In 1969, the spirit of revolution was in the air. The Cold War was in full effect, relations between East and West were strained, the Vietnam War was deeply unpopular at home, and large swathes of the population were simply tired of the old way of doing things. There was an open rebellion against the establishment and conservatism, and the youth seemed to have a deeply liberal agenda on their mind. For a Government terrified of the threat of Communism, Woodstock was an issue.
Hippie ideologies often drifted along towards Marxism, and with icons like John Lennon seemingly preaching from the Communist Manifesto, the kids were listening. Woodstock was full of mini stalls like this one, offering free 'revolutionary literature' and organizing support for left wing politicians at forthcoming elections. The Socialist Workers Party were particularly popular, and Che Guevara was hailed as a hero of the Cuban Revolution. For the old guard, it felt like their entire existence was at 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.