There is a beautiful truth behind the muddy-colored health essential that's now become the 'talk' in the health industry.

Beauty brands are embarking a new step to make activated charcoal as one of their supreme ingredients in skin and hair care products. For the past two years, the Millennials have begun using activated charcoal for deep cleansing aid. Goop, a lifestyle site owned by no other than Gwyneth Paltrow, mentions about the black stuff as a powerful skin care. Now, the trend shifts to a healthy lifestyle by incorporating it into meals. As a humble ingredient, activated charcoal contains medicinal property to treat alcohol overdose.

Food grade activated charcoal is not the briquette used for barbecues. The powdered activated charcoal is made from burnt wood or coconut husks. It's easily ingested in water. Despite the tasteless feature, activated charcoal adds unusual hue in foods and its granular texture turns out to be an excellent detox agent. Due to its insoluble character, the healthy charcoal draws toxin out of the body like a magnet.

Joshua Peck, MD in Oprah's Health and Wellness site, mentions the beauty benefits of activated charcoal as an anecdotal. His patients admitted the effectiveness of its virtues in curing diarrhea and reducing gas.

The good-for-gut ingredient has also invaded delicacies such as French pastries and is also a commonly found ingredient in Asian desserts. The substance experiment has resulted in a huge leap from healthy to fancy. In the UK, bartenders are trying the bitter stuff in varieties of drinks whilst top chefs are exploring ways to innovating their foods with it.

Regardless of the pros, activated charcoal for medicinal purpose requires a serious thought. It is advised to talk to a doctor before trying it at home.