There is a lot of misunderstanding between Baking soda and Baking powder. Baking soda contains only bicarbonate and not acid hence both liquid and acid should be used while baking goods using baking soda. Whereas in Baking powder, there is both bicarbonate and acid present. Hence only liquid is required during baking.
The presence of aluminum in baking powder raised a lot of doubts among people. There are concerns regarding whether all brands of baking soda contain aluminum, whether are there any alternatives to using aluminum-free baking powder is aluminum-containing baking powder harmful to health, and so on. In this article, we will discuss these concerns.
Why Is Aluminium Used In Baking Powder?
Aluminum is present in most Baking powder brands. However, it is not present in all brands. It is named Sodium Aluminium Phosphate or Sodium Aluminium Sulfate. Aluminum can be considered a key ingredient in the manufacturing of baking powder.
The main reason why Aluminium is added is that it is Heat-activated. It means that it gets activated and starts to do its job while placed in the oven. Whereas, whereas aluminum-free baking powder is liquid-activated. it starts to do its job before placing it in the oven. Therefore it is important to prepare your batter quickly when aluminum-free baking powder is used. Moreover, they are mostly unsweetened and gluten-free. Normally, baking powder does not have a specified taste.
What Are The Baking Powder Brands That Are Free Of Aluminium Content?
Brands containing Aluminum-free baking powder are very rare hence it is not easy to purchase. some of the brands is McKenzie’s brand is produced by an Australian company and has gluten-free, aluminum-free baking powder.
Whole Foods 365 and Trader ones are inexpensive compared to other brands.
Bobs Red Mill Natural Aluminium Free Aluminium, Red Mill Baking Soda, and Broma Bakery are some more brands that do not contain Aluminium.
How To Know If your Baking Powder Is Free Of Aluminium Content?
The initial way of knowing whether a baking powder contains Aluminium is by checking the label. If a brand produces aluminum-free baking powder, then there would be a label that states that it does not contain aluminum. Or else, its presence or absence will be mentioned in the ingredients column. If present, substances like Sodium Aluminium Phosphate or Sodium Aluminium Sulfate will be present. If the baking powder is aluminum-free, then nothing sort of that will be mentioned.
The second way of checking is by tasting. The baked products will have a metallic aftertaste while eating. This is due to the presence of aluminum.
The third way is by visualizing the color change. The aluminum-containing baking powder will have a slight purple color. Otherwise, it would not be there.
How To Bake If Aluminium Free Baking Powder Is Not Available?
Most of them are not favored by the metallic taste brought by the baking powder. So they switch to aluminum-free baking powder. However, they are pretty expensive to use.
Here, we can learn how to prepare an Aluminum-free baking powder with three ingredients. The ingredients we need are Baking soda, cream of tartar, and cornstarch. The ingredients should be added in the required amounts.
If you are still in need of aluminum-free baking powders, some of the best brands are Bobs Mill, Kimball Brook farm, The wellness Baker, etc.
Does The Presence Of Aluminum In Baking Powder Cause Harm To Health?
Health experts suggest that increased aluminum consumption can cause serious health deterioration among people. Consumption of aluminum is not good for our bodies. It can cause brain damage, and also cause damage to the nervous system. Alzheimer’s disease is mainly caused due to the presence of aluminum.
Recent studies have said that minimized consumption of aluminum will not cause any adverse effects on the human body. Therefore, very little application of baking powder during the baking process should be done.
Why Do People Still Prefer Baking Powder Which Contains Aluminum?
One of the major differences between normal and aluminum-free baking powder is that normal baking powder is heat activated while the other is liquid activated. Baling goods with aluminum-free baking powder is often difficult since the baking powder gets activated if the batter is kept for a long time. Beginners always find it difficult to bake by using this baking powder. Hence, they switch to the normal one.
Conclusion
In the above paragraphs, a detailed description of the difference and availability of aluminum-containing and aluminum-free baking powder is done.
If one is truly concerned about his or her health, it would be best to use Aluminum free products. However, if one looks for easy baking, normal baking powder is suggested.
