Ever poetic, author Ernest Hemmingway stayed true to form when he responded to a Red Cross recruitment drive during World War I. He became an ambulance driver on the Italian Front and was thrust into the horrors of war almost immediately. On his first day, an explosion in a factory saw him pulling dead bodies from the rubble. He was also wounded badly from mortar fire, but acted with courage, helping Italian soldiers escape. For this he was awarded the Italian Silver Medal of Bravery.
Hemmingway spent six months in a Milan hospital recovering from his shrapnel wounds. He even managed to fall in love with a Red Cross nurse during this time. Of course, this being Ernest Hemmingway, he ended up writing about his experiences during and immediately after the war in several of his books.
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.