Many of you may have been using baking soda around your home for years without ever even knowing what it is. We did a little digging to uncover the mystery.
It turns out that sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) is a chemical salt that, in its natural form, is the mineral nahcolite. Baking soda can react as both an acid and a base, although in an aqueous solution it is a bit on the alkaline side.
Pure nahcolite is found in abundance in the Green River Basin, which cuts through several states in the central part of our country.
Sodium bicarbonate helps to regulate pH and keep it steady – a process known as buffering. It keeps substances from being too acidic or too alkaline. Its ability to neutralize the pH of any substance it comes in contact with makes it highly effective for so many things.
Now, you may know about all the amazing ways you can use baking soda around your home such as:
- Cleaning coffee makers
- Cleaning drains
- Ridding hair of buildup
- Polishing silver
- Septic care
- Making toothpaste
- Making deodorant
- Cleaning brushes and combs
- Refreshing your fridge
- Easing itching and swelling
- Putting out a grease fire
- Breaking down ice on a sidewalk or driveway
But… did you know that drinking baking soda can be very healthy for you? Yes, it’s true, drinking something as simple as baking soda can drastically improve your health. What is even more amazing is that when you combine baking soda with other powerful ingredients, the healing powers are supercharged.
The only caution we have is that you stick to an aluminum-free brand of baking soda whenever possible.
Here are three of our favorite healthy baking soda tonics:
Ultimate energy booster and electrolyte replacer
Do you know that nagging, dragging feeling you get when you are about halfway through your 5-run, or partway through that spin class? The feeling like you can’t push your body one bit more?
Well, we have great news for you: this ultimate energy booster tonic will not only help motivate you to get moving, it will also help you go harder for longer no matter what physical activity you are doing.
This is because strenuous exercise leads to a buildup of lactic acid – which can cause muscle pain and fatigue. Baking soda has been found to boost performance in athletes due to its ability to neutralize lactic acid buildup.
Ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon unprocessed sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 7 cups coconut water
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup raw honey
Instructions:
- Heat the coconut water on low and mix in baking soda until it is dissolved.
- Add other ingredients and pour mixture into glass jar.
- Shake well before use.
- This will keep for a week in the refrigerator.
Coconut water: Although coconut water has a deceptively light consistency, it has higher levels of minerals such as iron, magnesium, manganese, calcium and zinc than many fruits, including the famously healthy orange. Additionally, coconut water has high amounts of B-vitamins, such as niacin, thiamin, riboflavin and pyridoxine.
One of the best benefits of coconut water is that it is extremely high in potassium. As your body sweats during exercise or vigorous physical activity, your level of potassium drops. Coconut water has approximately 250 milligrams of potassium and 105 milligrams of sodium in every 100 milliliter serving.
Raw honey: One of the substantial benefits of choosing raw organic honey from your area is that it contains immune stimulating properties from the area where the bees collected pollen. This means that it can actually help to desensitize you to local allergens, potentially lessening your allergy symptoms.
The supercharged acid reflux reliever
Because acid reflux typically results from having too little acid in your stomach, you can help improve this by mixing 2 tablespoons of raw, unfiltered, apple cider vinegar into a 6 to 8 ounce glass of water.
Adding ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to this mixture will further help neutralize your internal fire. Be prepared, however: this mixture will foam – so wait for it to slow down before you drink it.
Green tea and baking soda metabolism booster
A recent study out of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences found that drinking green tea regularly can boost the effects of exercise to aid weight loss efforts. The study was conducted on mice that were fed a diet with high amounts of fat, exercised regularly, and given green tea extract. The mice showed an average body mass reduction of 27.1 percent and an average abdominal mass reduction of 36.6 percent.
There are three compounds in green tea that are thought to help promote weight loss: catechins, theanine and caffeine. These substances work together to block enzymes that are responsible for fat storage in the body.
When you combine the super-metabolizing powers of green tea with baking soda, you rev up your fat burning power while encouraging optimal pH ( 7.2) in the body. This is necessary for balance.
A pH factor that is not optimal will cause excess acid to be stored in fat cells. An acidic person can’t burn fat well, because doing so would release the acid that is stored in body fat – and this would throw the blood pH out of whack. If your pH is not balanced, you may also feel fatigued and ill.
Choose organic green tea and add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to an 8 ounce cup before drinking. Enjoy daily.
