Yield: 1 glass (about 8 fl oz)

Baking Soda Trick: Does It Work? What Studies Show

The baking soda trick means three different things. Here's what the studies found for each, the sodium in every spoon, and a measured 1/4 tsp version for anyone who still wants to try it.

Prep Time3 minutes

Total Time3 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 fl oz (240 mL) plain water, 240 mL; stir until the powder dissolves
• 1/4 tsp (1.15 g) food-grade, aluminum-free baking soda (not baking powder), 1.15 g; level, not heaped; baking powder is a different product and doesn't substitute

Instructions

1. Level the soda. Fill a 1/4 teaspoon (1.15 g) with food-grade, aluminum-free baking soda and sweep the top flat with the back of a knife. The spoon should look flush, not mounded.
2. Pour the water first. Pour 8 fl oz (240 mL) of plain water into a clear glass before adding anything, so the powder has room to dissolve.
3. Stir until dissolved. Add the soda and stir until the water looks clear and no white grains sit on the bottom.
4. Sip it fresh. Drink the glass slowly in one sitting, not in one gulp and not on a very full stomach. Mix a new glass each time, since we found no sourced storage time.

Notes

Metric amounts are rounded. The 1.15 g figure is 1/4 teaspoon at the USDA household portion of 4.6 g per teaspoon.

Nutrition values are estimates calculated from typical USDA FoodData Central values for baking soda and plain water. They are not measured. Sodium is our arithmetic from the USDA figure of 27,400 mg per 100 g.

The 8 fl oz (240 mL) of water is our recipe, not a medical rule. MedlinePlus gives at least 4 oz (120 mL) for antacid use.