Dietary Supplement Non-GMO Coconut Shell Lab Verified 100% Vegan Discussion: Activated Charcoal, sometimes referred to as Activated Carbon, is a fine powder derived from non-GMO, food-grade, coconut shell. It has a long history of use throughout the world as far back as 400 BCE., where it was used by the ancient Phoenicians to purify water. Research suggests activated charcoal may support total body cleansing due to its highly adsorptive properties.