Baking Soda In Coffee

“Coffee brightens your morning mood and brings the spark to seize the day.”

Everyone wants to start their day with a perfect coffee cup. However, coffee does not sit well on the stomach of sensitive coffee drinkers due to its acidic nature. Coffee has a pH of 5 and may lead to various unpleasant side effects. 

But do not worry! There is an easy way to reduce the coffee’s acidity with your common kitchen’s ingredient i.e. baking soda. Baking soda not only lowers the coffee’s acidity but also enhances its taste and offers many other benefits. 

Want to learn more about the effect of baking soda on coffee? Scroll down and quench your thirst!

What is baking soda?

Baking soda is a common ingredient in your kitchen and is used for cooking, cleaning, baking, and many other purposes. It is a natural mineral compound and also known as sodium bicarbonate or bicarbonate of soda. This white powder has a salty taste and alkaline pH of 8-9. It reacts with acids and neutralizes them, treating acid reflux. The uses of baking soda include:

  • It reacts with lemon juice or vinegar, produces carbon dioxide gas, causes baked items to rise, and gives them light and fluffy texture.
  • Baking soda extinguishes fire.
  • It cleans carpets, teeth, kitchen utensils, washrooms, etc. 
  • Baking soda neutralizes coffee’s acidity and makes its taste smoother.
  • It also removes coffee stains.

Why should you add baking soda to your coffee?

You should add baking soda to your coffee because:

  • Coffee is acidic
  • Baking soda is alkaline

Did not get the point? Let me explain!

Coffee is acidic

Coffee has an acidic nature with a pH of 4-5. Its acidity comes from coffee beans and the brewing process. During preparation, when water passes through ground coffee beans, it extracts acids and many other compounds from the coffee grounds. 

Acid brews your coffee and adds brightness but dark-roasted and cheap coffee beans have a high amount of acid, making it hard on sensitive stomachs. Moreover, high acidity gives your drink a harsh flavor, stimulates the production of stomach acid, offers a laxative effect, and causes stomach ulcer and diarrhea. 

Baking soda is alkaline

If you have stomach problems, acidic coffee will not suit you. So, you should add baking soda to neutralize the coffee’s acids. Baking soda has an alkaline nature with a pH of around 8-9. When you add it in the coffee, baking soda raises the overall pH, and makes your coffee less acidic. 

In this way, your drink becomes easier on your sensitive stomach. Moreover, baking soda reduces the bitterness and harshness, brings smoothness, and adds unique flavors to your cup of joe. 

Compared to other ingredients that enhance your coffee’s flavor such as chocolate or other flavored syrups, baking soda does not add any calorific value and helps you to lose weight. 

Ways of adding baking soda to your coffee

There are many ways of adding baking soda to your coffee, each depends on your personal preference. These include:

  1. Add ⅛ teaspoon of baking soda in a little hot water, dissolve it, and add it to your brewed coffee.
  2. Put ⅛ teaspoon of baking soda directly into the coffee grounds before brewing.
  3. Add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda in 2 tablespoons of sugar and mix it well for a sweet and smooth coffee treat. Add it in the cold brewed coffee and enjoy. 

Different recipes for different coffee drinks with baking soda

If you want to reduce the acidity, bitterness, and harshness of your coffee drinks, brew your favorite beverage with baking soda. Follow the below instructions and enjoy your cup of joe in a better way. Let’s start!

1. Iced coffee

Iced coffee

Enjoy your blazing summer with this iced coffee. Let’s brew it in a new delicious way. 

Ingredients:

IngredientsQuantity Get it
Cold brew coffee1 cupGet it yourself
Milk ½ cupGet it on Amazon
Sugar ¼ cupGet it on Amazon
Baking sodaOne teaspoonGet it on Amazon

Instructions: 

  • Add cold brewed coffee, milk, sugar, and baking soda in the blender.
  • Blend well until smooth.
  • Serve it in a glass.
  • Enjoy your drink. 

Note: 

Garnish your drink with your favorite seasonings or flavored syrups. 

2. Frothy coffee

Frothy coffee

Surprise your taste buds and stomach with this magical foamy coffee. Let’s indulge in it!

Ingredients:

Ingredients Quantity Get it
Ground coffee beans8-10 gramsGet it on Amazon
Milk ½ cupGet it on Amazon
Sugar ¼ cupGet it on Amazon
Baking sodaOne teaspoonGet it on Amazon

Instructions:

  • Extract an espresso shot with your espresso machine
  • Add brewed coffee, milk, sugar, and baking soda in the frother.
  • Close the lid and prepare hot milk foam.
  • Pour drink in the glass.
  • Enjoy your coffee.

