Baking Soda: Nutrition, Pros & Cons
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a chemical leavening agent widely used in baking to introduce fluffiness and volume. While highly useful in cooking, its extremely high sodium content means it should be used sparingly, especially by those managing cardiovascular or renal health.
Health conditions
- Caution for Hypertension [USDA, WHO]
- Caution for Heart Disease [WHO]
- Caution for Kidney Disease [WHO, PubMed]
Pros
- Serves as an efficient and regulated raising agent to improve food texture in culinary preparations. [FSSAI]
Cons
- Contains very high levels of sodium (approximately 27,360 mg per 100g), making even small culinary quantities highly impactful on daily salt limits. [USDA]
- Frequent dietary contribution of excess sodium can increase the risk of elevated blood pressure and related chronic conditions. [WHO]
Key nutrients
- Sodium — Extremely rich source of dietary sodium, providing a significant portion of the daily allowance in very small quantities.