Baking soda is commonly used as a leavening agent in baked goods such as cakes, muffins, breads and cookies as well as in making dosa, idli, dhokla to speed up fermentation and improve dough quality . Also, Eno, an over-the-counter antacid brand, is used for the same purpose. Since both baking soda and Eno work very quickly in polishing, they are often used by chefs and home cooks to prepare food. But is using them regularly in your recipes healthy? Nutritionist Juhi Kapoor in her recent Instagram post warned against using too much baking soda or Eno in food doughs as excessive and prolonged use can be harmful to health. . (Also read: Food blogger’s Korean dosa with noodles and cheese goes viral on the internet)
“Bicarb soda is alkaline in nature and changes the alkalinity of the blood (increasing the pH of the blood). The pH of the blood is controlled within a very tight range in the body through bodily processes. But With any change in this pH, the body can develop serious diseases.Increased alkalinity can lead to metabolic alkalosis – which can affect kidney function and lead to water retention in the body. In the long term, this can cause kidney failure and other chronic diseases. Additionally, sodium bicarbonate can affect body metabolism and muscle physiology,” Kapoor said in his post.
“If we’re talking about soda it’s called sodium bicarbonate. So sometimes people can drink this in small amounts as small as half a teaspoon. But too much daily is harmful because according to WHO, the amount sodium is restricted.Similar to Eno, it is a fruit salt with 60% sodium.So Eno will be better than soda if we add it to cheela, idli or cake than add plain soda. But Eno should also be taken occasionally and not daily as that can raise blood pressure, people use it as an antacid, so occasionally taking a small amount no more than 5gm at a time, can add cheela and others are okay but not often,” says Jyoti Khaniojh, Nutrition and Dietetics, Max Patparganj Hospital.
“Eno salted fruit or soda is commonly used in baking and in many food preparations such as Idli, dhoklas, pancakes, etc. Soda or Eno is used to add porosity and softness to foods. This when widely used may have long-lasting effects.It may not be good enough to take it regularly.People with kidney, liver or heart disease must avoid using it in their diet.Sodium restriction is recommended. Recommended for people with kidney, liver and heart disease.Excess sodium can lead to excessive fluid in the body in such conditions.So avoiding use may be the best option.Sodium bicarbonate is a salt that breaks down to form sodium and bicarbonate. This can increase blood sodium levels and can affect the blood Priya Palan, Nutrition said: “People with high blood pressure must avoid using it. soda in the diet”.
Sonia Bakshi, Nutritionist and Founder of DtF discusses the side effects of using too much baking soda or Eno in foods.
first. The most common side effect of consuming Eno regularly is high blood pressure or hypertension. Eno contains sodium bicarbonate which may increase blood pressure.
2. All antacids weaken immune function. They increase the risk of bacterial infections and allergic reactions.
3. In some cases, regular consumption of antacids like Eno can also cause kidney failure and other chronic diseases.
4. Soda has no nutritional value. Furthermore, it has phosphoric acid that interacts with stomach acid, slowing down digestion and preventing nutrient absorption. When we cannot digest food regularly, it leads to severe weakness and fatigue.
5. Soda consumption leads to the pancreas producing insulin. Over a period of 15 to 20 minutes, blood sugar spikes and the liver responds to insulin by turning the sugar into fat.
6. The phosphoric acid in soda can be harmful to bones. Soda consumption interferes with the body’s ability to absorb calcium and can lead to conditions like osteoporosis.
It is better to prepare the dough a day in advance and let it ferment overnight, to avoid using Eno/soda in food.
Nutritionist Juhi Kapoor shares an alternative that will help you build strength.
1) Salt gives a little boost to the hitter.
2) Use fermentation to naturally increase dosa/idli/dhokla.
3) For cakes, you can use eggs or flax gel to increase the puffiness.
4) Use yeast as a foaming agent for bread products.
5) It is also possible to prepare sourdough bakery products.
