thenutritionwatchdog.com What's in your food? Discover which "healthy" foods are harming your health and which foods protect your body
Today’s blog is republished from my friends at TheAlternativeDaily, a leading publisher of daily alternative health tips that I personally read every day…
By Katherine Marko, TheAlternativeDaily.com
Even the best “high quality” dark roasts can make an acidic cup of coffee, though cheaper blends are notorious for being overly acidic. And acid can be hard on a sensitive stomach, particularly if you enjoy more than one cup of coffee a day. So how does baking soda improve an acidic cup of Joe?
Even the best coffee beans produce acid
Beyond using it as a natural cleaning agent to remove stains for your coffee pot, some believe that baking soda can actually improve the taste of coffee. It’s no secret that coffee can be a tad acidic. But for many, giving up their morning cup of coffee is not an option. And truthfully, with science continuing to study coffee and the many benefits it provides, it’s easy to see why coffee lovers would never want to give up their morning cup of brew. Yet, if drinking coffee is contributing to excess stomach acid and causing you digestive upset, then you’re probably thinking you’d be better off without. Think again.
According to Harvard Health, coffee drinking is associated with a lower risk of depression among women, a lower risk of fatal prostate cancer among men, and a lower risk of stroke among both men and women. Human and animal studies show some protection against Alzheimer’s disease and a lower risk for some cancers like estrogen-negative breast cancer.
Coffee is fairly acidic on a pH scale
Acidity is something that’s measured on the pH scale, which uses 7.0 as an indicator of neutrality. So, numbers under seven as are naturally more acidic than numbers above seven. For instance, according to Science Buddies, battery acid is zero. Clearly, that’s highly acidic. Lemon juice registers at about two, and black coffee registers at a pH of about five. But rather than kicking your “acidic” coffee habit — and there are clearly good reasons to keep drinking coffee — why not neutralize the acid in your brew?
Helps neutralize an acidic cup of coffee
In water, baking soda is mildly alkaline and can be used to neutralize acid. That’s why, when it dissolves in water, it works well as a natural antacid remedy. Its alkalinity is also why it makes a great deodorizer — by countering slightly acidic scent molecules. On the pH scale baking soda registers as a nine.
That means by simply adding a little baking soda to your coffee you could neutralize the acid to avoid stomach upset. There’s two way you can do that. You can add about a quarter teaspoon to your coffee beans for a pot of coffee, or you can add just a pinch (small pinch) to your cup of coffee.
Helps acid reflux or GERD
Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee exacerbate gastroesophageal reflux according to a German study. However, coffee creates more reflux than simply caffeine added to water. This suggests that other components of coffee contribute to acid reflux. A small pinch of baking soda can help counteract acid reflux.
May help relieve gout
Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation. It develops in some people who have high levels of uric acid in the blood. The acid can form painful needle-like crystals in a joint and cause severe episodes of pain, tenderness, redness, warmth and swelling.
Due to baking soda’s pH neutralizing effects, it may help lower uric acid levels. According to GoutDiet.org baking soda introduced to the blood alkalinizes it, causing the uric acid structures to break up. Then, they can easily filter out the kidneys and expel through the urine. Add a pinch to your coffee or more as needed.
If you suffer from ulcers, baking soda can help
Since baking soda neutralizes stomach acid, it can help make coffee drinking more bearable if you suffer from a stomach ulcer. Add a quarter to a half teaspoon to your coffee grounds.
Let’s break down baking soda
While most of us often keep a box baking soda in the house for baking, as a deodorizer for the fridge, or as a natural cleaning alternative (and now for neutralizing acidic coffee), some still aren’t sure what exactly baking soda is. So, let’s break it down.
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a chemical salt that occurs naturally as the mineral nahcolite. This is a soft, colorless or white carbonate mineral. Nahcolite was first described in 1928 when it was found in a lava tunnel at Mount Vesuvius, Italy. NaHCO3, as it’s known chemically, contains sodium (NA), hydrogen (H) and carbonate (CO).
Baking soda in North America
So, where does America get its baking soda from? Well, most baking soda in the U.S. comes from Green River, Wyoming. According to Arm & Hammer, the baking soda from Green River is mined from trona ore. Trona deposits were molded over four million years ago after the evaporation of great salt lakes in Wyoming. Trona also comes from Kenya, Egypt, Venezuela and the deserts of Central Asia. After it’s mined, it’s heated to make soda ash, which is then dissolved in water. When carbon dioxide bubbles under pressure through the solution, sodium bicarbonate is formed.
Side effects of baking soda
Now that you know all about baking soda, let’s talk about how to use it properly. Although larger quantities of baking soda have been used to remedy indigestion, in much the same way antacids are used, you can still go overboard and risk side effects. Drinking baking soda is like drinking salt water. It’s extremely high in sodium and will raise your blood pressure. And too much sodium is linked to kidney and heart issues in healthy people.
