By: Olivia Liveng
The science, health, and technology worlds will be shocked to hear that hookah smoking is not as dangerous as once believed, that is, if you’re smoking through the correctly and through the right devices.
There are countless negative (and often false) negative perceptions about hookah smoke. But Kaloud, the Los Angeles-based company constantly pushing the boundaries on hookah, can share the results of a nearly seven-month long €100,000 Euro research-based scientific study conducted by the third-party ASL Labs in Germany to prove it.
And prove it they did: with an average reduction of 98% carbonyl compounds (including PAH’s carcinogens), VOCs (toxic and potentially carcinogenic), Carbon Monixide (harmful)) compared to a standard hookah with no filter or Kaloud Lotus versus their Krysalis Eltheria Hookah with the Ayara Activated Activated Carbon Hookah Filter and Kaloud Lotus Heat Management Device (HMD).
Reza Bavar, the company’s founder and longtime believer of using hookah to connect the globe, wanted to put his money where his mouth was. So he looked across the pond, to Germany, where hookah is not only generally more embraced, but also less stigmatized.
A third party study was conducted on three types of hookah, including the standard hookah with no filter, the standard hookah with the Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter and the Lotus Heat Management Device, and the Krysalis Eltheria with the Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter, the Lotus Heat Management Device, and the Krysalis Eltheria. The physiological impact of 175 puffs over five sessions of each was investigated.
And the findings? The results speak for themselves, that–scientifically, with the proper accoutrement, hookah has a rapid decrease in many of the compounds we know can hurt us. There was an average reduction of 98% carbonyl compounds compared to a standard hookah with no filter using Krysalis Eltheria with the Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter, the Lotus Heat Management Device, and the Krysalis Eltheria.
“This is personally gratifying to me because it demonstrates that Kaloud’s Vision of making hookah use as harmless as possible is coming to pass and that the things we will introduce in the future will make it even less harmful,” said Bavar. “I believe that trying to mandate human behavior will seldom work, but that if we mitigate the harm associated with the things people enjoy doing that we can improve the quality of life while avoiding the costs, economic, societal, and psychological, which often come with mandates.”
Kaloud successfully designed its products to reduce the risk associated with traditional hookah. These carbonyl compounds have been shown to adversely affect human health by causing respiratory tract infections, skin damage, and neurodegenerative disorders by increasing systemic inflammation. These health problems can be debilitating in the long run.
The same study concluded that the amount of PAHs significantly reduces with Kaloud’s products. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are carcinogenic compounds generated when coal and tobacco are burned. There is an average decrease of 97.5% Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) using a Krysalis Eltheria with the Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter, the Lotus Heat Management Device, and the Krysalis Eltheria versus a standard hookah with no filter.
There is an average decrease of 34% in levels of carbon monoxide between Kaloud products and standard hookahs. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, tasteless gas that reduces the oxygen content in the blood and is released when the fuel is ineffectively burned. In Kaloud products, the tobacco is cooked rather than burned compared to traditional hookah. Carbonyl compounds have been associated with higher body inflammatory levels, which serve as a groundwork for further disease. Reduced risk from the carbonyl compounds directly translates to reduced risk of chronic diseases like diabetes high blood pressure.
When Kaloud debuted the world’s first superior quality Heat Management Devices, it grabbed the industry by storm. Kaloud is a unique and revolutionary hookah brand with a perfect combination of timeless tradition and transcending hookah boundaries. Kaloud’s Lotus heat management devices offer a smoother, cleaner, and healthier version of the hookah. The hookah’s scientific design eliminates ash, ultra-fine particles, and volatile gases that move from charcoal to shisha, resulting in a more enjoyable experience. With an enhanced hookah experience and appealing puffs that are clean and flavorful, it has become a well-known feature of social gatherings. Their one-of-a-kind design allows you to enjoy the hookah for longer.
The Kaloud Aeolis Hookah Hoses are made of fine wood, stainless steel, and platinum cured silicone in a robust weave, all of which contribute to the hookah hose’s lifetime by preventing bacteria and mold from collecting within it. Kaloud products are made with the finest grade materials and manufacturing technology, often reserved for the aerospace and medical industries. It has a highly sleek and smooth design. Manufacturing involves lengthy research and development processes, with up to five years of timescales.
Hookah is more than just a recreational commodity; it’s also a means for cultivating deeper bonds and mutual respect. In both medieval and modern times, it is often employed in social settings for bonding. The communal aspect of hookah contributes to a sense of familiarity and belonging.
As part of their mission, Kaloud is striving to dispel the myths around Hookah use, with the biggest myth leading people to falsely believe that one hookah session is as harmful as 100 cigarettes. He explains that the gas in hookah smoke is not the same as in cigarettes. “It’s important for people to understand that different methods of ingesting smoke each have their own gas profiles and that a cigarette, cigar, pipe, vape, and Hookah will all look different in lab analysis,” he says.