Grains, Daals & Pulses

Baking Soda in Daal and Chana: Softer Beans, Lost Vitamins (Video)

2:24 min

Read the full written guide: Baking Soda in Daal and Chana: Softer Beans, Lost Vitamins →

We break down what happens when you add a pinch of baking soda to dal or chickpeas. Learn the chemistry, the trade-offs for nutrients, and why the trick may not be worth it.

Get practical alternatives, long soak, salty water, and soft water, that give you soft beans without losing vitamin B1. This is cooking advice, not medical guidance.

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Transcript

Can a pinch of baking soda really cut bean cooking time?

Can a pinch of baking soda really cut bean cooking time?

Baking Soda in Daal?

Ever wonder if a pinch of baking soda really speeds up cooking beans? Stay till the end for the single best tip.

How soda softens

Baking soda makes the cooking water alkaline, which quickly breaks down the pectin and hemicellulose that hold chickpea skins together. The result is softer beans in minutes instead of hours. That's why street vendors and home cooks alike rely on it to cut cooking time and fuel use.

Soak time

A typical soak for chickpeas lasts eight to twelve hours, letting the natural fibers relax before any heat is applied.

What you lose

The alkaline trick also destroys thiamine, the vitamin B1 that helps turn food into energy. You may notice a duller colour, a softer texture, and sometimes a faint soapy taste if you overdo it. One bowl won't cause a deficiency, but regular use could add up over time.

Kitchen proverb

As a kitchen proverb says, soda saves you whistles, but it spends vitamins to do it.

Better softening tricks

Instead of soda, start with fresh pulses, soak them for eight to twelve hours in plenty of water, add a teaspoon of salt per litre, and use soft water if yours is hard. Discard the soaking water and rinse the pulses to remove oligosaccharides that cause gas.

Soda amount

If you really need soda, just a pinch, about one eighth of a teaspoon per 250 grams of dry beans, added to the soak, then rinsed away before cooking.

Use soda?

So, should you use baking soda? It depends on your priorities: speed versus nutrition. If you have high blood pressure, remember soda adds sodium, so consult a doctor.

The one tip

The safest shortcut is to add a tiny pinch of soda to the soaking water, drain and rinse, then cook in fresh water, this limits vitamin loss while still softening the beans.

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Read the full guide

Read the complete guide on thecareonline.com. This is general information, not medical advice.

Nothing on The Care Online is medical advice. Traditional practices are described as tradition, not as fact. Take a persistent or serious concern to a qualified professional. See how videos and posts are made on our methodology page.