Many people turn to baking soda for heartburn. It’s one of the most sought after and effective ways to reduce acidity and heartburn. Baking soda is a natural antacid and it can relieve heartburn instantly. But there are some things you need to know before you use baking soda for heartburn.
Why is baking soda good for heartburn?
The answer is simple – it is sodium bicarbonate – the active ingredient in baking soda that helps relieve bloating, gas, and other symptoms of heartburn.
If you’ve looked into the causes of heartburn you might already be aware that heartburn is caused by imbalance in the quantity of acid in your stomach.
The stomach can secrete more acid than it needs, or it could be failing to secrete enough acid. In either case, there is excess acid build up in the stomach that is not getting used.
If this acid imbalance goes unchecked it causes hiatal hernia. This is a condition where the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) weakens, allowing the acid from the stomach to reflux into the esophagus and cause heartburn.
How to use baking soda for heartburn
- Dissolve 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of baking soda in a glass of cold water.
- Drink mixture slowly.
What you need to know about baking soda for heartburn
Before you jump at the idea that baking soda is THE solution to heartburn, there are a few things to know—
- Baking soda can, at best, be a temporary solution only. It releases carbon dioxide in your stomach and this helps to release the pressure on the LES to let out burps. But this also allows the acid to reflux.
- Don’t use baking soda for heartburn treatment for more than 2 weeks.
- Baking soda is high in sodium. If you have a medical condition where you need to limit salt intake, try a different treatment for heartburn.
- Too much baking soda can lead to nausea, metabolic alkalosis (blood becomes too alkaline) and heart problems.
Baking POWDER for heartburn???
Let’s just make sure that you are going to be using the correct product to treat your heartburn…It’s sodium bicarbonate (also called baking soda or bicarb soda or bicarbonate of soda) that can help relieve heartburn temporarily. Baking powder is NOT the same as baking soda.
If you use baking powder instead of baking soda for heartburn, you could make things worse. This is because baking powder has an acid in it. If you have heartburn, you need to reduce the amount of acid going into your stomach.
The last word on baking soda for heartburn
So the next time you start having the tell-tale burning sensation in your chest and acidity, try baking soda for heartburn relief if there isn’t a reason for you to have a low salt diet. But don’t just rely on baking soda as there are many other alternative heartburn remedies to consider. If heartburn becomes a regular occurrence it means that the underlying issue is not getting treated. And that’s when you have to turn to your doctor for advice and medication instead.