Scientific techniques have led industry to enhance the porosity of charcoal in a variety of ways using gases, chemicals, and extreme heat and/or steam to create “activated” charcoal. In terms of collective surface area, it is said that one gram of activated charcoal would be able to cover several football fields if it were rolled flat. Activated charcoal is used in hospitals worldwide for patients who ingest drugs or chemicals and have saved countless lives.

I recommend that you visit a local pharmacy and purchase some activated charcoal for your emergency kit or bug-out-bag (BOB). In lieu of activated charcoal, many military survival instructors teach soldiers to grind up the charcoal from their campfire and make a slurry with water to ingest. It works in both the stomach and the intestines while being eliminated through the digestive tract. Some home remedies also suggest burning your toast to create charcoal, then scraping into a small pile to grind. In the end, don’t be alarmed when your stool is dark, it just shows that the charcoal has finished it’s course, and be thankful for the task that it has accomplished.