ACV & Baking Soda Tonic: Boost Health Naturally - Ted's Q&A

Browse Ted's Q&A

Love ACV, Why Add Bs?

Posted by Dawn (St. Lucia, West Indies) on 08/22/2006

Ted, I initially tried the ACV without baking soda (BS) I prefer the taste with baking soda, but I am concerned that the addition of BS will reduce the weight loss/fat binding properties of ACV. Is ACV as effective with BS for weight loss? Does the addition of BS affect any of the healing properties of ACV such as high blood pressure? Also, I am still breastfeeding my 9 month old. Is that okay?

Replied by Ted
Bangkok, Thailand
391 posts

Dear Dawn: First, ACV does not have loss/fat binding properties. It has some fat dissolving properties.

Second, if you are worried about adding baking soda and ACV will reduce this fat dissolving abilities, you can prove it to yourself! Prepare a solution of ACV and try to wipe clean some oily mirror or glass, like you do with Windex window cleaner.

Now try to prepare another ACV plus some baking soda (added slowly!). Now do the same thing by wiping with a cloth of some oily mirror or glass again.

Compare. The results should be close enough for you to conclude.

Finally, it is very likely that the body really have little use of ACV directly since it will neutralize the acid anyway using your body's own buffer! ACV with baking soda has more extensive healing properties then just ACV alone.

As to the high blood pressure issue, it is the problem of eating together both sugar and salt, which causes high blood pressure as well as eating foods high in oils. Lowering the consumption of fried foods using vegetable oils and margarine is a must. Taking some vitamin B3 plus B complex helps more.

As to the issue of breastfeeding, ACV and baking soda are common food we eat if, like we eat them in salads and other foods. One of the most common deficiencies in breastfeeding mothers is usually vitamin D, which mothers are required to take at least 1200 I.U. per day while breastfeeding their children. Mothers who have children often have vitamin C deficiencies, which is why after pregnancy some mothers tend to loose hair or hair starts to fall, therefore vitamin C supplements also helps.

Replied by Dawn

Ted, baking soda makes the ACV taste better (like an antacid), but in Chemistry class many, many years ago, I learned that acid and baking soda will produce three products, that is, salt, water and carbon dioxide. Does this not mean that the chemical properties of ACV will then be changed with BS, yielding an ineffective weight loss product? I look forward to your guidance on this.

Replied by Ted
Bangkok, Thailand
391 posts

Dear Dawn: Apple cider vinegar has malic acid, so you get a sodium malate. It might have some acetic acid, so reaction results in sodium acetate. In chemistry, when react with a bicarbonate, it becomes a buffer.

If you have issues with adding baking soda, then take ACV alone. I add baking soda to ACV to reduce side effect conditions known as a "burning tongue" or "acid tongue". In severe conditions where the body has insufficient buffer, the tongue will tear and cause to bleed.

ACV is not really well known as a weight loss product, as much as ACV if added with baking soda. Its benefits are actually quite similar.

Your best bet for weight loss is alpha lipoic acid, DHEA, lecithin, and other similar products. I have weight loss within a month to about normal weight just taking DHEA, alpha lipoic acid, and some chromium supplements.

ACV or even ACV baking soda belongs in the same class (family) of chemicals, but with different pH, namely it gets converted from, for example an acetic acid to sodium acetate.

Even if you take it alone without the bicarbonates, your body's bicarbonate will neutralize them to acetate anyway.

The problem about relying on your own body to neutralize it by itself means we are assuming (wrongly) that our body has sufficient bicarbonates in our body.

However, in practice, I have found this not to be true and have seen so many instances of acid tongue, that most people do in fact do not have enough dietary foods with sufficient bicarbonates to neutralize the acid.

Just remember, if your body does nothing to acetic acid, you could simply die, since your blood pH is relatively stable at 7.35 and a change in just a change in /- .5 pH could be more than enough to kill you. An acetic acid or apple cider vinegar's pH is about 3.5 - 4.0


NEXT