Does drinking baking soda help in weight loss? Benefits and risks explained!

Weight-conscious people are ready to do anything for weight loss and a slim figure.
Various diets and other regimes are on the internet to lose one’s excess fat.
Some of these are just fad diets and very astonishing to learn.
Drinking baking soda is the latest on this list.

Baking soda and its benefits

Baking soda is used extensively in the bakery industry. It is an important component of cakes, muffins, bread and several other edible products.

It has a lot of other uses as well and these include deodorizing the refrigerator, whitening of teeth, and the like. And a new addition to this is its benefits in weight loss.

There are claims that diluting this edible soda either in water, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar and drinking this mixture is helpful in losing weight.

It has to be taken on an empty stomach. And there are some who claim that just soaking one’s body in a bath containing the said soda can achieve the results of weight loss.

Also, read Metabolic confusion diet: What is it? Is it safe? What are its health benefits?

Is the soda really effective for weight loss?

Many people have claimed that this edible soda can help one to shed off their excess fat. But there is little scientific data to back this claim.

The said soda does have an alkalizing effect on the body. It is believed that it is this alkalization which aids weight loss or prevents weight gain.

But there is no proof of this connection. The reason for this is that our body has a very strict method to control our body pH. Therefore, our blood pH is maintained irrespective of what food we eat.

People who claim that baking powder bath can help state that when one takes bath in baking soda water, the magnesium and sulfate levels in the body get replenished.

Therefore, the metabolism is increased and toxins get eliminated. But again there is no evidence of it. But the edible soda can neutralize excessive stomach acid and soothe an upset stomach.

Indirect effect and safety

The weight loss claimed may be partly due to the apple cider vinegar added to the mixture. It tends to decrease hunger and hence indirectly cause less weight gain.

Also when a liquid is added to dilute the baking powder, they increase the hydration level and give satiety. Hunger is decreased and metabolism is increased which helps weight loss.

Hence:

“There’s little to no scientific suggesting that baking soda can help you lose body fat. Mixing baking soda with water, lemon water, or apple cider vinegar may indirectly help you lose weight, but baking soda appears to have little to do with this.”

But this soda is not safe. It may cause metabolic acidosis if taken in excess. Due to its sodium content, it could lead to raised blood pressure, increased fluids in the body, and heart failure.

It can cause breathing issues and seizures in children less than 5 years of age. It can lead to gas formation in the stomach and bloating.

Hence baking soda should not be used for weight loss.