Food Acid in your soda

I've been concerning myself with the acid content in most sodas lately, most sodas nowadays use phosphoric acid (H3PO4 for you chemists). It's a multipurpose additive, it allows more CO2 to be stored in the soda, keeping it fizzy, and the acid itself, when added, causes the semi-sour zing when you start drinking the soda. It's also the same stuff that rots your teeth.

So what I wondered was "how much base would have to be added to neutralize the acid"... so I did the calculations...

Here's the unique info, based on the amount of phosphorus in a 2L bottle of coca-cola, and using potash (KOH for chemistry's sake) as the basic/alkali material... it would take 1.951 grams of potash, theoretically, to neutralize the phosphoric acid and bring the pH of the soda back to 7 or something near it.

So for you guys who don't like the fact that soda makes your teeth feel weird, here you go. about 2 grams of potash per 2 liter soda and you're good to drink as much as you like because it's been rendered neutral.

 

So, am I supposed to use "potash" like the salt on a margarita or what?

Interesting. Where's the discussion part of this thread for us to chime in?

I'm not a chemistry genius; what if I mix Diet Coke 50/50 with skim milk?

I did the baking soda and vinegar volcano as a kid... that gets pretty messy.

 

So, when you mix potash into the 2L, put the cap back on and shake it, the bottle will explode in your hand because of the CO2 release builds up too much pressure?

Isn't it the same thing as putting Mentos into a Diet Coke bottle?

But, yes, Acid in drinks is bad and you should brush your teeth and drink more water. I like strong lemonade and it is the acid that makes it good.

 

For now I am going to restrict my response to a single question.

Have you actually done this or are you looking for guinea pigs?

 

If you think that's bad, wait until you find out what it takes to neutralize the acid in your stomach.

 

Diet Coke blows up when a Mentos is dropped in it from nucleation--a profusion of microscopic bubbles on the imperfect surface of the mint, forming and releasing at a high rate of speed.

Isn't potash toxic, or am I thinking of soda ash? How about baking soda? Of course then, the soda would taste.....weird.

 

I remember in high school, our chemistry teacher discussed soda and acid to a great length. The Carbonation in the soda itself turns into a carbonic acid, which causes us to belch.

I have always liked flat soda and yes it does horrendous damage to your teeth. MOST of our foods are acidic by nature. Fruits, veggies, meats, even milk (lactic acid). Vitamins are acidic, sugars are acidic, Niacin, Thiamine, most medications contain HCl acid to make it easier on the stomach.

My point is, worrying about Phosphoric acid in soda is like worrying that there maybe too much salt in the ocean for life to exist there.

Wiki says this about Phosphoric acid:

Also:

Alcohol is a far more potent acid and does more damage in the body than phosphoric acid. To be honest, no one truly cared until recently because the health police that came after cigarettes are wanting to raise money by taxing sodas and need a health reason to do so. Hence the talk of "phosphoric acid in soda". Common sugar breaks down INTO acid. It's what makes bread , bread. It's what makes alcohol and vinegar.

All these complaints that the Phosphoric acid in soda damages one's kidneys is a moot point. Caffeine is an anhydrous (prevents the body from absorbing water, was and still is a very common diet aid), Carbonated water due to the carbonation does not get absorbed by the body very well due in part to the carbonation. Lack of water, (which is caused by numerous things as demonstrated by me) damages kidneys, far worse than the addition of Phosphoric acid could or does do on it's own or as an additive. They also want to claim Phosphoric acid takes Calcium out of the body depleting bone density, again, caffeine and the carbonation alone do that.

So, Skitto, while you made a good chemistry question and point. Your answer is stop listening to the food health police, trying to find reasons to tax our foods. In all seriousness, again the Phosphoric acid is not enough to truly damage someone who drinks soda responsibly.

Me, I live on soda, however, I shake mine up because I like mine flat. I had some dental damage and work done to fix it. I watch my urine to make sure the coloring stays healthy and if it gets too dark I drink water. As for soda depleting my bone density, as a result of my Sarcoidosis, I am susceptible to hypercalcemia , (too much calcium in my blood, which is unhealthy) so I need to watch my milk and lactose intake... which being a cheese lover is hard for me to do, hence my "self medicating" with soda to control my calcium levels. (hey it's my bullshit rationale let me have it.)

 

Just... no.

By "Alcohol" I presume you mean ethanol, since ingesting any of the other commonly available alcohols is a terrible idea. Ethanol is not an acid and whatever miniscule effects it may have on the pH of a solution, they are dwarfed by phosphoric acid.

That's also not what anhydrous means. While caffeine is known to be a diuretic, I'm not aware of any effects it has on water absorption in the digestive tract(and while you may have meant 'kidneys' by 'body' the term you chose could scarcely be less precise). I'd really like to from where you received that information.

 

I was wrong about alcohol being an acid, BUT I maintain that alcohol is far more damaging to the body than the Phosphoric acid in soda.

Caffeine is a diuretic, I should have been specific, caffeine anhydrous is the dehydrated form of caffeine used in diet pills and No Doz.

I speak from a health experience when I was seriously dehydrated and had to be hospitalized in the 90's due to soda consumption, caffeine pills and diphenhydramine.

I was educated by the hospital nutritionist on how carbonated water is NOT absorbed by the body and that because of the lack of water due to the soda consumption (a case of mountain dew a day), along with some caffeine pills and of course the diphenhydramine (which also hurts water absorption) causes dehydration and can cause serious kidney problems, due to the lack of water from these substances.

