Common Health Uses for Cream of Tartar

Cream of Tartar

Also known as potassium bitartrate, cream of tartar is an odorless white powder that is a by-product of winemaking. It is often used in baking, but there is more to it than just enhancing the texture and substance of baked goods. There are health uses for cream of tartar and they concern weight loss and minimizing the effects of smoking.

Weight Loss

Cream of tartar is often used to give sugary desserts and baked goods more texture and substance. It adds texture to candy and frosting used on cakes while it makes the batter for baked goods creamier. This added body of substance in these food can contribute to the illusion that a person has eaten enough of it. This prevents people from eating more of the sweet food, therefore contributing to the process of eating less. Of course, this is not a considerably effective way of losing weight. It can only help by minimizing the chances of people overeating sweet food.

Cream of tartar contains an abundance of potassium. This mineral is known to assist in shedding a body’s water weight, adding to the belief that cream of tartar is an effective element in helping the body lose weight. Cream of tartar is also known to assist in the control of candida, which is a yeast that makes weight loss harder. Controlling the amount of this yeast in the body with the help of cream of tartar effectively increases the chances of weight loss to occur.

Minimizing Effects of Smoking

It is general knowledge that smoking is bad for one’s health, so the ability to quit the habit is a step closer to a healthier life. Whether a person quits smoking or not, they can use cream of tartar to replace the potassium that the cardiovascular system loses due to smoking. There are other types of minerals and vitamins that the body loses due to smoking. However, as far as potassium is concerned, its abundance in cream of tartar leaves one lost mineral found. Smoking also makes the pH balance of the body too acidic, due to the toxins brought in by cigarettes. Cream of tartar helps in balancing this pH level thanks to its base properties.

Disadvantages

You can use cream of tartar to help your effort in losing weight or minimizing the effects of smoking, but you have to remember that it does have its disadvantages. First, the abundance of potassium in cream of tartar, with approximately 495 mg per teaspoon, can pose a threat to people with kidney disease. It is unlikely that a person will ingest more than the 3,500 mg daily requirement, but there is still the risk of causing side effects to people with kidney disease. Its laxative effect can also pose as a disadvantage if too much of it is ingested. Again, this is unlikely to happen, but the possibility of problems with bowel movement is still present.

Conclusion

The health uses for cream of tartar are considerably important, considering that it is a by-product substance and is not really known for anything other than giving more fluff to desserts.

References

Live Strong: https://www.livestrong.com/article/281727-how-to-lose-weight-with-cream-of-tartar/

Dr. Janet Starr Hull: https://www.janethull.com/newsletter/0807/nosmokin_the_cream_of_tartar.php

Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons / Supplied by Chemicalinterest - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Potassium_hydrogen_tartrate_(1).JPG

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