With the rise in popularity of fermented foods and probiotics to promote gut health, anything pickled has been back in fashion again. But unfortunately, not all pickled foods are good for you and some caution does need to be taken. Though the research is relatively new, studies are linking pickled foods to stomach cancer.
The main concern when it comes to pickles and other pickled foods is whatever it has been pickled in. If you pickle your own foods, you should be in the clear. But most mass-produced product has normally been pickled in a liquid containing salt and nitrate. It's the combination of these two ingredients that is thought to be a cause of stomach cancer. Basically, before you chow down on a bowl of sauerkraut, check the ingredients and make sure they're natural.
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.