Every coffee lover has a preferred way to take his or her coffee- black, with sugar and cream, or maybe in the form of a cappuccino or latte. These are all perfectly acceptable ways to drink a cup of coffee, but strangely enough, nothing will improve your morning coffee more than a spoonful of baking soda!
Uses of Baking Soda
Most kitchen-savvy people have baking soda on hand for baking projects, to make the sink smell better, to remove stains, or to clean cloudy glasses. However, few people know what baking soda does aside from this, and even fewer know the simple trick of baking soda in coffee. Baking soda, also called sodium bicarbonate, has a whole host of uses beyond helping your cookies rise.
Let's go back to middle school science class for a second. The pH scale measures how acidic something is, from 0 to 14. The lower the pH, the more acidic it is, and the higher, the more alkaline it is. Substances with a pH of 7 or higher are non-acidic, also called bases. Something very acidic like lemon juice is a 2 on the scale. In contrast, baking soda is a 9, so it qualifies as a base.
As a base, baking soda can be added to acidic substances to neutralize their acidity. This is why, when dissolved in water, baking soda is a natural antacid remedy. Its alkalinity is also the reason that baking soda helps to deodorize your fridge; it counterbalances acidic scent molecules. This alkalinity is what makes baking soda in coffee so good for you.
Baking Soda In Coffee
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As popular as coffee is, many coffee drinkers know that coffee is acidic. Coffee registers as a 5 on the pH scale, and this acidity doesn't always bode well for sensitive stomachs. From cheap coffee to high quality coffee beans, the acid level of coffee can cause digestive issues no matter now tasty it is.
The acid in coffee is actually what gives it its flavor, and without it, coffee would be flat and tasteless. Studies have shown that the longer and hotter you brew coffee, the more acidic it becomes. Because of this, dark roasts are more acidic than lighter roasts, which typically produce low acid coffee.
There are many benefits of adding baking soda to an acidic cup of coffee. Baking soda is the perfect solution to counteract acid reflux (or gerd), indigestion and heartburn caused by the acid in coffee, as its alkalinity will offset the coffee's acidity. This is also a useful trick for those with stomach ulcers, since baking soda neutralizes stomach acid as well. Baking soda in coffee is especially helpful if you like black coffee or espresso, since these coffee drinks will be more acidic than other options.
So, the next time you brew your coffee, consider adding a smidge of baking soda. You can either add a half teaspoon to a pot of coffee before brewing, or add a pinch to your cup of joe before you drink it. You don't need much baking soda for the desired result, and you also want to ensure that your coffee doesn't lose its flavor. Nothing beats a drink as delicious as it is good for you!
