Looking for baking powder without aluminum? I’ve got you covered with this super simple aluminum-free baking powder recipe. It also happens to be a corn-free baking powder so if you’re on a corn-free diet, it will work great for you as well!
If you’re concerned about aluminum in baking powder, you’re not alone.
While there has not been a definitive connection between aluminum in foods like baking powder and Alzheimer’s, many people are still looking to avoid aluminum in their foods, personal care products, and more.
Why Is There Aluminum in Baking Powder?
Some baking powders are made with an aluminum-based salt–sodium aluminum sulfate or sodium aluminum phosphate. These substances become acidic when heated.
Baking soda is basic and it reacts with an acid to make baked goods rise. So these aluminum salts are part of what makes your baking powder containing baked goods rise.
As I mentioned, it’s been debated whether or not this form of aluminum contributes to such diseases as Alzheimer’s, etc., but regardless, many people wish to avoid this ingredient.
Interestingly, some people claim that baking powder that contains sodium aluminum sulfate can result in baked goods having a metallic taste, however from my research, that doesn’t seem to be the case–they appear to be either tasting some kind of residue from their baking pan or what they are tasting is the result of too much baking soda.
What Is Aluminum-free Baking Powder?
Aluminum-free baking powder is simply a baking powder that doesn’t contain sodium aluminum sulfate or any other aluminum-containing ingredient.
Does Baking Soda Contain Aluminum?
This is a very interesting question and one that needs to be addressed.
Contrary to some sources, baking soda does not contain aluminum, so if you see a product labeled “aluminum-free baking soda”, that is either a marketing ploy, or an uninformed company.
Corn-free Baking Powder
Not only is this homemade baking powder an aluminum-free baking powder, but it’s also a corn-free baking powder. Most baking powder is made with cornstarch, but this one is not–making it a corn-free baking powder recipe.
As such, it’s perfect for those avoiding corn as well as those on a grain-free diet.
In fact, as it turns out, this recipe works for many special diets. It’s not only corn-free, but it also works for the paleo, AIP, and grain-free diets.
Why Make Your Own Aluminum-Free Baking Powder?
- Corn Allergies – almost all baking powder is made with cornstarch
- Avoiding GMOs – most baking powders are made with GMO corn
- Avoiding Additives – as mentioned above, many baking powders contain sodium aluminum sulfate, which some people wish to avoid
- You Ran Out of Baking Powder – having a DIY option for making staples such as baking powder is a huge help for those moments when you run out of an ingredient unexpectedly
- You Are On a Special Diet – This Homemade Baking Powder is whole30, paleo, AIP (autoimmune paleo), gluten-free, THM, and more
Recipe Substitutions
- Alternative Starches: If need be, you can use organic tapioca flour / starch instead of arrowroot, or, if you are not avoiding corn, organic cornstarch may also be substituted.
Other Homemade Pantry Staples to Try:
– Best Healthier Cinnamon Sugar (3 Ways) – get 3 great recipes for the all time favorite sugary blend, and see which one we liked best! Plus they can all be made sugar-free!
– Vegetable Broth Mix | All Purpose Seasoning – this mix is sure to be a huge favorite in your home. It tastes great on EVERYTHING!
– Homemade Vanilla Liquid Stevia – save loads of money by making this yourself–it’s so easy!
– Homemade Rice Milk – you won’t believe how easy it is to make your own dairy-free milk. Save money and it’s better for the environment too!
– Powdered Egg Replacer (like Ener-G) – whether you’re avoiding eggs or happened to just run out, this is a great substitute for all your egg-free baking!
– Easiest Coconut Milk – we make this several times each and every week. It’s a super frugal and convenient dairy-free beverage option that works for almost any application.
Recipe Substitutions for Homemade Baking Powder
- You can use organic tapioca flour / starch instead of arrowroot, or, if you are not avoiding corn, organic cornstarch may be substituted.
Don’t Feel Like DIYing?
