Baking Soda for Weight Loss: Does It Work?

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Baking soda, also known as bicarbonate of soda or sodium bicarbonate, is a fine white powder frequently used in baking. Baking soda and baking powder are similar in that each releases carbon dioxide gas to make baked goods fluffy and light.

Outside the kitchen, you can use sodium bicarbonate for oral care, add it to bath water to soothe sore muscles, dust the powder under your arms as a natural deodorant, or pour soda down a drain with white vinegar and hot water to unclog it.

Baking soda may supposedly have the ability to help you shed those stubborn pounds. Whether this is true or not remains a topic of discussion.

Let’s explore what the proponents and naysayers say about baking soda for weight loss. Could this pantry wonder be the solution to getting rid of a few pounds?

Baking soda is slightly alkaline, and some people claim that alkaline ingestion encourages weight loss. However, there’s no scientific evidence to back up the theory.

The body constantly maintains a stable pH level and the foods we eat have little to do with this process. Therefore, consuming baking soda to alkalize the body and promote weight loss is, unfortunately, not true.

The body will try to neutralize acidity by producing fat cells. Something as simple as drinking alkaline water can neutralize stomach acid. Alkaline water has higher pH than tap water; thus, the body does not have to increase fat production to restore the pH levels to normal.

Since baking soda has alkalinity, consuming it may give you the same benefits as drinking alkaline water.

How to Use Baking Soda for Weight Loss

Baking soda may indirectly affect weight loss depending on the liquid you mix it with. Common options include mixing baking soda with water, apple cider vinegar, or lemon water and drinking the mixture on an empty stomach.

Drinking a combination of apple cider vinegar and baking soda to lose weight works by suppressing appetite. If you want to stop overeating, this mix is the best way to do it. Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid, which suppresses appetite.

Adding baking soda to lemon juice for weight loss will ensure proper body hydration and better metabolism. The lemon juice mixture will also make you feel full. All this will have a positive effect on your efforts to lose weight.

Some people believe that adding baking soda to your bathwater may promote weight loss since it boosts your magnesium and sulfate levels. However, there’s no scientific proof to that extent.

Consuming sodium bicarbonate before a gym workout may improve resistance when exercising. There was a significant improvement in the level of resistance from those who took the baking soda mixture.

The reason for this could be the reduction of lactic acid buildup in muscles during workouts. The acid is the primary reason for muscle fatigue, making you slow down or stop after a short time. Diluting baking soda in lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or water creates a pre-gym supplement drink.

Is Drinking Baking Soda Safe?

Before preparing your baking soda, you need to know that there are many side effects associated with it. Let’s check out some potentially harmful ones.

#1 High blood pressure

Consuming a lot of sodium bicarbonate can lead to high blood pressure, which causes a heart attack or stroke.

A teaspoon of baking soda has about 1,000 milligrams of sodium, yet it’s advisable to consume no more than 2,300 milligrams a day. However, the ideal limit, especially for adults with high blood pressure, is 1,500 milligrams.

Too much sodium bicarbonate pulls more water into your blood vessels, which boosts the amount of blood in your blood vessels, ultimately driving up your blood pressure.

#2 Metabolic acidosis

High consumption of baking soda can lead to metabolic acidosis. The high alkali levels make it difficult for the kidney and lungs to maintain a healthy alkaline metabolic environment. Their inability to do so will lead to high acid levels in your fluids.

Direct effects are headaches, confusion, respiratory difficulties, and loss of appetite. Others are increased heart rate, jaundice, and excessive fatigue. Ignoring the symptoms can lead to severe health complications like kidney failure, heart failure, bone diseases, and delayed growth.

#3 Digestive issues

When you consume too much baking soda, the body tries to maintain the right balance of fluids, which causes vomiting and diarrhea. If the body retains extra sodium, you’ll experience kidney failure and dehydration.

Too much consumption of baking soda will also lead to the formation of excess intestinal gas, which might cause stomach pain and bloating. To prevent bloating and digestive issues, you’ll need to reduce the amount of baking soda you consume.

FAQs

Conclusion

According to science, there’s little to no backup that baking soda can help you lose weight. However, mixing baking soda with apple cider vinegar, water, or lemon water may indirectly help with weight loss. If you, therefore, decide to go ahead with the weight loss baking soda tips, stay within safe limits.

A healthy diet and exercise should be part of your routine. There is no quick fix or easy formula for losing weight. Intermittent fasting, for instance, can get you the results you need.