What is sodium hydrogen carbonate?

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You have certainly baked or cooked with baking soda before. Behind the baking soda is nothing other than sodium hydrogen carbonate. But what is this substance actually and what is it used for?

Sodium hydrogen carbonate, also known as baking soda, is an important baking ingredient.
Sodium hydrogen carbonate, also known as baking soda, is an important baking ingredient.

This is baking soda

Sodium hydrogen carbonate and baking soda, also called baking soda or baking soda, are the same thing.

  • The sodium salt has the empirical formula NaHCO3. So it consists of sodium ions and a hydrogen carbonate group. Sodium hydrogen carbonate is produced from the reaction of carbonic acid with sodium hydroxide solution.
  • Sodium hydrogen carbonate is solid and crystalline.
  • With additional energy input in the form of temperatures above 50 ° C, baking soda releases water and carbon dioxide and turns into sodium carbonate (soda).
  • Thanks to the hydrogen carbonate group, baking soda is able to neutralize acids, which the stomach takes advantage of by protecting itself from the corrosive hydrochloric acid.
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Sodium hydrogen carbonate is used for this

Sodium hydrogen carbonate is not only used as a leavening agent.

  • Soda is a component of effervescent tablets.
  • Because of its deacidifying effect (see above), baking soda is a component of many remedies for heartburn and high gastric acid levels.
  • In general, it can also be used by the doctor if the body is too acidic.
  • In the past, baking soda was used in the preservation of corpses.
  • Soda also softens water. When added to the cooking water, baking soda lets legumes cook faster. In addition, some types of cabbage that have been cooked in soda water are less bloating.
  • Of course, sodium hydrogen carbonate also has the deacidifying effect on sour dishes, which is why it is also added to sour jams.
  • In agriculture, baking soda can help treat various animal diseases.
  • Unfortunately, the "baking powder" also has a downside: It is added as an extender to various drugs, such as cocaine.

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