What can baking soda be used for?
Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate as it is commonly known as well, is a household baking ingredient. Baking soda is often added to the baking process because it releases carbon dioxide gas, allowing your breads, cakes, muffins, and other pastries to rise to give that fluffy texture and appearance.
Baking Soda vs Baking Powder
Also, be sure not to confuse it with baking powder, which is also used as a leavener in baked goods. Unlike baking soda, baking powder contains more ingredients, including baking soda itself, cornstarch, and cream of tartar.
Baking soda and baking powder cannot be used interchangeably.
While baking soda is more suitable for baking recipes with more acidic ingredients, baking powder is better for recipes with less (or no) acidic ingredients.
Baking soda as a cleaning agent
On its own, baking soda is alkaline. Because of that, you can actually use it for general household cleaning.
Associate Professor Roderick Bates, from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences at Nanyang Technological University, says: “As a weak alkali or base, it can be effective in neutralising acidic things, such as removing certain pesticides and the odour of smelly feet, but a wash with plain water would do just as well in many cases.”
e adds that it is non-toxic and thus safe for most uses. He says baking soda may have some antibacterial properties, but cautions against mystical claims that it can prevent and heal cancer.
Where can you buy baking soda in Singapore?
Baking soda is stocked in every supermarket in Singapore for cheap. Some of the most popular brands include Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda ($5 for pack of 2), and RedMan’s Sodium Bicarbonate ($9). Do not mistake baking soda for baking powder, such as this popular RedMan Baking Powder ($1.20).