Activated charcoal fish and chips is the dish from hell

You can’t go wrong with a portion of good-old-fashioned fish and chips.

Even when gastro pubs insist on ‘beer battering’ them, which seems a bit unnecessary, really.

Or perhaps you can in fact go terribly terribly wrong as one cafe has started serving up ‘activated charcoal’ fish and chips.

At least charcoal lattes were a little photogenic, but we pity the fish that was destined to become a part of this.

The Long Story Short Café in Melbourne, Australia has begun selling battered cod so black it looks more suitable to put to paper in a drawing class, not in your mouth.

It’s made this dark by the activated charcoal present in the apple cider vinegar, which is creative and everything.

But the internet can’t help but compare it to something more… bodily.

The dish is made up of apple cider batter, beetroot labneh, chips and salad, and will set you back $19 AUD (£11).

Apparently it tastes better than it looks too, as one blogger posted: “Despite what it may look like this dish was OUTSTANDING.”

Despite its questionable looks, however, charcoal is having a bit of a moment having become a full-blown health trend.

The ingredient is supposedly detoxifying, promotes better digestive health and removes toxins from the body.

As well as looking rather good on Instagram.

But experts have warned it could have some unwanted side effects as well, including making birth control ineffective.

And keep in mind that putting small amounts of ‘activated charcoal’ into our food is very different to taking a bite out of what’s fuelling our barbeques.

It being ‘activated’ means it’s been specially processed to develop small pores in it which gives it its ability to supposedly absorb toxins.

So if you want to try consuming it to improve your digestion, you can buy it in tablet form over the counter at a pharmacist’s.

But if in doubt, ask your GP first.

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