Baking soda is one of the most popular ingredients in home-based remedies. From cleaning a surface to treat canker sores, baking soda is used for various reasons. However, it doesn’t mean that it is 100% safe for direct consumption. Doctors are warning about using baking soda for weight loss which is one of the latest proclaimed benefits of this ingredient.
There are many ‘home hacks’ for losing weight for which people are trying this widely used ingredient baking soda for the same reasons. Some of them are expressing that a combination of baking soda with ACV/lemon juice in water is helpful to remove body fat. But there is no scientific evidence to support this benefit.
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Being a natural antacid, baking soda has alkaline properties that are linked with a weight loss. But a direct link between baking soda for weight loss has been debunked over the last few years.
The human body follows a natural process to regulate its pH levels most of which is done through food and water intake.
But some people believe that adding baking soda to the bathwater can induce weight loss by improving the magnesium and sulfate levels in the body. These two nutrients improve metabolism and detoxify the body but even this theory has no scientific reasoning.
Using baking powder for weight loss may help a little but it has no direct role. Mainly it depends upon the choice of solvent in which baking powder is dissolved. One popular use of baking soda is to mix it with ACV, a solvent which has research-based support for controlling hunger. But these effects are somehow limited and can’t be generalized.
Baking soda should not be used directly without diluting in the water or with any other solvent, according to the medical experts. In a combination, baking soda may improve hydration levels of a person and work on appetite, metabolism, and fat loss.
These potential weight-loss benefits are possible but this efficiency is not limited to the baking soda alone but also related to other liquids that are used with it. However, baking soda has other health benefits too such as; joint pain relief, UTI;s, kidney infections, skin rashes, etc.
Even with these clear benefits of baking soda, doctors warn new users to try it for weight loss, after reading the ‘quick weight loss tricks’ on shady websites.
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An un-supervised usage of baking soda for weight loss may result in metabolic acidosis, high blood pressure, kidney problems, breathing issues, and seizures. Pregnant and breast-feeding mothers, children, and older people should avoid taking baking soda in general.
Because of its alkaline nature, it is also possible for the baking soda to interact with medicine or a supplement that a person is taking in routine. In all cases, it is better to talk to a doctor to determine the safety levels of baking soda for a person especially when he has an underlying condition.
With little information on the long-term safety of baking soda cannot be predicted. Either used alone or with ACV, there are chances that it may interact with the body and result in side effects. Therefore, it is better to avoid trying these tricks for weight loss and follow a healthy way to lose weight with no health risks involved.