Baking soda and bicarbonate of soda are two names for the same cooking ingredient: sodium bicarbonate. Baking powder is a different mixture, so that is not the same name-only swap.
The difference at a glance
Yes. In cooking, baking soda and bicarbonate of soda are two names for the same ingredient: sodium bicarbonate. A British pack marked bicarbonate of soda is the ingredient a recipe means by baking soda. Baking powder is a different mixture, so do not treat that as another interchangeable name. [1] [2]
| Check | Baking soda | Bicarbonate of soda |
|---|---|---|
| Name on the recipe or pack | Common recipe name for sodium bicarbonate. [2] | Common British pack name for the same ingredient. [1] |
| Shared identity | Sodium bicarbonate. [2] | Sodium bicarbonate. [1] |
| Shared baking role | Alkaline raising ingredient, used with an acidic partner. [2] | The same role; the longer name does not make it a different strength. [1] |
| Name-only recipe swap | Keep the recipe’s amount and measuring unit. | Keep the same amount when it is the same food-use ingredient. [1] |
| Different from baking powder? | Yes: baking powder includes additional components. [2] | Yes: the distinction is unchanged by the name. [1] |
Suppose an invented recipe says one level teaspoon of baking soda, and your baking cupboard contains a food-use pack labelled bicarbonate of soda. Read the pack to confirm the ingredient. You can then follow that instruction as one level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. You have translated the name, not reformulated the recipe. [1]
There is no reason to double or halve that amount merely because the British pack uses a longer name. Equally, the example does not convert a teaspoon into grams: if the recipe gives a weight, follow that weight. These are reading checks, not a tested baking formula.
Baking soda provides the alkaline component of a raising reaction. With an acidic ingredient, it releases carbon dioxide. Baking powder includes both alkaline and acidic components, so it is a prepared mixture rather than another name for plain bicarbonate. [1] [2]
That difference explains why a recipe can list both. Seeing baking soda and baking powder in one ingredient list does not mean you should combine their quantities into one entry. Follow the recipe’s separate instructions. [2]
An unlabelled white powder cannot be identified reliably by how it looks.
Yes, if it is the food-use bicarbonate ingredient. They are two names for the same thing. [1] [2]
No. The name change does not alter the ingredient or create a new substitution ratio. Keep the same stated measure. [1]
No. Baking powder is a mixture with additional components. It is not a second label for plain baking soda. [1] [2]
It is a shortened form of bicarbonate of soda. Check the full ingredient name on the food-use pack when buying it. [1]
Source pages checked on 25 October 2026. The examples and self-checks were written for this article with AI assistance and checked against the listed material.
The featured image is an AI-generated editorial illustration, not a photograph, measurement or record of a test.
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