Skip to main content

7 Baking Soda Surprises


What’s baking soda doing in your toothpaste, deodorant, antacid and refrigerator?
Also known as sodium bicarbonate or bicarbonate of soda, baking soda is often employed as a leavening agent, since it’s involved in the chemical reaction that causes dough to rise. But this household staple has hundreds of uses. Baking soda is somewhat alkaline—that is, it has a pH above 7 and thus helps neutralize acids, including acidic scent molecules. That’s why baking soda comes in handy in the following (and surprising) ways:
  1. An open box of baking soda can help deodorize a refrigerator or room. You can make an air freshener by mixing baking soda and water in a spray bottle.
  2. It has various uses in cooking, not just baking. Adding a pinch to the soaking water of beans speeds the cooking process and helps reduce compounds that cause flatulence. A pinch added to tomato sauce while cooking, or coffee while brewing, reduces acidity. It’s also an effective meat tenderizer, since it breaks down proteins.
  3. Because it’s a mild abrasive and deodorizer, baking soda is a gentle, inexpensive cleanser for sinks, tiles, toilet bowls and ovens. And it’s a good ingredient in toothpastes, underarm deodorants and denture soaks. Environmentally safe, baking soda can be used in place of potentially toxic products.
  4. When added to laundry water—about half a cup—it can improve the effectiveness of detergent. Added to the rinse cycle, it can neutralize odors.
  5. Added to bath water, baking soda soothes dry skin, sunburn and itching due to poison ivy or mosquito bites. Or, it can be applied as a paste (one part water to three parts baking soda).
  6. Added to swimming pools, it can balance the pH and help keep water clear.
  7. Sodium bicarbonate is an effective antacid, but is not recommended because it’s so high in sodium: 1,250 milligrams per teaspoon, and 1,100 milligrams in two tablets of Alka-Seltzer. And it may cause acid rebound effect, in which case you end up with worse heartburn.
And by the way: Some websites recommend taking sodium bicarbonate to bolster or restore your body’s acid/alkaline (pH) balance. This is nonsensical advice.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Adopting a Vegetarian Diet

Adopting a vegetarian diet has become a popular choice for individuals looking to improve their health, particularly as heart disease and obesity rates continue to rise in many parts of the world. Vegetarians tend to have lower cholesterol levels and consume fewer trans fats than those who consume meat and dairy products. However, to maintain good health, vegetarians must ensure they obtain the right amount of nutrients from their vegan diets. By taking care to plan their diets carefully, vegetarians can enjoy a satisfying and tasty way of life. While there is no established vegan diet, it is widely agreed that with so many vegetarian diets to choose from, the choice is ultimately up to the individual. However, vegetarians must be cautious not to make their diets too restrictive as this can lead to difficulties in meeting the body's daily nutritional requirements. Commonly deficient nutrients among vegetarians include protein, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, and zinc. Soy pr...
Post a Comment
Read more

How (and why) to check your medical records

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is designed to protect patient health information and guard medical privacy. Only you, your insurance company and your doctors can access your records. You may want to have a copy of your records to check for mistakes or to recall your medication history. Talk to your doctor's office about how to access your records online. Different services require different procedures. Some doctors require you to fill out a form. Do it at the doctor's office in case you need help. Write down specific information you want, such as blood pressure, scans, blood and urine tests, cholesterol levels, and history of surgery or other procedures. Pay any fee. When you receive the records, check to see that all the information you requested is included. Check the records for mistakes. If you find anything you don't understand, call the health-care provider's office and ask for an explanation. If it is a mistake, ask the provider...
2 comments
Read more

Hеrе Arе 6 Ways Tо Gеt Exercise Whіlе At Work

Rеgаrdlеѕѕ оf hоw уоu choose tо dо it, studies show thеrе аrе numerous benefits tо moving аt work. Physical activity аt work саn hеlр employees іn thе fоllоwіng ways: 1. Find а path. Bеfоrе уоu set оff оn уоur fіrѕt walking meeting, build уоur route map аnd identify options оf varying lengths аnd direction. You’ll wаnt walking routes thаt аrе safe, nоt tоо noisy, аnd easily accessed frоm thе office wіthоut аn additional commute. 2. Walk bу yourself. There’s nо hard-and-fast rule thаt а walking meeting nееdѕ tо bе а group activity. Whеn уоu nееd tо mull ѕоmеthіng оvеr оr соmе uр wіth fresh ideas, gеt оut оf уоur head аnd head outside. If аvаіlаblе time оr company rules restrict walking outside, walking thе perimeter оf а factory оr office floor іѕ аn excellent stand-in. 3. Invite appointments tо walk іnѕtеаd оf hаvіng а seated meeting. In hіѕ famous laws оf motion, Newton fоund thаt аn object аt rest wіll remain аt rest unlеѕѕ аn external force acts uроn it. Bе thаt external for...
Post a Comment
Read more