Pure Water is Healthy Water

Binchotan charcoal is a Japanese cultural tradition that has been in use since the 17th century. Binchotan charcoal sticks are typically made from oak branches with a unique firing process that makes the charcoal highly absorbent. Here are four handy uses for binchotan charcoal that can benefit every home.

1. Air Purification

A number of health effects can arise from impurities in the air. Airborne contaminants can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, and they may worsen allergies, allergy symptoms, or existing respiratory illnesses. When air passes through binchotan charcoal, pollutants are caught in the vast network of pores that make up the charcoal's structure.

There are several binchotan products on the market that are designed to purify and deodorize your home's air. While you can choose the traditional option and simply place a stick of binchotan in each room, you may see even better results if you use binchotan cube air fresheners or ground binchotan charcoal bags. Place your binchotan air freshener near fans, windows, or other sources of moving air.

2. Water Filtration

Binchotan charcoal makes a high-quality air freshener, but the water filtration properties of binchotan are largely responsible for its growing popularity around the world. Many of the top residential water filter brands use activated charcoal filters, the same family of porous charcoals that binchotan is part of. With binchotan, you can simply add the filter media to your water instead of using a commercial filter.

To filter your drinking water with binchotan charcoal sticks, simply rinse them, boil them, and then drop them into your water bottle, jug, or glass. Leave the charcoal for a few hours to purify the water, and you should notice a marked improvement in taste. Many homeowners love binchotan because it can remove the taste of chlorine and other heavy minerals from your tap water.

3. Flavor Enhancement

Naturally, the water-purifying ability of binchotan sparked an interest in using the charcoal in cooking. Traditionally, Japanese chefs would toss a stick of binchotan into pots of rice while they boiled. This helped to preserve the flavor and aroma of the rice and to prevent impurities in the water from tainting the delicate food.

Many homeowners continue this traditional practice today while cooking rice, pasta, vegetables, or other boiled foods to bring out their flavors. Binchotan is also an excellent choice for the barbecue. Binchotan charcoal burns more steadily and at a higher temperature than standard charcoal briquettes. Binchotan also burns longer than standard charcoal because of its extremely high carbon content.

4. Soil Enrichment

A single binchotan charcoal stick can be used for several months, but eventually it will need to be replaced. Fortunately, the usefulness of binchotan doesn't end when it has reached its capacity for filtering your water or air. Used binchotan serves as a great fertilizer for your garden or indoor plants. You can simply break the charcoal up into small pieces and sprinkle it over the soil around your plants.

For eco-conscious homeowners, binchotan charcoal makes a great all-natural soil enricher. Binchotan is completely biodegradable, so you don't have to worry about its environmental impact like you do when you use chemical fertilizers. Carbon-based binchotan charcoal is absorbed directly by plants, where it helps to promote healthy, high-volume root growth.

Binchotan charcoal has had an important place in Japanese homes, kitchens, and gardens for hundreds of years. Nowadays, you can enjoy the benefits of binchotan no matter where you live. If you want to take advantage of these handy, healthy purifiers in your home, there are many reputable online retailers who will ship binchotan to any part of the world!