Baking Soda Health

Baking soda – health or myth?

When taken by itself, baking soda can neutralize the stomach acid needed for digestion. Used to produce the “rise” in baking, soda can destroy much of the B-vitamin content in whole-wheat, wheat germ, or other flours. Baking powder, which does not have this effect, can be used in most baking recipes except those with acidic elements such as buttermilk, sour milk or cream, yogurt, honey, molasses, and some spices; in these recipes, the soda is used to react with the acid to produce the rise. However, if any of the baking ingredients are rich in protein (powdered milk, wheat germ, etc.), they can neutralize the acids so that baking powder can be substituted for the soda (2 tsp baking powder 1/2 to 1 tsp soda).