Baking soda
The chemical name of baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. It is a leavening agent used in baked goods. It is a white crystalline powder that is naturally alkaline. Baking soda gets activated when combined with a liquid or an acidic agent.
Uses of baking soda
Baking soda is not just an item used in baked goods, and it can be used in multiple ways in daily life. Baking soda can do everything from removing stains in your teeth to removing heartburn.
When people use baking soda to bake, it acts as a chemical leavener. It produces carbon dioxide in reaction to an acidic substance like vinegar. The carbon dioxide produces bubbles which make the cookie or whatever you are the baking rise and become a fluffy perfection.
Research shows that drinking baking soda solution before high-intensity workouts improved the performance of young men, and it also lowered fatigue. Maybe you can pull off some extra reps at the gym if you drink baking soda solution before your workout session. It acts like caffeine.
Researchers found that the antacid property of baking soda may help treat inflammation. It may be a valuable weapon against autoimmune conditions.
Another research shows that baking soda might help cancer patients by reducing the effects of cancer therapy. It does not mean that it can cure cancer or that people with cancer can cure their diseases at home.
There is some surprising use of baking soda:
- Baking soda can remove more than 80 percent of certain pesticides from apples, more than that tap-water or bleach alone could.
- A mixture of baking soda and water acts as a natural cleaner. It can be used to remain scrapes of food from an old refrigerator. Baking soda mixed with hot water can be sprinkled down the drains. It freshens your water pipes. It can also be used to clean your bathtub and sinks.
- When food stays stuck to pots and pans, adding baking soda solution to the pan for more than just about 20 minutes can help remove crusty food.
- Baking soda also eases heartburn. Mixing ½ teaspoon baking soda with ½ cup of water reduces acidity because of its alkaline nature.
- Applying the right amounts of baking soda paste several times a day in a location of bug bite can reduce inflammation and itchiness. You would not need to spend on creams from a store.
- Baking soda also has antifungal properties. If you have a mild nail infection, soaking your hands in baking soda solution might relieve you.
Health risks from baking soda
Too much of something is bad for health. Excessive baking soda consumption might worsen kidney disease. It can cause muscle weakness and cramps. Taking excessive baking soda might be poisonous because of its sodium content. The body strives to restore salt balance when someone consumes too much baking soda by bringing water into the digestive tract. Vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea are the results.
