It is not unusual for candies to contain different flavorings and colorings. Often licorice, for example the dye E153, contains vegetable carbon, i.e. activated carbon.
The candy contains activated carbon
A popular type of candy that contains the substance activated carbon, E153, is “Good and mixed”, according to the contents of the bags.
But there are a lot of other candies that also contain activated charcoal. Some of these are: Bub’s Raspberry Licorice Skulls, Jungle Roar, Fazer’s Salty Cat and Licorice Pipes.
Activated carbon as a coloring agent is commonly used in food, in baking and in various candies. It is a natural and gives an intense color without affecting the taste.
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Activated carbon can do that in the body
But activated charcoal is also used medicinally, for example in acute diarrhea and poisoning.
– The active substance in carbo medicinalis is activated carbon. E153 refers to the dye vegetable carbon. It’s the same thing, tells Therese Smedberg, press officer at the Medical Products Agency, for News24 and continues:
– Approved dosages for products with activated charcoal can, for example when it is intended as a supplement to a diet in acute diarrhea, be three to six tablets of 250 milligrams, one to several times daily.
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Photo: Butt Mariam/TTPhoto: Vilhelm Stokstad/TTThat’s why activated charcoal is used medicinally
The reason for giving patients with poisoning activated charcoal is its ability to absorb substances in the body.
– Activated carbon is neither absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract nor metabolized, and is excreted in the feces. Activated carbon absorbs harmful, unwanted or disease-causing substances in the gastrointestinal tract and prevents them from being absorbed into the body, says Therese Smedberg.
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Then you should be careful with activated carbon
But there are actually people who should be careful about ingesting activated charcoal. It is women who take birth control pills. Activated carbon can absorb the medicine, which means that the effect is reduced and you can become pregnant unwantedly.
– Activated carbon adsorbs a large number of drugs, the absorption of which is therefore reduced. This in turn leads to the dose taken being too small to have an effect, says Therese Smedberg and continues:
– Activated charcoal can reduce the effect of other medicines taken by mouth when taken at the same time. This means, for example, that the effect of birth control pills can be reduced. Therefore, an additional contraceptive method should be used in addition.
Therese Smedberg cannot answer how large amounts of activated carbon are usually found in food. But it is most likely significantly smaller amounts than what we see when used for a medical purpose, she believes.
But for those who eat large amounts of candy with activated charcoal and birth control pills, it could therefore be affected.
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