If you’re a foodie who loves hitting up Instagram for the latest food trends or snapping a photo for the ‘gram, then you’ll have noticed that activated charcoal has become trendy; if not a somewhat interesting ingredient as of late. More than just drawing food lovers in with its jet-black color, many people claim that activated charcoal in food and drinks actually have health benefits when consumed.
As a result of the “Instagrammable” black food’ trend and its numerous health benefits, San Francisco is slated to host a one-stop shop for everything charcoal this Sunday.
Say hello to the activated charcoal food festival — 50 Shades of Charcoal. The festival promises that “we’re sexing up your Sunday and fueling your Instagram with charcoal ice cream, charcoal lemonade, charcoal cookie dough, charcoal cream puffs, and more!” according to the official Facebook invite.
Scheduled to take place on July 22 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the city’s SoMa StrEat Food Park, the event already lists over 15 vendors of both the food truck and pop-up variety. For an entrance fee of just $5, attendees can treat themselves to foods like black and white charcoal pastry puffs from Choux SF or charcoal battered corndogs from Batter Up.
Activated charcoal has definitely gotten a boost in popularity by being a key ingredient behind the social media black food trend, but proponents of the powder have also attributed a number of debatable health benefits to it. Organizers of 50 Shades of Charcoal stated on their Facebook event page that the ingredient is known for “brightening your smile, rejuvenating your skin, and hampering your most hateful hangovers.”
Granted, activated charcoal does indeed soak up substances it encounters — which is why it’s used to counter overdoses — but it can also soak up important nutrients and other beneficial things. With this in mind, 50 Shades has also included a disclaimer on its event page, stating “While the quantities used in charcoal foods are not comparable to medicinal applications, professionals do recommend waiting at least two hours between taking activated charcoal and other prescription drugs.”
No matter how many people cite the health benefits of the gray powder, the New York City Department of Health disagrees, saying that activated charcoal comes with more risks than benefits. Just last month, the NYC DOH banned black foods with activated charcoal in all food- and drink-serving establishments citywide. At least we know that New York is one city that won’t be hosting an activated charcoal festival anytime soon.
