Holiday Detox Bliss Balls – with Activated Charcoal
Generally holidays call for letting down some of the restrictions we have in our diet, however it’s not a bad idea to stay prepared throughout the festive season. With these absolutely delicious Holiday Detox Bliss Balls, you’ll be able to indulge a little and have a bit of a Detox at the same time.
You may be wondering how these balls get their rather intriguing black colour – we’ll let me explain.
This recipe has a very significant and rather incredible ingredient – activated charcoal. What the hell is activated charcoal you may ask??? Well let’s get nerdy!
Activated Charcoal
It is important to know right from the get-go that activated charcoal is not the same thing as charcoal for your grill or charred wood from the fire. Please don’t try to substitute or make your own!
Activated charcoal consists of some substance—usually bamboo, wood, or coal burned without oxygen to create char. The char is then heated to a high temperature and exposed to certain gases through a multi-step process to make it extremely porous. This is the “activation” part of the process.
Once activated, the increased surface area of the molecules can bind powerfully to any substance. This process of adsorption (not to be confused with absorption) is what makes charcoal so powerful. True activated charcoal is odorless, tasteless, and nontoxic.
Benefits of Activated Charcoal Use
1. Poison and Toxin Remedy
Studies show that activated charcoal may be the most effective GI tract decontaminant available. It can adsorb up to 50-60% of unwanted substances in the stomach and intestines when taken quickly after ingestion. It can even have a positive effect as long as two hours after ingestion! In fact, emergency rooms routinely administer large doses of activated charcoal for certain types of poisoning.
2. Oral Care
The same properties that make charcoal beneficial for removing harmful substances in the digestive system also make it beneficial for oral health as well. It doesn’t neutralize toxins, but rather binds them to the many tiny pores on its surface. When used in toothpates, powders and oral health rinses, it can bind to bacteria and other harmful substances and remove them from the mouth. Many people like using it in this way because it also binds to substances that stain the teeth and can whiten the teeth in only a few uses.
3. Beauty Ingredient
Activated charcoal is showing up in many beauty products lately too! This is because it is effective at removing bacteria, chemicals, dirt and build up on the skin.
Is Activated Charcoal Safe?
Activated charcoal is not known to be toxic, though it should not be taken within two hours of vitamins or medications because it will keep the body from adsorbing them. As with any substance, you should always check with a doctor or medical professional before internal use, especially in an emergency or life-threatening situation or if there is any other underlying health problem. Source
Some would say that there is negative benefits to consuming charcoal with foods as it may hinder the nutrient absorption process, but I’m a bit skeptical as I believe it’s capacity to bind positively charged ions (such as chemicals) would not bind to say nutrients – which would have a different charge to toxins and chemicals. And, let’s face it, we’re using it in MUCH smaller quantaties than you would a drug overdose.
This is the perfect treat for the holidays. Full of detoxifying benefits and not to mention loaded with amazing nutrition and superfoods. The perfect holiday detox snack.
- 1 1/4 Cup Soft Dates - pitted
- 1/2 Cup Organic Pumpkin Seeds
- 1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds
- 2 Tsp Organic Chia Seeds
- 1/4 Cup Organic Cacao Nibs
- 1/4 Cup Organic Raw Cacao
- 2 TBS Organic Cold Pressed Coconut Oil - melted
- 3 Tsp Activated Charcoal - I used capsules
- 1 TBS water
- Pinch of Celtic Sea Salt
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Make sure your dates are pitted, and place them into a high speed food processor. Blend for a few seconds.
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Add the remaining ingredients (except the water) and blend until all begin to combine.
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Add the water to helps get everything moving and stuck together. Scrape down the sides if need be, but a big ball should form.
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Spoon out a heaped tablespoon of mixture at a time and use your hands to FIRSTLY squeeze the ingredients together. This will help them bind a bit before rolling gently into balls.
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Place into the freezer overnight to set. Keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week (although I doubt they'd last that long 😉 )
As always, use Organic wherever possible. Try source your ingredients from local companies.
These bliss balls are jam packed with so much goodness. Free from gluten, dairy and refined sugar, they’re great for everyone – and even the planet because they’re 100% vegan!
They are also NUT-FREE which is great for those with nut allergies. Raw cacao, raw cacao nibs and chia seeds are just some of the amazing superfood ingredients that’ll boost energy levels – keep them sustained – all the while detoxing your system at the same time. What a treat!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe – and leave a comment below if you have any thoughts/questions/ or just want to say hi 🙂
One Comment
Kate Brownell
A very good article to know about activated charcoal. I am very much interested in this natural product because of its therapeutic role on the skin and gastric problem. I have used activated charcoal medication for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disorder. I came to know about activated charcoal benefits from google and want to know the reviews of activated charcoal products.