Charcoal toast/bun/waffle?

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elga_thres
elga_thres Posts: 117 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi! First, I hope it's not too late to say happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it. Next, I'd like to hear your opinion on charcoal that's now becoming more popular. It's added to toast, bun and waffle batter. It's touted as healthy as charcoal has the ability to detox. But doesn't our liver do that? What are the real benefits for healthy people? Or is it just another hype?

Thanks!

Replies

  • TheopolisAmbroiseIII
    TheopolisAmbroiseIII Posts: 197 Member
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    Yes, your liver and kidneys do that. If there's some toxin in your body that your liver or kidneys cannot clean up, then nothing added to your diet or rubbed on your skin or waved over your body will do it, either.

    It's hype. You are correct and quite smart to question this new fad (which I haven't seen yet, but I'm sure I will).
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
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    Charcoal should be rarely used, reserved for withdrawing poison, over doses of drugs etc.

    DO NOT use daily as it does not discriminate, it will pull all your vitamins and minerals from your food and bind them so your body cannot use them! VERY bad idea!!!
  • MommyL2015
    MommyL2015 Posts: 1,411 Member
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    Is there nothing people won't do for some quick fix shortcut? I know they feed you charcoal in a hospital if you have to go to the ER for some kind of overdose or something actually toxic that could kill you.

    Putting it on toast? *shakes head* Last time I checked, toast and waffles were delicious, not toxic.

    I do like a bit of burnt popcorn though. Just because of the flavor.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    Charcoal binds to vitamins and minerals your body needs, so if you eat it daily you could end up very sick. Charcoal should only be given by doctors for poisoning and overdoses of drugs. Your body rids itself of things that could harm you on its own.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited November 2015
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    Yay! Another new fad-hoax!

    There are as many detoxes as there are people who have been made to believe they need 'em.

    Also, I have never had one detox lover ever be able to tell me what the heck they think they are detoxing *from.*

    Not one. ;)

    And I second what usmcmp said above. Ingesting charcoal is for specific emergency treatments only.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    I know I like things grilled on a charcoal grill, it gives a nice smokey flavor. I have never heard of it being added to buns and whatnot, so that's news to me. I know a back in college a student was given charcoal tablets after overdosing on pain meds, so I guess it does help "detox" from certain poisons. I don't see the appeal or benefit in normal circumstances though.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
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    They used to sell "charcoal salt" to sprinkle on a pan-cooked burger to fake a grilled flavor. It went off the market long ago because of worries about possible carcinogenic aspects of charcoal. Activated charcoal, which is used medically to absorb poisons, may be safe to consume as a daily supplement but NO ONE KNOWS IF IT'S SAFE and it does nothing to remove "toxins" from your body as a supplement. Here's a well-written article debunking it. http://gabriellemaston.com/charcoal-debunked/
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
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    I know activated carbon (made from charcoal) is used to help adsorb (yes, adsorb) ingested poisons in certain cases. It has no other standard uses medicinally, as far as I've seen. Since it would tend to adsorb other things that you may need (vitamins, medicines, nutrients) I can't see any logical reason a healthy person should be taking this.

    From WebMD:
    Likely Effective for:

    Trapping chemicals to stop some types of poisoning when used as a part of standard treatment.


    Insufficient Evidence for:

    Lowering cholesterol levels. So far, research studies don’t agree about the effectiveness of taking activated charcoal by mouth to lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
    Decreasing gas (flatulence). Some studies show that activated charcoal is effective in reducing intestinal gas, but other studies don’t agree. It’s too early to come to a conclusion on this.
    Treating reduced bile flow (cholestasis) during pregnancy. Taking activated charcoal by mouth seems to help treat cholestasis in pregnancy, according to some early research reports.
    Preventing hangover. Activated charcoal is included in some hangover remedies, but some experts are skeptical about how well it might work. Activated charcoal doesn’t seem to trap alcohol well.
    Other conditions.

    More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of activated charcoal for these uses.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    elga_thres wrote: »
    Hi! First, I hope it's not too late to say happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it. Next, I'd like to hear your opinion on charcoal that's now becoming more popular. It's added to toast, bun and waffle batter. It's touted as healthy as charcoal has the ability to detox. But doesn't our liver do that? What are the real benefits for healthy people? Or is it just another hype?

