All meat lovers know how special a good, charred bit of meat on the barbeque is. Whether it's ribs, wings, sausages, steak, or chops, it simply seems to taste better when it's charred just right. Don't ask us for the scientific explanation, we just know it to be true. Sadly, for all of us, putting down the tongs for good is looking like a sensible idea, as charred meat has been found to contain cancer-causing properties.
Meats cooked at high temperatures, i.e. so hot that they end up charring, form chemicals that are now known to cause changes in DNA. These DNA changes lead to an increased risk of pancreatic, colorectal, and prostate cancer. Next time you're cooking up meat for dinner, try baking, poaching, or stir frying it instead to reduce your cancer risk.
Over the years, weve seen so many food trends come and go, such as ramen burgers, matcha, and spiked ice-cream. Nowadays, were seeing another trend making waves in the food industry. How many times today have you seen an Instagram photo of a scoop of black ice cream, or a cup of black yogurt, or hamburgers with black buns? Indeed, the charcoal trend has taken the world by storm.
So, what gives your latte that deep black shade? Activated charcoal, or coconut ash, is produced by heating coconut shells to insanely high temperatures until theyre burnt to a crisp. The ashes are then increased in size by steaming at high temperatures. Through this process, the ashes become a strong detoxifier, mostly because they become extra absorbent. This product may be purchased in pill form, and promises to alleviate hangovers, minimize the effects of food poisoning, and fight the visible signs of aging.
Activated charcoal is said to boost ones energy as a result of decreasing toxins in the body. However, no evidence proves that detoxifying can lead to increased energy. Also, while it can help cure a hangover, it doesnt necessarily remove alcohol from your blood. It is also said to aid in debloating your stomach because it cleanses your colon but again, this all anecdotal and isnt supported by scientific evidence as of yet. All we can say for sure is that it is a proven detoxifier.