The baking soda is used often in our homes, but without knowing its peculiarities well. It is a powder and chemical substance, whose molecular (or chemical) formula is NaHCO3, which indicates that each molecule contains one atom of sodium (Na), hydrogen (H) and carbon (C) and three atoms of oxygen (O). Baking soda has a number of uses, from putting out oil fires to a baking ingredient. Its other scientific names include sodium hydrogen carbonate and baking soda.
Index
What is bicarbonate?
Sodium bicarbonate is a chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. It is a salt made up of sodium ions and bicarbonate ions. Baking soda is a white solid that is crystalline, but often appears as a fine powder. It has a slightly salty alkaline taste that resembles that of washing soda (sodium carbonate).
Baking soda properties
Appearance
It is a white powder soluble in water. It is soluble in 7.8 grams of powder to 100 grams of water. It is fine and has a crystalline luster. Commercially, baking soda can also come in the form of granules or compressed capsules.
Smell
Baking soda is odorless. However, it is recommended not to try to smell this chemical as inhalation can cause sneezing and coughing. Baking soda is not only odorless, it is also used as an odor neutralizer. People spray it anywhere from feline litter boxes to athletic shoes to reduce the odor.
Density
The density of baking soda is 2,159 grams per cubic centimeter.
Points
It will decompose at temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius. The melting point of baking soda is 60 degrees Celsius or 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The chemical lacks a boiling point, nor does it have a flash point, as it is not combustible. It will decompose at temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius.
pH
On the pH scale of zero to 14, baking soda is at 8.2. This substance is a base (or alkaline).
Uses of baking soda for health
Baking soda mixed with water can be used as an antacid to treat acid indigestion and heartburn. Its reaction with stomach acid produces salt, water and carbon dioxide:
NaHCO3 + HCl → NaCl + H2O + CO2 (g)
Intravenous sodium bicarbonate is an aqueous solution that is sometimes used for acidosis, or when there is insufficient sodium or bicarbonate ions in the blood. In cases of respiratory acidosis, the infused bicarbonate ion drives the plasma carbonic acid / bicarbonate buffer to the left and thus increases the pH. It is for this reason that sodium bicarbonate is used in medically supervised cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Bicarbonate infusion is indicated only when blood pH is below low (<7.1-7.0) values.
HCO3 is used in the application for the treatment of hyperkalemia, as it will drive K + back into the cells during periods of acidosis. Since baking soda can cause alkalosis, it is sometimes used to treat aspirin overdose.
Baking soda can be used to treat an allergic reaction to plants such as poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac to relieve associated itchiness. Baking soda can also be helpful in removing chips from the skin.
Baking soda can be added to local anesthetics to speed up the onset of their effects and make the injection less painful. It is also a component of Moffett’s solution, used in nasal surgery.
Personal hygiene
In several studies, toothpaste containing baking soda has been shown to have a better whitening and plaque removal effect than toothpastes without it.
Baking soda is also used as an ingredient in some mouthwashes. It has anticaries and abrasive properties. It works as a mechanical cleanser on the teeth and gums, neutralizes acid production in the mouth, and also acts as an antiseptic to help prevent infection.
Baking soda in combination with other ingredients can be used to make a dry or wet deodorant. Baking soda can be used as a buffering agent, combined with table salt, when creating a nasal irrigation solution.
It is used in eye hygiene to treat blepharitis. This is done by adding a teaspoon of baking soda to cold water that has been recently boiled, followed by a gentle scrubbing of the base of the lashes with a cotton ball dipped in the solution.
Veterinary uses
Sodium bicarbonate is used as a dietary supplement for livestock, in particular as a rumen buffering agent.
In sports
Small amounts of sodium bicarbonate have been found to be helpful as a supplement for athletes in speed-based events, such as medium-distance running, lasting approximately one to seven minutes.
Other uses of baking soda
Kitchen room
In cooking, baking soda, known as baking soda, is used primarily in cooking as a leavening agent. It reacts with acids in smoothies, releasing carbon dioxide, which causes the mixture to expand and forms the texture.
Heat can also cause baking soda to act as a growth agent in cooking due to thermal decomposition, releasing carbon dioxide. When used in this way alone, without the presence of an acid component (either in the mix or cooking with an acid-containing baking powder), only leaving fifty percent of the CO2 available.
It is also used in breading, such as fried foods, to enhance the crispiness and allow passages to escape for steam so that the breading does not disappear during cooking.
baking powder
The “baking powder” is also sold for cooking; It contains around 30% HCO3 and various acidic ingredients that fuse with the addition of water, without the need for additional acids in the cooking medium.
Pest control
Baking soda can be used to kill roaches. Once consumed, it causes the internal organs of the cockroaches to explode due to the collection of gases.
Baking soda can be an effective way to control fungal growth, and in the United States it is registered by the APA as a biopesticide.
Contraindications of bicarbonate
Be sure to drink only a small amount of baking soda solution at any one time, as alkaline substances can neutralize most, if not all, of the acids in the stomach, causing the stomach to create more acid. This, in turn, can lead to more heartburn, causing you to ingest more baking soda solution and start a dangerous cycle.
The body needs folic acid to use vitamin B12. Antacids, including baking soda, inhibit the absorption of folic acid. People taking antacids are advised to supplement with folic acid.
Dr. Samantha Robson ( CRN: 0510146-5) is a nutritionist and website content reviewer related to her area of expertise. With a postgraduate degree in Nutrition from The University of Arizona, she is a specialist in Sports Nutrition from Oxford University and is also a member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.