While there are many reasons to visit the islands of Thailand, the annual Loy Krathong Festival of Light might one of the best reasons. Even before the festival, in the leading days to it, you are going to see pretty baskets fashioned with banana leaves and orchids appear in market stalls and windows across all cities in Thailand. On the night of the festival, these baskets are going to be lit and set afloat.
Once the baskets are set afloat, people are going to send their prayers and thanks to the water goddess, who is the reason why the festival is held in the first place. The festival is Siamese in origin and is celebrated through the whole Kingdom of Thailand, and many times in neighboring countries as well (in countries with significant Tai culture, such as Laos, Shan, Mon, and Kedah).
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.