    Thanks!

    Hi Elga,

    I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

    Please, please know that any kind of detox is a scam because your body detoxes all by itself through it's natural processes. Personally, I believe charcoal belongs in the barbecue.
  • elga_thres
    elga_thres Posts: 117 Member
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    Thank you, all! I'll just stick to whole grain bread.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
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    elga_thres wrote: »
    Thank you, all! I'll just stick to whole grain bread.

    I want to hug you!

    You'll do well. :)
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
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    bpetrosky wrote: »
    I know activated carbon (made from charcoal) is used to help adsorb (yes, adsorb) ingested poisons in certain cases. It has no other standard uses medicinally, as far as I've seen. Since it would tend to adsorb other things that you may need (vitamins, medicines, nutrients) I can't see any logical reason a healthy person should be taking this.

    From WebMD:
    Likely Effective for:

    Trapping chemicals to stop some types of poisoning when used as a part of standard treatment.


    Insufficient Evidence for:

    Lowering cholesterol levels. So far, research studies don’t agree about the effectiveness of taking activated charcoal by mouth to lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
    Decreasing gas (flatulence). Some studies show that activated charcoal is effective in reducing intestinal gas, but other studies don’t agree. It’s too early to come to a conclusion on

    I use it for that reason. If I'm having stomach upset, it helps.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,757 Member
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    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    elga_thres wrote: »
    Thank you, all! I'll just stick to whole grain bread.

    I want to hug you!

    You'll do well. :)

    Awesome, these threads rarely end well.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
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    riffraff2112 wrote: »
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    elga_thres wrote: »
    Thank you, all! I'll just stick to whole grain bread.

    I want to hug you!

    You'll do well. :)

    Awesome, these threads rarely end well.

    Agreed. Most people who start threads like these have already decided to do whatever-it-is, and really only want to hear from people that will tell them to go for it. ;)

    It's refreshing when someone is actually open to learning. :)
  • elga_thres
    elga_thres Posts: 117 Member
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    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    elga_thres wrote: »
    Thank you, all! I'll just stick to whole grain bread.

    I want to hug you!

    You'll do well. :)

  • elga_thres
    elga_thres Posts: 117 Member
    Options
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    riffraff2112 wrote: »
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    elga_thres wrote: »
    Thank you, all! I'll just stick to whole grain bread.

    I want to hug you!

    You'll do well. :)

    Awesome, these threads rarely end well.

    Agreed. Most people who start threads like these have already decided to do whatever-it-is, and really only want to hear from people that will tell them to go for it. ;)

    It's refreshing when someone is actually open to learning. :)

    Hahaha.. IMO not keeping an open mind while learning about nutrition or health in general is dangerous. The least harmful effect is wasting money and the most harmful effect is damaging the body. :smile:
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,972 Member
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    bpetrosky wrote: »
    I know activated carbon (made from charcoal) is used to help adsorb (yes, adsorb) ingested poisons in certain cases. It has no other standard uses medicinally, as far as I've seen. Since it would tend to adsorb other things that you may need (vitamins, medicines, nutrients) I can't see any logical reason a healthy person should be taking this.

    From WebMD:
    Likely Effective for:

    Trapping chemicals to stop some types of poisoning when used as a part of standard treatment.


    Insufficient Evidence for:

    Lowering cholesterol levels. So far, research studies don’t agree about the effectiveness of taking activated charcoal by mouth to lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
    Decreasing gas (flatulence). Some studies show that activated charcoal is effective in reducing intestinal gas, but other studies don’t agree. It’s too early to come to a conclusion on this.
    Treating reduced bile flow (cholestasis) during pregnancy. Taking activated charcoal by mouth seems to help treat cholestasis in pregnancy, according to some early research reports.
    Preventing hangover. Activated charcoal is included in some hangover remedies, but some experts are skeptical about how well it might work. Activated charcoal doesn’t seem to trap alcohol well.
    Other conditions.

    More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of activated charcoal for these uses.

    Ya, if one is sick enough to require charcoal medicinally, one should seek medical attention. When my girlfriend overdosed, I took her to the ER where they gave her charcoal through a tube - definitely a matter for medical professionals.

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