I always thought baking powder was just an innocuous addition to pancakes, muffins etc… I admit, I never really gave it much thought. I always bought it from my local health food store and made sure to buy the aluminum free package. I just thought that was good enough. WRONG! After further inspection here’s what I found:
Corn Starch: high probability it’s GMO
Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate: a buffering and chelating agent that may be very hazardous upon skin or eye contact, inhalation or ingestion, causing severe inflammation
Mono Calcium Phosphates: a leavening agent that softens dough and creates fluffiness. Used extensively in the fertilizer industry. No known side effects (huh?).
Calcium Sulphate (aka calcium sulfate): used as a dough conditioner, to extend shelf life, a preservative
VERDICT: Baking Powder (with questionable ingredients)…meet trash! Adios!
Enter Baking Powder #2
After trashing my first baking powder, I zeroed in on another seemingly cleaner one from my local health food store. Let’s check it out:
Ingredients: 
Tapioca Starch: the starch extracted from the root of the cassava plant, used as a thickening agent.
Potassium Bitartrate (cream of tartar): a stabilizer and allows for a smooth texture in baking and stiffness in meringues. Forms at the bottom of barrels when making wine and is a naturally occurring substance in grapes and some other tart fruit.
Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda): leavening agent
VERDICT: OK
I have since done my own bit of research and have learned that there’s really no secret to making your own baking powder.
Home Made Baking Powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
Mix and voila! I make only as much as I need each time.
Also shared on Food Renegade, Designs By Gollum, Real Food Whole Health, Tidy Mom, Ann Kroeker, Nourishing Treasures, This Chick Cooks, Intoxicated on Life, Musings of a Housewife, My Sweet and Savory, Natural Living Mamma, Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
