Baking soda has been on my list of topics for posts for quite a while. Every time I try to research and make sense of it, I give up.
During my morning reading, a You Tube video popped up and it was about the pros and cons of baking soda. As I watched it, some poits stood out. The dude doing it said that baking soda was made by the pancreas. Really? Then why the caution and fear inducing warnings? AI says it is not made be the body. That seems like an “it is or it isn’t” type of deal.
Then he said that baking soda was banned in India? Really? Nope, it is not.
Needless to say, I quit watching and started searching. My next search was if baking soda was good for oral/teeth care. Every source on the first page of results was a dental business. Every single one.
“Baking soda is effective for teeth whitening but does not contain fluoride, so it is not recommended for regular use.” Baking soda can damage enamel, that makes sense but not having fluoride could be seen as a benefit.
Back to basics and reading, it just takes time.
Baking soda is a naturally occurring compound that is derived from natural mineral deposits. It is sodium bicarbonate and who knows if it is made in the pancreas. We will know by the end of this post.
It’s a strong base (alkaline) and when used with an acid, in baking, the chemical reaction causes stuff to rise. It’s strong alkaline properties make it an effective antacid for heartburn and it does change the pH of the stomach. It also can be used for exercise recovery because it reacts with lactic acid, formed by the body during a heavy workout, to neutralize and aid in recovery. Here, again, it depends on what you read. Some sources completely debunk the exercise recovery claim, other studies claim a 25% improvement in recovery.
There are also claims that baking soda can cure cancer. It is an effective antibiotic and there is research that seems to point to baking soda as a way that antibiotic resistance could be addressed. That seems huge, well so does the cancer thing.
Baking soda is effective for cleaning the outside of fruit and vegetables and removing pesticides and the residue put on by producers to improve shelf life. It is an effective deodorant and can be used effectively in cleaning and laundry.
Why would manufacturers of natural deodorant advertise that it is baking soda free? I use baking soda when making deodorant and it works great. Apparently some people’s skin is sensitive to baking soda and it can cause irritation. That’s it, no big danger.
This all seems like no big deal. The reason for this writing is because I’ve seen warnings about baking soda. Like warnings on so many common everyday things or age old remedies that suddenly are dangerous.
Is baking soda dangerous? No.
Baking soda does have the ability to change pH. That is a big deal but it is what makes it effective. Baking soda is amazing for cleaning, laundry, my stinky fridge and oral care, heartburn, gout, kidney issues, and maybe even cancer.
The problem is, it probably should not be long term and we humans like our every day routines. Baking soda should not be in every glass of water consumed and maybe not every time we brush our teeth. Again, it is because of the strong alkalinity and also the abrasive nature.
It definitely is a readily available powerhouse of a substance.
Pancreas, does it produce baking soda? This is comical. AI said no a couple hours ago. Now it says this:
“Sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda, is produced in the pancreas by ductal cells. These cells contain ion transporters, including bicarbonate transporters, which facilitate the secretion of sodium bicarbonate into the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine.23 The primary function of sodium bicarbonate is to neutralize the acidity of chyme, the partially digested food that comes from the stomach, creating a more alkaline environment suitable for the action of pancreatic enzymes.”
We eat dinner and the food enters the stomach and digestion starts. Well, it starts in the mouth but this is not 5th grade science. In the stomach all of the digesting produces an acidic bunch of stuff. When the acidic bunch of stuff starts its journey into the small intestine, it can’t be so acidic or the small intestine can’t do what it needs to do. The pancreas shoots a little baking soda at the mess and the pH changes so that digestion can continue.
The Pancreas, Bicarbonate and Diabetes This article offers a detailed description of digestion and the pancreas and offers an explanation that essentially relates Type 2 Diabetes to a worn out pancreatic sodium bicarbonate system. It also relates it to allergies.
“Allergies generally start with the body’s inability to produce a certain enzyme, or to produce enough enzymes for the digestive process to work effectively. In conjunction with this is an inability to produce enough bicarbonate essential for the pancreatic enzymes to function properly. When this happens undigested proteins penetrate the bloodstream inducing more allergic reactions. Inflammation in such a scenario is systemic but can focus on the pancreas forcing decreases in the production of bicarbonate, insulin and necessary enzymes”
Yikes. Maybe there is more to baking soda than a fluffy muffin.
There are protocols for everything on the good old web. The one conclusion from all of this is that baking soda is a powerhouse (old news there) but it should not be taken or tried for specific health problems without research and thought. The research and thought might be worth it. :)
The first video mentioned:
Thanks for digging in! Lots to baking soda it seems. Hopefully, more clinical research will be done on sodium bicarbonate.
Baking soda in recipes, for washing vegetables, curing a stinky refrigerator….. got it and use it for those reasons.
The excellent video on the topic says it can be used for heart burn, gout and may prevent cancer all new to me. The detailed scientific explanation of why that is was above my understanding. (Re reading might help or not)