And of course, too much baking soda in your coffee can leave you with a less than tasty cup that leaves you with a soapy taste in your mouth. Generally, to reduce the acidic nature of coffee, just a small pinch is all you need. Enjoy!
— Katherine Marko
(The original article source is here)
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> Do THIS 1 hour before bed to pee out stubborn fat in the morning
Do you put baking soda in your first morning coffee only or every time you have a coffee. Thank you
I use a tiny pinch in my first cup.
Also, whenever you eat ANYTHING acidic, swish some baking soda and water in your mouth to neutralize the acid to protect your tooth enamel!
To digest your food properly your stomach needs to have a pH close to 4 which is very acid. The problem with acid reflux is more in the esophagus which needs a higher pH.
a 7
Does it help you lose weight belly fat
I put a pinch of baking soda in most of my coffee at home and there are benefits to eating an alkaline diet. One interesting thing I’ve read is that even though lemons are highly acidic they become alkaline in the gut. So it sounds like the body does make adjustments to your ph.
Why not add a small amount of baking soda to your coffee grounds before processing your coffee? The entire pot of coffee would be ready to drink!
While this is an excellent suggestion, let’s don’t forget the aging segment of the population. As we get older, we stop producing enough stomach acid to properly process our food into a format that the cells can use. The condition effectively causes malnutrition. This is not heresay or personal opinion. It was verified by a naturpath who treated a friend who had the condition. I was there personally to observe it and assist in getting the treatment going. AND I was in the doctor’s office for that diagnosis. Nothing wrong with a good cup of joe, but sometimes it’s just about that hot liquid hitting your throat.
We’re all in the ageing segment of the population – everyone is ageing all the time. 🙂
I use baking soda to lower my blood sugar by as much as50 to 60 points.This is more than insulin or metformin. It’s only 69 cents per box.
How much do you take a day for your diabetes?
Wow! I am a Type 2 diabetic. How much baking soda per day do you use? Do you put it in coffee, or how do you use it?
Does this lower your blood sugar
Michael, I would appreciate knowing your baking soda remedy to lower blood sugar! My husband, whose name is Michael also, is a type 2 diabetic. I’m hoping this would help him. Thank you in advance!
Please tell how you use baking soda for your diabetes. I am type 2 and just turned 65 and started medicare and a supplement and drug plan. Just found out my insulin is going to cost me over $400 a month. That is more than half of my Social Security. If I could get results similar to you that might really help me. Please reply!
How did you do that?
Could you tell us how much you use for lowering sugar?
Thank you for this interesting article.
Folks, I bought some Potassium Bicarbonate to get away from the Sodium!!!! I use it in baking and anywhere I might use baking soda!!!!
Where do you get Potassium Bicarbonate? Thanks.
Baking Soda is the best antacid ever! It has no harmful side effects an immediately gets rid of the problem!
All I want to know is…HOW DOES IT TASTE? I know what baking soda tastes like and I’m not sure I would like it in my coffee.
I have been doing this and just add a pinch to my already made coffee. It tasted just fine. No detection of the baking soda. Try it that way. It is literally a pinch~
I added 1/4 of a tsp of baking soda to my coffee grounds. My coffee had no taste. It absolutely ruined the flavor of my coffee. It was disappointing however I had less problems with stomach acid.
I have been doing this and just add a pinch to my already made coffee. It tasted just fine. No detection of the baking soda. Try it that way. It is literally a pinch~
Does it make it taste salty? I really dislike the taste of salt. Even salted caramel is too salty for me.
I put a 1/2 teaspoon of blackstrap molasses in my coffee along with some ginger, either fresh or powdered. This cuts the acidity for me. I also will brew my coffee with freshly squeezed ginger and freshly ground cardamom. Working in Asia for many years, I have enjoyed the masala coffee in the region from Oman to India to Malaysia and Singapore.
well this is something great idea to reduce the fat , because acid has the contains to melt and very likely said as age shoots we need some foreign bodies to get replace for stomach acid . let me try for a month .
I use Tylers Coffee, advertised as Worlds First Acid Free Coffee and organic. All health stores seem to carry it. In addition I add a teaspoon of Cordyceps organic medicinal mushroom powder, or other healthy mushroom, which is very alkaline and you cannot taste. Some companies carry pre-mixed coffee and mushroom powder. I know how it sounds but my homemade lattes taste great and as healthy as can be. PS-sugar is GMO and very acid so I use Stevia or similar sweeter as a diabetic in my previous life. PPS-I found out when I was a CKD Stage 4, now stage 2, that they give baking soda to dialysis patients.
What is in my system that causes the commode to have black water line. A long time ago I that alcoholism would cause this problem, Do you have information of this subject:
A shot of ACV+1tbsp honey in a glass of water does wonders for the stomach.
I use 1tsp of baking soda in one cup of water when I get severe leg cramps. Works within 5 to 10 minutes. I can get leg cramps that last up to 30 minutes and go from my feet to my abdomen. Baking soda will stop them and they do not recur that night. My dad and brothers had or have the same problem. My dad told us about the baking soda solution.