calcium bicarbonate beverage/water from CO2 + limestone? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: incf
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2025, 10:29:05 pm
content: I don't know what board this belongs inFor a long time I've wanted to produce a saturated solution of calcium bicarbonate to see what it tastes like using CO2 and ground limestone (calcium carbonate).Has anyone ever tried something like this with a carbonation machine? (typically used for soda)I tried once or twice to put calcium carbonate into a bottle of carbonated water - but never noticed any difference.edit: you can occasionally find folks doing this sort of stuff for brewing, espressos, etc. - making mineral water with a carbonation machine shouldn't be too much of a stretch.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2025, 12:31:55 am
content: It's neither electronics nor cooking, for sure.Why don't you just buy some baking soda, dissolve it in water, and taste it?I can tell you it won't taste pleasant.

author: Mr.B
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 08, 2025, 01:13:00 am
content: Quote from: IanB on May 08, 2025, 12:31:55 amBut it will help if you have mild indigestion...

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2025, 01:16:23 am
content: Sounds like a project for BigClive and his soda *art machine.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2025, 01:18:09 am
content: I am pretty sure this is tumsThey use calcium , magnesium carbonates for antacids. DIY is baking soda. The concern is sodium and potassium levels from taking too much antacids I think, so they go to less common ions, so you don't get salt poisoning if you take a roll of antacids after eating a bag of potato chips or three. Potassium carbonate is washing soda? and tastes like shit (and its pretty toxic/corrosive, don't try it. Sodium bicarbonate is at least partially in baking. The bicarbonate one is more palletable then the carbonate for sodium. If you bake baking soda to make carbonate (say for cast iron welding) you will find your hands taste dreadfulThey are all bases, and all of them are soapy-slick on your skinYou can buy gently based water from most stores for drinking, it tastes more like mineral water and it might help alleviate a minor stomach acheKeep in mind, its a degreaser. Medicinal use of baking soda might be 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon irregularly for acute stomach pain.All those ions are dangerous though, eventually. Has effect on heart and other muscles. I don't think its wise to fortify a drink with this stuff unless its in very small amounts. It also absorbs alot faster from fluid then in food, giving you higher peak blood levels. If its in bread or something, you have to digest it to release it into the bodyalso, expect laxitive like effects. I can imagine someone going to the ER after medicating a stomach ache (after eating olestra rich potato chips) with some of these salts that soften your stools.I suggest you get a good 'teaspoon' kit starting at 1/64 to 1/8 if your experimenting with this for baking etc. 1/64th is a drop, 1/32 is a smidgen. A pinch is 1/16th. It does not mean a pinch made by your big ass hands. Some people think that these measurements mean tilt the container and tap it with your hands to get 'a little bit'. At this point its chemistry. I saw a recipe say add apinchof salt, and people think that means to use three fingers to make a impromptu claw arm in order to get 1/2 a teaspoon out of the box lol. ALso true for nut meg, IMO its why people hate nut meg, they don't have a measurement instrument under 1/2 teaspoon and decide to eyeball it. Once you see the actual size of the little fractional spoons you will be amazed at how wrong you are. I don't think a good chef would eyeball less then 1/4, and a professional baker probobly would not even try doing a cup by eyeI often wondered why its not more popular, and I think what happened is that in the past when you heard these terms being used often (properly) spices and cooking additives were expensive enough that it just basically made sense to measure them, but with globalization and stuff... its so opulent that people psychologically don't find it appealing to precisely measure this stuff....

author: incf
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2025, 01:53:03 am
content: Quote from: IanB on May 08, 2025, 12:31:55 amBaking soda is sodium bicarbonate - salty.I'd expect calcium bicarbonate to taste calciumy.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2025, 01:54:36 am
content: you mean chalky. Has no one here ever had Tums, rolaid, etc?? In a survival situation you would probobly make a medical treatment from chalk and waterAlso, its not very soluble. The seltzer will help dissolve it and make bicarboonateBut if you eat it, the stomach should dissolve itThat's why I don't get the thread. Its like making a tums flavored drink without the peppermint. Its kind of nasty.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalk

author: BradC
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2025, 02:42:09 am
content: Sounds like the perfect recipe for kidney stones.