Baking Soda

What is Sodium Bicarbonate?

Sodium bicarbonate is a type of chemical salt. It is usually referred to by a different name such as, baking soda, bread soda, cooking soda, bicarb soda, bicarbonate of soda or sodium hydrogen carbonate.

Sodium Bicarbonate is a weak alkaline. It breaks down proteins and neutralizes acids, which is what makes it useful as a leavening agent in baking.

Sodium Bicarbonate was first used by bakers in making breads. It was originally called soda ash because it came from seaweed ashes. The first method to create baking soda was created by Nicolas Leblanc and initially named the Leblanc method. This method is no longer used when a Belgian chemist by the name of Ernest Solvay created the Solvay process. The Solvay process was cheaper than the Leblanc method and although cheaper is considered a synthetic method of making baking soda.