Melis Campbell
If you want to make your black latte, you don’t need many ingredients: coffee with activated charcoal – what’s behind the healthy superfood drink?
What is a black latte?
It is – as many initially assume – not a particularly black coffee with a particularly large amount of caffeine. “By black latte is meant a coffee or espresso mixed with a little milk, sweetener, and a teaspoon of activated charcoal,” says nutritionist and book author Dr. Malte Rubach.
The Black Latte gets its raven black color from the added activated charcoal, which can be purchased either as a powder or in capsule form. A black latte can also be seen as a coffee alternative and can therefore do without coffee at all.
Another variation of the Black Latte gets its color from a special paste made from ground black peanuts, sesame seeds, and almonds. Both variants are taken for diet purposes and are enjoyed with plant-based, foamed, and hot milk.
What is the effect of a black latte?
Most people only know activated carbon from a whitening toothpaste or clarifying face masks. But as a drink or coffee? This is still completely new for many. But lately, the effect of the activated carbon mineral has also been used for coffee variations. The Black Latte with activated carbon is said to have a detox effect. In addition, the trendy drink is said to help with weight loss, counteract stomach and digestive disorders and relieve hangovers on the day after an alcohol-heavy night.
How does activated charcoal work? In general, activated charcoal is used for purely medical purposes. For example, in the case of gastrointestinal complaints or diarrhea. The black mineral can bind toxic substances in the gastrointestinal tract and transport them out of the body.
Activated charcoal can bind to certain substances due to its molecular structure, but is not absorbed into the body itself. “So it is excreted again with the bound substances. However, this is also achieved, for example, by dietary fiber, which can also feed our microbiome. Activated charcoal is excellent at purifying polluted water, but is otherwise relatively useless in human nutrition,” explains Dr. Rubach. In his book “The Secret of Healthy Aging” he devotes an entire chapter to this topic.
Black Latte Lose Weight: Is It Possible?
Most interested people want to make their Black Latte lose weight. Activated charcoal is supposed to stimulate the fat-burning process. Hand on heart: Can you lose weight with Black Latte? The expert dr. Malte Rubach says unequivocally: “No, you can only lose weight by taking in fewer calories and using more calories.”
Possible interactions caused by activated carbon
The mineral-activated charcoal should not be taken carelessly and without special caution. When in doubt, you should always consult a doctor. Because activated charcoal can absorb toxic substances like a sponge and transport them out of the body, but that is exactly what it does with important substances (e.g. vitamins and minerals) that we still need. “The activated carbon can bind toxins from the food that is in the digestive tract. But unfortunately also nutrients,” confirms the expert.
Therefore, it is recommended not to take too much-activated charcoal (not daily) and not to plan to take it immediately before or with a meal. According to the nutritionist, anyone who wants to detox should rather use other means: “The most effective detoxification method is still to drink enough liquid,” says Dr. Rubach.
It should also be noted that the effectiveness of certain medications can sometimes be impaired by the intake of activated charcoal. This includes, for example, the birth control pill. Therefore: Consult a doctor if you have to take medication regularly and want to combine Black Latte or activated charcoal.
Rough orientation: It is best to wait about two hours after eating before drinking a black latte. In this way, the nutrients from the previous meal can be absorbed by the body. Make your black latte – find out first, then enjoy.
