Should you put baking soda in coffee? Jump into our article and check out the pros and cons of adding baking soda to your cup of joe.
Have you heard about adding baking soda to the coffee?
When I first heard about it, I was totally shocked. But then I did thorough research and found out that it makes sense.
Stay with me to discover the benefits and negative sides of baking soda in coffee. Also, I’ll give tips on making it taste excellent.
Let’s start!
Baking Soda: The Basics
Baking soda is one of the most used ingredients in my house. Actually, it’s a staple in many households. You can use it for literally anything.
Baking some cookies? Add baking soda for a puffier texture.
Want a natural cleaning product? Baking soda can scrub off different nasty stains.
Do your teeth need polishing? Baking soda is great for brushing your teeth occasionally.
Having horrible heartburn after a meal? You guessed it: baking soda can help you!
But do you actually know what baking soda is?
Before we even start talking about adding it to your coffee, let’s go through the basics.
Baking soda, also known as bicarbonate of soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a natural mineral compound. This fine white powder is actually a type of salt, and you can tell by its salty taste.
It is mildly alkaline (or basic) and has a pH level of 9, which means it will react with and neutralize mild acids. That’s why it can help with acid reflux.
But at the same time, you can clean your bathroom with it because of its antibacterial properties.
DID YOU KNOW?
Baking soda can also help you get rid of a coffee stain. Coffee stains are not easy to clean, but soda is one of a few magic ingredients which can do it successfully.
Okay, but what about adding baking soda to your coffee?
What Happens If You Add Baking Soda To Coffee
Whenever I hear about some new, weird trend, I’m automatically very skeptical about it. It’s the same with adding baking soda to coffee.
Because of its saltiness, I never even considered it. But once I heard about it, I needed to try it. And I was pleasantly surprised.
For me, the most important was the taste of coffee. I was afraid that the coffee would be salty or it would taste off.
But it didn’t!
On the contrary, if you use the right amount, your brew can have a smoother and less aggressive taste. Of course, you shouldn’t taste any saltiness.
So, what actually happens when you add baking soda to your cup of joe?
Simply put, you’ll lower the acidity in your brew.
Coffee’s pH level ranges from 4.85 to 5.13. That puts it in the mild acidic category. However, people with sensitive stomachs can experience unpleasant stomach burns.
But, as we said before, baking soda is alkaline. When you introduce it to coffee, you’ll get less acidic coffee.
The taste will also change. It will reduce bitterness and soften the sharp coffee flavor.
Now, let’s see the benefits and possible side effects of drinking coffee with baking soda.
The benefits of adding baking soda to coffee
Prevents heartburn and eases up stomach problems. If you have ever felt heartburn, you know how unpleasant it can be. It can make you say goodbye to some of your favorite food and drinks.
Well, too-acidic coffee can be the cause of heartburn.
Acidic food and drinks (especially coffee) are also connected with acidic reflux and GERD. These are serious and painful effects of the high level of stomach acid and the rest of the digestive system.
Fortunately, by adding a little bit of baking soda to your coffee, you can reduce the acidity level of your brew and in your stomach. You can enjoy your morning cup of coffee even if you have a sensitive stomach.
Enhances the taste of bad coffee. Some kinds of coffee (for example, dark roast) have a naturally bitter and rough taste. I’m a coffee lover who enjoys this flavor.
But lower-quality cheap coffee beans can give an overly bitter and aggressive taste that I definitely don’t like (and neither would you).
If you had a limited budget, bought some random inexpensive coffee, and ended up with a bad-tasting cup, baking soda can help. It will neutralize bitterness in coffee and make it taste milder.
Deals with the coffee breath. Don’t know about you, but I hate coffee breath. Especially on my busy days when I’m out all day and drink a few cups. In those situations, chewing gum doesn’t help so much.
But baking soda does!
It has strong cleaning and antibacterial properties. Thus it can prevent smelly coffee breath. If you are a dedicated coffee drinker like me, this is a blessing, right?
Are there any potential drawbacks to putting baking soda in coffee?
Sodium overdose. Although baking soda isn’t poisonous to people, you can ingest too much. In fact, sodium in baking soda is the problem. Sodium is actually salt.
Taking too much sodium can result in higher blood pressure. So, for people who already have high blood pressure, it’s not recommended to consume baking soda.
Also, your body will try to get it out of your system, so most likely, you’ll deal with gases, vomiting, and diarrhea. As a consequence of that, you can get dehydrated. You risk seizures, kidney failure, and heart attacks.
All of these are good reasons not to go too hard with baking soda. It’s not a clever idea to take more than 2½ teaspoons at once.
How To Add Baking Soda To Coffee
As they say, less is more. Same here: you can very easily go over the top with baking soda in your coffee. And you definitely don’t want to end up with weird-tasting, salty coffee.
So, my most important advice here is to start with a small amount. For me, just a tinny pinch of baking soda is enough to do the magic. You’ll have less bitter and milder-tasting coffee without salty sidenotes.
You can incorporate baking soda into your brew in two different ways:
- add it you your coffee grounds and brew it together in a coffee maker
- add it to already-brewed coffee
No matter how you do it, here are some tips on how to make your coffee with sodium bicarbonate even better tasting:
- use fresh and quality coffee beans
- grind the coffee beans yourself with a grinder
- add some milk or sweetener
Bottom Line
So, let’s wrap this up!
Yes, baking soda in coffee is a legitimate thing, and for good reasons.
Baking soda can help your body to fight acidity from coffee. It can also enhance the taste of bad coffee.
Just be careful not to overdo it because you can easily end up with a salty cup of joe. And that is the last thing you want in the morning.
Wondering if you can add salt to coffee? Check out our article about the benefits of coffee with salt!