While if you look up Phosphoric acid, the weak ORTHOphosphoric acid we use in foods cannot be proven to cause calcium loss while Caffeine does. There are many differing reports that say Phosphoric acid can help create/dissolve kidney stones. There is evidence showing that on calcium stones (80%) the Phosphoric acid does indeed help. While other studies show that it may make urine more acidic, thereby allowing the growth of kidney stones.

 

Either you misunderstood what your nutritionist said, or your nutritionist was full of it. If carbonated water really wasn't absorbed in the gut our hospitals would be overflowing with dehydrated people who have been drinking nothing but soft drinks. There is simply no reason that water would suddenly cease to pass through the membranes in your gut because at one point it was carbonated (or perhaps still is a little bit).

The dehydration caused by those substances isn't caused at the front end by water not coming in, it's caused at the back end by too much water going out (though simply not taking in enough water at the front end can make it worse).

 

I did not say the BODY does not absorb it. I said it is not absorbed as water would be, because of the carbonation.

I refuse to argue with you. I put forth what I believe to be true. There are many sources on the internet and most will say that carbonated water is no worse or better for you than tap water. However, they also state that they are talking solely about carbonated water. Since we are talking about the carbonated water in soda (which is usually much more carbonated than than seltzer water and "sparkling water", there is a difference. Some sites will point that out some won't.

Unless you are a certified nutritionist, I refuse to believe you over one that went into depth with me over carbonated water in soda.

Also here is a site that is SPONSORED by a soda water manufacturer and what they have to say:

is carbonated water bad for your kidneys

Soooooo I don't believe I am wrong. I am backing what I say, can you?

And I would be remiss to admit, I drink more than 2 liters of diet soda a day. So, I should and do know the health risks I take, much like smoking. Add caffeine to the above study on carbonated water and your body is not absorbing the water it truly needs for the kidneys. This is why most of my soda intake is Diet Rite, no caffeine and does not seem as carbonated as Coke or Pepsi.

Strictly speaking, there are NO health benefits to colas and sodas, but there are those that believe the more you drink the worse it is for your body, and NOT just the Phosphoric acid. All I was pointing out was that the Phosphoric acid as stated in the OP, is nor as bad as other aspects of the colas and sodas.
--- merged: Aug 22, 2012 at 1:29 PM ---

Europe also controls the amount of carbonation in it's sodas, companies have to list the amount of carbonation on the nutritional facts (we in the USA don't). So, it may be that the Coke in Europe does not have the same amount of carbonation as it does here in the states. Plus, I don't think the average European drinks near what the average American does in soda. Sparkling water perhaps, but again, that has far less carbonation on average as the colas.
--- merged: Aug 22, 2012 at 1:36 PM ---
this is all familiar, 50-75 years ago there were arguments over whether smoking was unhealthy or not. there were studies that showed conclusions both ways. Here we are today and no one can argue that smoking is not a serious health risk (I smoke, I know it is unhealthy, but much like soda the pleasure I feel by allowing me to do these things gives me an instant gratification that 20 years from now I will probably regret). Since both are legal and I am not hurting anyone in these addictions, my rational is fuck it, I'm willing to take the risks that I know exist.
--- merged: Aug 22, 2012 at 1:42 PM ---

Where did I originally say Carbonated water is NOT absorbed in the body?

 

Actually, that is exactly what you said.:

Either way, doesn't make any sense.

Fun site: no sources, no comments, no studies, no apparent double-checking by professionals with any experience (aka peer-review). Hell, there is not even a link to another (non-advertisement) webpage or a proper author that can be vetted for expertise. I can make up a website full of unsupported ramblings and assertions too, doesn't make them true.

Drinking soda does not make you an expert on nutrition any more than having a tumor makes you qualified to be a surgeon. Which is to say, it doesn't. As for health benefits, strictly speaking, a few ounces of soda could very well save the life of a person with severe hypoglycemia.

Again, caffeine does not block water absorption it increases water excretion. This is kind of the whole point, as long as your drinking enough water dehydration is not caused by lack of absorption (except in perhaps a rare case of physiological defect/trauma, something so unusual it would clearly not have an application here) it's caused by too much excretion by the kidneys..

Your refusal to argue with me, looks an awful lot like arguing with me.

 

Holy one-sided shouting match!

Can somebody explain to me exactly what I'm reading? I mean, like the OP or any of the information that has been argued in this thread?

I drink like 2 or 3 cans of Diet Coke a day. Last one is usually with a double of JD. My teeth, while hardly perfect, haven't changed much.

I down a ton of regular old tap water during the day, usually right after the pop. I don't get heartburn. And I don't have bloody stool.

All this talk about diet soda giving you cancer and making you fat and ruining your teeth probably involves that buzzword "moderation."

 

Ok you can have the last word. You will not change my mind. I am not an expert, but I have learned from them, licensed nutritionists, in the 90's and then after my stroke. I admit I am no expert on soda or smoking BUT that doesn't mean I don't know that BOTH can be bad for you.

I know what experts have told me and I am not going to argue with some one who obviously wants to pick a fight.

So go on, keep arguing over nothing. I'm out. I'm done.

 

Uh... anybody want a Diet Coke while I'm at the 'frige?

 

If this thread were a Wikipedia article, every sentence would be tagged [citation needed]

 

I was shocked that there wasn't a YouTube video of someone doing this.