Baking soda stomach acid test
It’s estimated that 90% of the population have low stomach acid. Why you might wonder? Well stress is one of the biggest factors, as well as medication, nutritional deficiencies, processed food, and more.
If you’ve got bloating, burping, nausea and/or cramps, there’s a chance you’ve got low stomach acid. Stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) is a liquid, that’s sole purpose is to breakdown, digest and absorb!
Let me explain….
Stomach acid is imperative to your digestion. It's a watery fluid that breaks down, digests and absorbs nutrients, including breaking down protein into amino acids.
Stomach acid stimulates the release of digestive enzymes and muscular contractions that enable easy & effective digestion.
Stomach acid also kills pathogens naturally found in our food like bacteria and viruses.
And the great news is that there’s a simple at-home test, which can give an indication of adequate or low stomach acid. Essentially baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) have a reaction that causes carbon dioxide gas, which causes burping. When you drink a small amount of baking soda and water you can time your reaction; see how long it takes for you to burp, and this indicates if you have adequate or low levels of stomach acid.
The test details:
Upon rising, add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to 150ml of water and drink it.
Turn your timer on. See how long it takes to burp.
Repeat this test over 3-4 days. Record the results.
The results:
0-3 minutes indicates adequate stomach acid.
3-5 minutes indicates low stomach acid.
Over 5 mins or no burping at all indicates low stomach acid.
Speak to your naturopath for more specific ways to test your stomach acid, and ways to naturally increase stomach acid.
This information is not a diagnostic tool or used to treat any condition. It's for information only. Please speak to your health professional for personalised advice.
