheads
and whiteheads.
As activated charcoal has toxin-absorbing properties, it can also be used to rid your
face of pollutants.
When you apply a face pack containing activated carbon, it will absorb all pollutants.
This includes dirt, dust, chemicals and dead skin particles blocking the pores, thereby
cleansing your skin.
When your pores are cleansed, your skin will be glowing!
Another reason activated charcoal is preferred in face packs and face wash is because of
its antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Acne is caused by bacteria residing in your clogged pores.
Charcoal does an excellent job in getting rid of them.
Several cultures rely on activated charcoal made from coconut shells to treat skin infections.
It can also absorb harmful microbes from wounds.
Several versions are commercially available.
Activated charcoal shampoos
So activated charcoal helped your skin and teeth.
Why should your lovely tresses stay behind?
There must be some way charcoal is helping your hair stay in its best form.
After all, it is doing so much for your skin.
When you’re outside in the polluted air, your hair suffers due to dust, chemicals,
and micro-dirt particles.
Activated charcoal helps your hair by stripping them of these pollutants.
Can dust particles be this harmful?
Unfortunately, yes!
Your scalp produces a type of natural oil known as sebum to keep your hair healthy and
moisturized.
Dirt and particulates can get caught in this sebum and weaken your hair roots.
Another problem arises when your body starts producing excess sebum.
This makes your hair and scalp too oily, and can cause dandruff issues as well.
Activated charcoal will help you get rid of this extra sebum from your scalp and hair.
Plus, the antibacterial properties of activated charcoal will help fight your scalp’s bacteria
Though there are various activated charcoal shampoos available, you can make one at home
too.
Just mix one teaspoon of charcoal powder in your regular shampoo, and voila!
You have your hair’s best friend with you.
Before we move ahead, here’s a video you might like.
Find out why you should never sleep in your ponytail.
Charcoal for stomach troubles
Activated charcoal helped with your teeth, skin, and hair.
But can it help your body from the inside?
The answer is yes.
In fact, activated charcoal has been known to help with stomach ailments like gas pain,
indigestion and even a bloated belly.
Your intestines sometimes trap gases that cause discomfort and pain.
Activated charcoal neutralizes these gases and liquids by letting them pass through the
millions of tiny holes it contains.
Actually, activated charcoal is a porous substance, so accumulated intestinal gases and liquids
get absorbed by these pores.
A study was conducted on people with a history of excessive gas trapped in their intestines.
Participants were given 448 mg of activated charcoal 3 times a day, for 2 days.
They were also given 672 mg of activated charcoal on the morning of the exam.
The ultrasound results showed that organs which were obscured by gases previously were
much more visible after consuming charcoal.
Another study conducted in 2017 showed that people, who consumed 140 mg of activated charcoal
for 10 days, experienced a significant drop in their abdominal pain.
There has also been research that showed how activated charcoal can trap diarrhea-causing
drugs and bacteria in its porous surface and prevent them from being absorbed by the body.
Charcoal for healthy kidneys
Kidneys remove toxins from the body.
Activated charcoal can help kidneys function better by filtering and absorbing the undigested
toxins and chemicals.
Activated charcoal is specifically good at removing the toxins derived from urea.
There have been studies on animals that showed charcoal is helpful in reducing inflammation
and gastrointestinal damage in case of chronic kidney disease.
In 2014, two different studies were conducted on rats.
In the first study, rats with chronic kidney disease were given food mixed with activated
charcoal in quantities of 4 grams daily for 20 days.
In the end, researchers found there was a significant reduction in intestinal inflammation
and oxidative stress.
In the second study, rats suffering from chronic renal failure were fed food containing 20%
activated charcoal for four weeks.
The rats were shown to have improved kidney functions.
Oxidative stress markers also decreased.
Have you tried using charcoal?
Would you consider it after watching this video?
Let us know in the comments below.
We would love to hear from you!