nutrition news

Should We Be Chugging Charcoal?

The latest fad in the juice world seems to be elixirs made with activated charcoal, marketed as powerful detoxifying agents. This โ€œblack magicโ€ is said to help detox, fight bloat, whiten teeth, aid in digestion, and maybe even cure hangovers.  Before jumping on the charcoal bandwagon, let's dig deeper.

activated charcoal

Activated charcoal is derived from wood, peat, or coconut shells that are exposed to an oxidizing agent at high heat. This process creates a fine dust with microscopic pores on the surface which work as traps for compounds and particles. Activated charcoal can be used in the emergency room as an alternative to stomach pumping to treat oral poisoning. It works like a magnet by binding to drugs or toxins and removes them from the body.

Is activated charcoal as effective outside of the ER? Unfortunately, not so much. The charcoal doesnโ€™t just go after the bad guys. It also binds to beneficial nutrients and antioxidants. This means that the other nutrients in the juice may not be absorbed very well. Further, if you're taking any medication you should note that the charcoal may reduce its effectiveness. 

A big attraction of activated charcoal is that it allegedly helps to cure hangovers by preventing the absorption of alcohol. As much as we are all looking for the miracle hangover fix (please, let us know if you think you have found it), for now water and sleep remain our best bets. Charcoal actually doesnโ€™t bind well to alcohol and it would only work if the alcohol remained in the upper GI tract. Unless you want to start chasing your tequila with charcoal juice, this is not the best approach to avoid hangovers. 

On the other hand, activated charcoal may work nicely on your teeth. When swished around in your mouth it binds to tannins found in coffee and wine and removes the staining to leave a whiter smile. 

We're all looking for the magic potion to fight toxins, so here's the good news: our bodies are miracle workers on their own. With a clean, balanced diet and proper hydration, our bodies work around the clock to detoxify and cleanse our digestive systems. So for now, let's keep our juices green! 

Welcome to the Tribe

To our friends and soon-to-be-friends,

Welcome to Tovita Nutrition! We are so excited to finally share our brainchild with you. If you've surfed the site a bit, you hopefully have a basic understanding of who we are and what we stand for. If we're catching you off guard, then you've come to the right blog post! We will use this opportunity to introduce ourselves.  

Tovita Nutrition is both a virtual nutrition counseling service and a space to share awesome health tips, stories, recipes, debunk myths, talk top restaurants and more. Why go virtual? We have undoubtedly been raised in a service-oriented generation. From your groceries to your toiletries, these days anything can be delivered straight to your door. So we thought, why canโ€™t we do that too?

Next, you should know that we are Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN). This title means we know our stuff and weโ€™re not going to push nutrition fads that are not scientifically sound. Hence, โ€œthe science of satisfaction.โ€ Nutrition is an ever evolving, exciting, yet sometimes frustrating field and we are here to keep you focused on whatโ€™s important - high quality, whole, real foods. We know how tempting it can be to jump on the latest fad's bandwagon, but we also know which lifestyle changes are sustainable and worthwhile.

Beyond our qualifications, we believe you'll find the Tovita lifestyle to be approachable and pragmatic. Our purpose is to share a way of eating and living that you will feel excited to practice. As busy, social beings we understand that your schedule probably doesnโ€™t revolve around your diet, meaning kale salads and fresh veggies are not always in the cards. Bagel breakfasts at the office โ€“ those happen. Pizza Fridays after work โ€“ those happen too. We've got you covered.

Whether youโ€™re interested in our private counseling, or you just want a few healthy recipes, we have open arms. As new kids on the block, we are eager to hear your feedback and we are open to new ideas. So please, if thereโ€™s something you want to know more about, let us know.

Welcome to Tovita. We canโ€™t wait to get to know you.

Love,

Leah & Molly