Does baking soda help you lose weight

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

They write on the Internet that soda simply burns those extra pounds.

In search of an answer to the question "What to eat to lose weight?" people are ready to use sometimes very strange in taste and appearance products. For example, baking soda.

On Internet forums dedicated to the fight against obesity, you can find a lot of references to miraculous soda cocktails (a teaspoon of soda in a glass of water - and the kilograms melt before our eyes!) And soda baths, which supposedly speed up metabolism: got out of the water, wiped off with a towel - and minus one and a half kilos!

But is it really so?

How is soda useful?

Sodium bicarbonate (or bicarbonate) - this is the name of the powder that is sold in packages labeled "Baking soda" - the product is actually quite useful. Soda:

1. Helps relieve itching from insect bites.
2. Reduces the risk of tooth decay.
3. May relieve kidney disease. Just do not self-medicate! How to take soda in this case, your doctor will tell you.
4. Relieves heartburn.
5. Fights dandruff.
6. Well established as an ingredient in homemade dry shampoos.

People noticed the "magic" properties of soda in antiquity. So, there are references to the fact that the priests of Ancient Egypt constantly chewed soda, believing that this powder was able to establish a connection with the other world. And the legendary scientist and alchemist of the XIII century, Albert the Great, considered soda the most important element of the elixir of youth.

The reason for the "magic" is purely chemical. Sodium bicarbonate, when dissolved in water, creates an alkaline environment.

An important remark should be made here: all food products differ in acidity level (pH-factor) and, depending on it, affect the body in different ways. Foods and drinks with high acidity (pH7) neutralize the acid and thus "extinguish" the foci of inflammation, improving the state of the body as a whole.

Therefore, "cocktails" of soda and water, including all kinds of carbonated drinks, in theory, can be beneficial to health. If we leave aside other components of soda, because of which it is still more harmful than useful.

Is it possible to lose weight with soda

But this is an ambiguous question. In general, the idea to use sodium bicarbonate for weight loss arose after chemists figured out the processes that occur when soda gets into the body. It breaks down into sodium and carbon dioxide. And carbon dioxide, in turn, is able to accelerate the rate of lipolysis - the breakdown of fats in the body.

But that's in theory!

In practice, the use of soda cocktails has practically no effect on getting rid of extra pounds: the effect produced by soda is too small.

In addition, as with soda, there is a harmful side effect.

In particular, soda seriously reduces the acidity of the stomach (the use of soda solutions for the treatment of heartburn is based on this property). Drinking sodas on a regular basis can lead to gastritis and even ulcers.

Therefore, sodium bicarbonate is recommended to be used only as a temporary solution to certain problems (for example, to combat heartburn) and in no case be turned into a permanent part of the diet.

Baking soda baths (standard recipe: dissolve ¹⁄₂ cup of baking soda in warm water and sit in it for 15-30 minutes) can be said to be healthier. Established What Are the Benefits of a Baking Soda Bath, How Do You Take One, and Is It Safe? that they are good for health. In particular:

1. Relieve tension and pain.
2. Accelerate blood circulation, which helps to cleanse the body.
3. They help reduce itching and eczema, and reduce the manifestations of psoriasis.
4. May have a positive effect on normalizing vaginal pH.

And yes, after taking such a bath, you may be delighted to find that the scales show a kilogram and a half less than usual. But don't flatter yourself. Weight loss is solely due to fluid loss: a soda bath makes your body sweat hard. As soon as the fluid deficit is restored, the weight will return to its place.

How to use baking soda correctly

To summarize: unfortunately, neither soda shakes nor baths will help you lose weight. But this does not deny other beneficial properties of sodium bicarbonate. If you are thinking about using soda for health purposes - say, for treating heartburn - it is important to do this only after consulting your doctor.

It was already mentioned above that soda is categorically harmful in the case of low acidity of the stomach (which you may not even guess about). In addition, taking sodium bicarbonate either internally or in the form of a bath is contraindicated if you:

1. Are pregnant or breastfeeding.
2. Suffer from bouts of hypertension.
3. Have diabetes.

Baths are also contraindicated if you have open wounds or serious infections on your skin.

But even if you do not have any of the above contraindications, you should still be careful with the use of soda. For example, sodium bicarbonate should not be drunk for two hours after taking medication: it reduces the acidity of the stomach, which can slow down the absorption rate of medications, ultimately affecting their effectiveness.

Given the sufficient number of contraindications and the possible negative impact on health, it is important to emphasize once again: it is advisable to use sodium bicarbonate only after consulting a therapist or specialized specialist (for example, a gastroenterologist).