Can you use baking soda to make your body alkaline?
This question keeps coming up (most recently in our brand new forum / message board) - but also from customer emails and comments on other posts in the blog. People want to know: 
Instead of pH drops or pHour Salts - can I just use normal baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in water to alkalise my body?
This is a big question, which could have a big impact on people who are trying to alkalise and energise themselves and so I’ve gone to a big man (in stature, not size!) to get the answer. Thankfully I’ve got a good working relationship with Dr. Young now and so I went to him with this very question last week. His response was:
Most all sodium bicarbonates on the market contain anti-caking agents which are toxic - such as aliminium. There are 3 other mineral salts (magnesium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, and calcium bicarbonate) which are important and not in other products but in pHour salts.
Why are these other salts important?
Dr Young goes on to say:
A combination of four powerful bicarbonate mineral salts (sodium bicarbonate, magnesium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, and calcium bicarbonate) are anti-oxidant, anti-aging and maintain the alkaline design of the body from both the inside out and the outside in.
These four antioxidant/anti-aging mineral salts are naturally occurring in all fluids of the body. Specifically, they may aid in the reduction of dietary and metabolic acidity helping to maintain the alkaline design of the human, animal or plant body and slowdown or reverse the aging or decay process.
I believe that each of these four salts are all highly alkalising, but each do have a different role in the body. While it is great to get sodium bicarbonate, the power of having all four salts is far greater than just one in isolation.
So in short:
- Supermarket sodium bicarbonate contains toxins such as aluminium
- Having a range of salts is far superior to having just one salt
Personally I’m going to continue with the pHour Salts because I’ve had fantastic results so far, including a marked increase in my energy levels, better digestion and clearer skin. I love it!
Want some? Click here for more information on pHour Salts
Note: This blog is only my opinion. It is not medical advice or diagnosis. Only opinions based upon our own personal experiences or information detailed in medical/academic journals or other publications is cited. WE DO NOT OFFER MEDICAL ADVICE or prescribe any treatments. Please consult with a medical professional before making any diet or nutrition changes. Refer to our full disclaimer for more information.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
THEY DO SELL BAKING SODA WITHOUT ALUMINIUM AT THE HEALTH FOOD STORES. I USE IT.
May i know if it is ok to boil alkaline water as I wish to prepare my toddler’s milk with hot alkaline water. Also, other than for external body use, what else can I use the acidic water for? Thanks.
I’m not sure if my question has already been answered but there isn’t a way to search for it. Anywho… I’m interested in purchasing these ’salts’ but I’m confused. Calcium Bicarbonate is suggested but what’s the difference between Calcium Carbonate and Calcium Bicarbonate. I know their chemical structures and so forth are different but would Calcium Carbonate (which is typically sold as regular Calcium in most stores) be considered ‘alkalizing’? I recently purchased the ‘regular calcium pills’ at Walmart and now I’m wondering if it was a wise decision. I want the real thing. So if anyone can help me out on this it’d be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
This is obviously a scam. Where are the negative comments? Hmm.
I want to know if Phour salts are harmful to those with high blood pressure. Thanks.
There is no aluminum in baking soda! Arm and Hammer or the supermarket brands should be pure sodium bicarbonate as it clearly says on the box. Baking POWDER often has aluminum, but brands are readily available which do not. Shame on you! You are either misinformed or dishonest, and in either case are spreading nonsense.
Hi Laura
Not too sure why you are so insulted by my blog post.
If you are able to find supermarket brands that do not contain anti-caking agents then that is fantastic - baking soda is really affordable (not all of them list these ingredients btw - and I note you say that they should be pure sodium bicarb but you don’t actually know).
I too had this question so I went to Dr Young who is a leader in this field and I shared his answer because I thought others might find it interesting. I also I recently had live blood analysis with a microscopist who swears by Arm & Hammer (he had about 20 boxes in his office!) so I understand that there is not absolute 100% right answer.
I still stand by the fact I personally am going to continue to use pHour Salts because I think that getting a range of salts is better than just one.
I also still trust Dr Young, who is without question the leading authority on this subject in the world.
My final point is that throughout this article (and pretty much all of the other articles on this blog) I have written from MY perspective, about what I (yes, ME) personally believe.
This isn’t me being dishonest, this is me blogging about my thoughts. I certainly won’t feel the shame that you want me to.
I would also like to point out that I’ve spent the last three and a bit years blogging my heart out to try and help people to live a little healthier. That is all this blog is about.
And while I deal with sh**ty comments like yours fairly regularly, it still hurts and it is still harsh by you.
Anyway, I hope you have a great day regardless and wish you all the best.
Ross
Thanks to different blog posts, clarity comes. So it’s okay to differ in a world full of variances. Obviously it leads to truth when we focus. We need variances, thanks to the both of you.
Don’t pretend to be insulted - this is so obviously an advertisement for a particular product, not a site about health. Arm and Hammer baking soda does not contain aluminum, and claiming that it does to push an expensive product truly is shameful.
http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/baking_soda.html#ALUMINUM
J
Just take a look around the blog. Seriously. Thousands of posts without any products or mention of products. You pick one that does (shock horror, I need to make a living too) and make a comment like that. Poor form.
Ross
I am also wondering about the effects of this on high blood pressure. Yesterday, I started taking the salts a few times a day. I felt they took away my cravings for sweet and diet coke. I also added some of Dr. Young’s greens and clay. The combination seemed good because I didn’t have the bad headache I used to get when I tried to cleanse. I’ve been taking my blood pressure throughout the day and it seems as if it’s down. I’m still concerned because everywhere I read about reducing sodium. Do you happen to have any websites that explain the difference between the salts? We talked to someone from Dr. Young’s office and they assured us it’s safe. Sorry to be a little skeptical but I’m a little nervous about the salt and hypertension combination. I’m willing to try anyway because it makes so much sense. Also, do you know websites that explain the need for calcium, magnesium, and potassium to lower blood pressure? The only one’s I found were really technical and I couldn’t understand them. Thank you for your information and the ability to respond.
Someone I know called the Arm & Hammer baking soda company (the company name escapes me at the moment), they confirmed that their baking soda does NOT contain aluminum.
Also, be careful to not use baking powder, which I believe has aluminum in it.