Baking soda - sodium hydrogen carbonate

Bicarbonate of soda, the devil's advocate
For a long time, baking soda was a universal household remedy - an all-purpose weapon with no side effects that no household or medicine cabinet was without. For baking, drinking, deacidifying, descaling and cleaning, for whitening, deodorizing, cleaning, neutralizing and disinfecting - hardly any other substance had more talents than sodium hydrogen carbonate - its official and barely pronounceable name. However, the proliferation of pharmaceutical products and industrial cleaning agents in colorful plastic packaging pushed the powdery jack-of-all-trades out of kitchens and bathrooms. Fortunately, however, the white powder has not completely disappeared into oblivion and is celebrating its resurrection today, despite the full shelves in pharmacies and drugstores. Baking soda is now also finding its way into Heilkraft.

Our baking soda is

pure, completely additive-free sodium hydrogen carbonate
versatile in use
Naturally biodegradable and good for the environment
Is bicarbonate of soda?
Thanks to its many talents, baking soda enjoys a reputation as a versatile helper. However, its widespread use also creates a risk of confusion with other products whose names are often used interchangeably with baking soda. The most persistent error is probably sodium bicarbonate and soda, which are usually used as synonyms. The confusion is probably due to the English language, where baking soda is called "baking soda" and baking powder is called "baking powder". But are baking soda and baking powder the same thing? Although both are salts, they differ in their properties.

Baking soda is a sodium salt of carbonic acid with the molecular formula NaHCO3 and is called sodium hydrogen carbonate in technical jargon. The terms double-carbonated sodium bicarbonate and sodium bicarbonate are chemically incorrect, but still quite common. It is also often called baking soda, Bullrich salt or Kaiser soda. Sodium bicarbonate has a pH value of around 8.5. From a temperature of 65°C, sodium decomposes into: Sodium carbonate (soda), water (H20) and carbon dioxide (CO2).
Soda is a salt of carbonic acid, has the molecular formula Na2CO3 and is called sodium carbonate. Its chemical composition therefore lacks the hydrogen component "hydrogen". Unlike sodium bicarbonate, soda can irritate mucous membranes and is considered a hazardous substance. With a pH value of 11.5, it is more alkaline than baking soda. The powder is also known colloquially as pure soda, crystal soda or washing soda.
Is baking soda baking powder?
Even though baking soda can be used in some baking recipes, it should not be confused with baking powder. Conventional baking powder does indeed contain baking soda, but it also contains acidulants, anti-caking agents and flavorings. Baking powder reacts with heat and moisture and loosens the dough. Baking soda only becomes a leavening agent in combination with acidic elements in the dough, such as yoghurt, buttermilk or citric acid. Sometimes baking soda and baking powder appear together in a recipe - both ingredients are used to create a particularly fluffy dough and baking soda acts as an acidity balancer.

Is baking soda salt?
In chemical terms, baking soda is a salt, but it is not the same as table salt. Table salt consists of sodium chloride and is used for seasoning. Baking soda, which also tastes slightly salty, is used in body care, cooking, health applications, in the household, but also in environmental technology and agriculture.

Application note
Home remedy for kitchen, household and personal hygiene.