Activated charcoal has long been used for intestinal distress, including parasites and worms, and to negate the effects of food poisoning. It can also be used in natural toiletries, to clean teeth or add to natural deodorizing products, due to its antibacterial properties.

Unlike regular charcoal, which is a known carcinogen, activated charcoal is medicinal. It’s the byproduct of slowly burnt wood, peat, or coconut shells that is treated with oxygen, a process which renders it highly porous and nonpolar, allowing it to absorb (that is, bind to) hydrophobic toxins and odors from gases or liquids up to 1,000 times its weight.