You may not have heard of Jacqueline Gold, but you have heard of her businesses. Even if you've never shopped in Ann Summers or Knickerbox, you know they're there and you know people who have. Gold is the woman at the helm of them both, and she made them into what they are today.
An icon and pioneer in the business world, Gold took over Ann Summers as a small business from her father, and saw its potential as a brand that reflected female empowerment rather than just another tacky sex shop, which is how it had been run previously. She adopted an ethos of it being run 'by women, for women', with women represented at management level right through the company. Her autobiography 'Good Vibration's, published in the mid-90s, was a bestseller, and she followed it up with a sequel in 2007. Universally respected as a businesswoman, she runs advice columns for business owners in several British newspapers.
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.