Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal from Versailles Farm is 100 percent pure steam activated red oak charcoal. We use it as a detoxifying agent by trapping chemicals before they are absorbed into our body.

Activated charcoal helps our digestion by filtering out undigested toxins, fats, alcohol, or drugs. It helps rid the body of unwanted substances. It should be ingested within one to four hours of consuming a toxin. It can also be used to whiten teeth.

Be careful. Activated charcoal is highly absorptive. It can bind with other beneficial things like vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, antioxidants, and medications making them less effective. It can also slow your bowel and cause constipation. Activated charcoal should be used occasionally, not regularly, in small doses.

In the winter when the soil is resting we stop growing plants and start making charcoal. We use a top-lit updraft (TLUD) kiln to convert old growth, straight grained, red oak into pure carbon.

The oak goes through a process called pyrolysis that separates its carbon from organic matter. Then it is activated in the kiln with steam that enlarges the charcoal’s internal pores. This gives the charcoal its absorptive qualities.