Note: 

Garnish your drink with your favorite seasonings or flavored syrups.  

3. Refreshing coffee

Refreshing coffee

Refresh your mind in the afternoon or coffee break with this delicious coffee recipe. Let’s dive into it!

Ingredients:

IngredientsQuantity Get it
Cold brew coffee1 cupGet it yourself
Milk ½ cupGet it on Amazon
Sugar ¼ cupGet it on Amazon
Baking sodaOne teaspoonGet it on Amazon
Ice 1 cupGet it yourself

Instructions:

  • Fill the glass with ice cubes.
  • Add cold brewed coffee, milk, sugar, and baking soda in the blender.
  • Blend well until smooth.
  • Pour the drink over the ice.
  • Enjoy your drink.

Note: 

Garnish your drink with your favorite seasonings or flavored syrups. 

4. Turkish coffee

 Turkish coffee

Brew Turkish coffee with baking soda and make your day pleasant. Let’s brew!

Ingredients:

IngredientsQuantityGet it
Ground coffee beans8-10 gramsGet it on Amazon
Milk ½ cupGet it on Amazon
Sugar ¼ cupGet it on Amazon
Baking sodaOne teaspoonGet it on Amazon

Instructions:

  • Extract an espresso shot with your espresso machine. 
  • Add brewed coffee, milk, sugar, and baking soda in the saucepan over medium heat.
  • Stir it until boiling.
  • Now simmer it over a low heat.
  • Pour the drink into the cup.
  • Enjoy your coffee. 

What are the benefits of putting baking soda in coffee?

There are many benefits of adding baking soda to the brewed coffee which include:

1. Makes coffee’s taste better

When you brew your coffee with dark-roasted or cheap coffee beans, you will get a harsh or bitter taste. Besides other ways that help you to make your drink delicious, the inexpensive way is the addition of baking soda. 

Baking soda neutralizes the acidity, reduces its bitterness, brings smoothness, and adds distinct notes to your hot or cold coffee. However, the addition of too much baking soda will lead to a salty, metallic taste. 

2. Treats stomach ulcer

Coffee’s acidic nature causes gastric ulcers, exacerbated gastrointestinal pain, and discomfort in sensitive individuals. Adding a pinch of baking soda to the brewed coffee will neutralize the acids and reduce the gastrointestinal discomfort and stomach ulcers, allowing you to enjoy your caffeinated beverage in full swing. 

3. Improves acid reflux, heartburn, and GERD

If you are a coffee lover, you may experience heartburn or acid reflux after consuming some types of coffee including: coffee brewed with Robusta beans, dark-roasted beans, cheap coffee grounds, or coffee with high caffeine content

So, adding baking soda to your brewed coffee lowers the acidity and relieves acid reflux, heartburn, and GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease). 

4. Avoid digestive discomforts 

Coffee’s acidity stimulates the feelings of nausea and abdominal discomfort in those who have digestive issues. Those individuals are sensitive to harsh beverages and foods. The addition of baking soda raises the pH of your coffee and neutralizes stomach acids, making it perfect for sensitive people. 

5. Lowers uric acid

The regular consumption of coffee will increase uric acid level in sensitive people. The high level of uric acid causes intense pain, tenderness, inflammation, redness, and swelling throughout the joints. The addition of alkaline baking soda neutralizes the acidity and helps in lowering the uric acid. 

6. Inexpensive and has low calories

Baking soda is inexpensive and has a shelf life of 6 months. It does not add extra calories to your coffee the way other ingredients or flavored syrups do. So, it is a healthier and excellent option to enjoy a good-tasting cup of joe. 

How much baking soda should you add in your coffee?

You should add ½ to 1 teaspoon of baking soda to the coffee grounds before extraction or one pinch after extraction. One pinch of baking soda per brewed cup lowers the acidity, bitterness, and enhances its flavors, making it easier on your stomach. Check out the below table for more understanding. 

Amount of coffeeAmount of baking soda
Full-pot ½-1 teaspoon
½ pot ¼ teaspoon
¼ pot⅛ teaspoon
Single cup1/16 teaspoon

You do not need to add much baking soda to your coffee to neutralize its acidity, only one pinch is enough to achieve the positive effects. Moreover, baking soda blocks the tongue’s bitter receptor and enhances the action of sweet receptors. 

