Buy Activated Charcoal Powder direct from Cedarvale Health Retreat, Kangaroo Valley, NSW.
 

Top Uses for Activated Charcoal Powder

The simple, yet powerful properties of activated charcoal has many uses. We've compiled a list of the top few:

1. Ingestion of Poison
   One of the most common uses for activated charcoal is for the safe and effective treatment of poisoning and drug overdoses. It's actually used in emergency departments around the world for this purpose.
    
2. Gas / Bloat
   Feeling bloated or have too much gas? Taking a teaspoon of charcoal powder in a glass of water will go a long way to alleviating those symptoms and may get rid of them altogether.
    
3. Whitens Teeth
   Are your teeth stained from cigarettes, tea or some other substance? Brushing your teeth with charcoal powder helps clean and whiten them. It can also help prevent bad breath and gum disease.
   
   Simply wet your toothbrush, dip it in charcoal powder and brush your teeth as normal. Be careful not to spill charcoal on fabrics as it can stain. It’s not pretty while you’re brushing, but afterwards you’ll be glad you tried it!
    
4. Poultice or Compress 
   Activated charcoal powder can be mixed with ground linseed and water, then slowly brought to a boil and left to cool in order to form a paste. This can be applied with the use of a chux cloth or similar as a poultice to help treat infections, splinters, etc.
    
5. General Tonic / Detox
   Some recommend taking a teaspoon of charcoal powder in a glass of water as a general detox. The charcoal do its work of adsorption while it travels through your intestinal system.
   Be prepared to see black stools as it passes through. ;)
    
6. Water Filtration
   Charcoal is often used to filter water, and remove toxic substances. It is effectively used all over the world for this. It is worth noting that it will not trap viruses or bacteria, which should be neutralised through heat, evaporation or ultra-violet methods.
   
   Water is important for health. Drink at least 8 glasses per day. A charcoal filter can help remove chloride/fluoride and other toxins/chemicals in your tap-water.

How and Why is Charcoal Steam Activated?

Charcoal is termed 'activated' when it is processed in such a way as to maximise the pores which increase the surface area available for adsorption or chemical reactions. This occurs when the carbon (e.g. coconut shell, bamboo etc.) is heated in a furnace at high temperatures in the absence of oxygen. Steam activation is a common way of activating food-grade charcoal. In this process all volatile compounds are removed and at the same time many layers of carbon atoms are pealed off, which expands the internal pores, leaving behind a carbon skeleton. Typically 3 kg of raw charcoal will produce 1 kg of activated charcoal. In other words, "Less is More", as the internal porous space expands.

This activation process greatly enhances the adsorption qualities of the charcoal.

After activation the charcoal is cooled and washed to remove any ash content.

Because of the very high temperatures required for steam activation (600 - 1,200 °C), these results are difficult to achieve outside of industrial technology.

Does Charcoal Powder Have an Expiry Date?

The short answer is 'No'.
Providing that the charcoal powder is not exposed to moisture or to the environment in any way where it will adsorb toxins and pollutions, it does not have an expiration date.
According to Dr. Agatha Thrash and Dr. Calvin Thrash in their book 'Rx Charcoal', 
"Charcoal powder has an indefinate shelf life, remaining effective for years, probably decades."

*We advise checking with your government body as some countries have regulations for expiry dates. 

References
1. Charcoal and Body, Frequently Asked Questions, https://www.charcoalandbody.com/frequently-asked-questions/

2. Thrash, Agatha and Calvin, 1988, Rx Charcoal, Sunfield MI, USA, Family Health Publications LLC

They sound very similar don’t they? In fact, I wouldn’t blame you for not even noticing that there was a difference! But, these two words are very different and “adsorption” is the principle that charcoal uses. In this article, we will discuss the differences between these two words.

I like this definition I found:

1. Absorption happens when atoms pass through or enter a bulky material like sponges.
2. Adsorption happens when the atoms settle or accumulate on the surface of a material rather than literally entering or diffusing into that same material. 1

In other words, absorption is what happens when you place a dry sponge in water. The water enters the fibers of the sponge.
Adsorption on the other hand is what happens when you place your hand in the water and take it back out, to discover that your hand is wet. The water sticks to the outside of your hand.

Each tiny particle of charcoal is millions of microscopic spaces that give it a massive surface area. One gram of charcoal has the surface area of 500 square metres.2 That’s about half a standard house block! With that large amount of surface area, you can see why charcoal is such a good adsorber.

Joel Ridgeway

References

1 DifferenceBetween.net, Difference Between Adsorption and Absorption, Copyright © 2011 - http://www.differencebetween.net/science/difference-between-adsorption-and-absorption/#ixzz1GGWfXCNa

2 Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Activated carbon, - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activated_carbon