Yield: 1 glass (8 fl oz)

Drinking Baking Soda: Is It Dangerous? Verdict by Situation

A sourced yes, no or ask-first for each situation: one glass, daily use, big doses, a full stomach and higher-risk groups, with sodium in mg and documented stomach rupture cases.

Prep Time2 minutes

Total Time2 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 fl oz (240 mL) cool water, 240 mL; our recipe, not a medical rule
• 1/4 tsp (1.15 g) food-grade, aluminum-free baking soda, 1.15 g; level, not heaped; sodium bicarbonate only, not baking powder

Instructions

1. Check the box. Read the ingredient list. You want sodium bicarbonate only, food-grade and aluminum-free. Baking powder is a different product and does not belong in this glass.
2. Level the spoon. Fill a 1/4 teaspoon (1.15 g) and level it with the back of a knife. A heaped spoon holds more, and the sodium climbs with it.
3. Dissolve it completely. Pour 8 fl oz (240 mL) of cool water into a glass, add the baking soda and stir until the water is clear and no grains sit at the bottom.
4. Wait out the fizz and sip. Let the bubbles settle, then sip slowly instead of gulping. Skip it if you feel overfull from food or drink.
5. Mix one glass at a time. Make one glass, drink it, and don't save leftovers. Keep it at least 2 hours apart from other medicines, and keep the box away from children.

Notes

This card is our measure, not a medical rule. It is half the label dose of baking soda (1/2 tsp in 4 oz) in twice the water. Less than the label dose is not a promise that it suits you.

Nutrition values are estimates, calculated from the USDA FoodData Central record for baking soda (27,400 mg of sodium per 100 g, 4.6 g per teaspoon). Water is counted as adding no sodium.

Mix it fresh. We found no sourced shelf life for a mixed glass, so we give none.