Can you overdose baking soda in your coffee?

Like other additives, baking soda is beneficial for you if you use it in the right amount. High amount will cause the following side effects:

  • Bad coffee flavors
  • Increased blood pressure as it contains sodium, a compound present in salt.
  • Causes diarrhea, constipation, bloating, heart diseases, or metabolic alkalosis.
  • May result in upset stomach and muscle spasms. 

Other tips to enjoy coffee on a sensitive stomach

If you have sensitive stomach, you can enjoy coffee by implementing the following tips such as:

  • Use fresh and high-quality coffee beans as they have more flavor and aroma than the old beans.
  • Grind your beans with your grinder just before extraction. It will release more flavorful oils from the beans during brewing. 
  • Use filtered water to remove impurities and enhance the flavor of the coffee.
  • Add hot water, milk, sugar, cream, or other flavored syrups to dilute the drink, resulting in low acidity and enhanced the coffee’s flavors. 
  • Always use baking soda in moderation as high amounts will result in salty or unpleasant taste. 
  • Mix well baking soda to the coffee grounds to distribute it evenly. 
  • Never drink the coffee on an empty stomach as it will slow its absorption in your GI tract, leading to stomach discomfort. 

The verdict

Although there are many ingredients or additives that can improve the flavor of your coffee, but baking soda is an effective and inexpensive ingredient. Its one pinch will give you a delicious coffee cup with low acidity, bitterness, and distinct notes. Now stomach sensitive people can enjoy their cup of joe without heartburn, acid reflux, or stomach ache. However, a high amount of baking soda may cause many side effects so you should use it in moderation. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is putting baking soda in coffee good for you?

Baking soda neutralizes the acidity of your coffee and prevents you from heartburn, stomach pain, heartburn, digestive discomforts, and much more. Its one pinch offers many benefits; however, a high amount may cause many side effects. 

Does baking soda neutralize caffeine?

Baking soda neutralizes the negative effects of the coffee. It lowers the acidity, bitterness, harshness, and enhances the flavor notes. It is an effective way to enjoy the coffee without any negative effects. 

How do you make coffee easier on your stomach?

Adding one pinch of baking soda to your brewed coffee makes your drink easier on the stomach. Baking soda has alkaline pH and it neutralizes the coffee’s acidity, preventing you from many stomach and digestive disorders. 

Why put soda in your coffee?

If you have sensitive stomach or digestive problems, you should add baking soda to your coffee. Baking soda will reduce the coffee’s acidity, bitterness, enhance smoothness, and add distinct flavors. 

How do you raise the pH in coffee?

Baking soda raises the pH of the coffee due to its alkaline nature. Coffee has 4-5 pH while baking soda has 8-9 pH so it raises the pH of your drink and makes it easier on your stomach. 

Will baking soda help lose belly fat?

Baking soda enhances the flavor of the coffee without adding any calorific value and helps you to lose weight. So, baking soda makes your drink healthy and delicious. 

How much baking soda should you drink in the morning?

One pinch of baking soda in a brewed cup is enough for positive effects. You should not use it in high amounts as it will cause diarrhea, blood pressure, or other serious problems. 

Why add 1 oz baking soda to coffee?

Baking soda neutralizes the negative effects of coffee and makes it easy on your stomach. ½-1 teaspoon of baking soda in one pot of coffee is enough for positive effects. 

Does baking soda raise blood pressure?

Baking soda contains sodium, a compound present in salt. If you use the baking soda in large amounts, it will result in high blood pressure or other digestive problems. 

Does baking soda dehydrate you?

The sodium in baking soda causes frequent urination and dehydrates you. Moreover, it neutralizes the skin and stomach’s acidity, resulting in dryness. So, use the baking soda in moderation. 

Does baking soda decrease pH?

Baking soda has an alkaline pH of 8-9. It neutralizes the coffee’s acidity by increasing its pH. It also reduces the bitterness, harshness, and adds smooth taste to your cup of joe. 

What is the side effect of baking soda in the body?

The high amount of baking soda causes unpleasant coffee taste, high blood pressure, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, heart diseases, or metabolic alkalosis.

What does soaking your body in baking soda do?

Baking soda has detoxifying and cleansing properties so it purifies your body and boosts immunity. It neutralizes the acids, removes sweat and oil, and offers smooth, silky skin. You can combine it with sea salt, essential oils, ground ginger, or other natural ingredients according to your choice for a detox bath.

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