Sometimes, you just don’t want to make something. If that’s your situation, this baking powder is a great aluminum-free option, but keep in mind that it does contain non-GMO corn.
Aluminum-free Baking Powder (grain free, paleo)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a small bowl. Blend with a whisk to mix well.
- Store in a tightly-closed container to prevent moisture from entering and causing the ingredients to begin to react.
- Use as you would regular baking powder.
Notes
- This recipe can easily be doubled or made in whatever quantity you like.
- Alternative Starches: If desired, you can use organic tapioca flour / starch instead of arrowroot, or, if you are not avoiding corn, organic cornstarch may also be substituted.
I’d love to hear how this baking powder works for you!
(Note: This recipe was originally published in 2011. It was republished with new images and new helpful information. For reference, following is an image from an earlier edition of the post.)
Hi, I also was looking for aluminum free baking powder and do not
want to use GMO cornstarch. Thanks.
Re. lectins: I read in Dr. Joseph Mercola’s newsletter about cooking
legumes/grains containing lectins. He says if you soak, please do
rinse off the water several times during the soaking. Then cook
them at very high heat/boiling for a certain time. For all the steps,
check it out on his website.
Great! Glad to have helped. There is a lot of information out there about lectins. I have heard that pressure cooking deals with a lot of them as well. Did you see my post on de-gassing beans?
I use your recipe every time I need baking powder. I keep it in the fridge in an airtight bag, but was wondering what is the shelf life of this baking powder? Thanks-Robin
Good question. Typically for something like this where you are blending items, the shelf life will be that of the ingredient w/ the shortest shelf life so it depends on how fresh your ingredients are.
Hi Adrienne,
You can have animal products, just less. Choose organic, and stay away from the animals that are fed corn and soy (which was why I was reacting to the meat).
If you do not have autoimmune, heart, cancer, or weight issues, you probably won’t have to take many of his suggestions, but I STILL recommend his book, You cannot get the lectins out of wheat and corn. If you do eat wheat, be sure to AVOID whole wheat, and use white rice instead of brown. We now GMO crops to produce MORE lectins so bugs won’t eat them…
Anyway, Hope you read the book, the Plant Paradox, by Dr. Steven Gundry. It’s $30 at Barnes and Nobel, and $20 on Amazon and SO worthwhile.
And he is absolutely helping thousands of people. Eventually much of the info will be common knowledge. (Disclaimer – his marketing team is a bit too agressive, and he is also fat-phobic to a crazy degree, but other than that, he is saving lives and educating people, and that’s the part I care about.) By the way, once we calm our bodies down, repair our guts, our bodies can take on the job of detoxing themselves, as friends of mine have found out. Speaking of that – you might check out Annie Hopper’s DNRS system, she teaches people how to use their thinking brain to calm down automatic bodily responses to triggers (like corn, for me). I used to react to more foods and chemicals and even electronics and environmental molds before utilizing her methods. It works. Take care! Patricia
I have actually been looking at his information yesterday and today. Not sure what to make of it. I think some of it makes sense but some is very confusing.
Can you tell me what you would recommend of her DNRS? I would like to try it.
As for the Plant Paradox, I wonder about his study. It states that 93% of people had complete remission. This seems pretty unbelievable to me since I am in groups where people are talking about this diet and many / some say it didn’t help them. I wonder if he handpicked these success stories? Not saying it might not be a huge help, particularly if someone is eating the SAD diet, but I hope that makes sense.
Also the lectin thing is a little odd – cooking and soaking, etc., is known to greatly reduce lectins. I read that that might be the case but for people who are sensitive that would still be a problem, and that maybe 94% of the lectins are gone, but the remaining 6% is a problem. However…if that’s the case, then almost all foods should be off the diet b/c other foods for sure have that same amount of lectins in them.
I really would like to know how his study was performed and what the eating habits were of those who did the program. Does that make sense? Look forward to hearing from you on the DNRS – thank you!
Annie Hopper’s book, Wired for Healing, discusses harnessing your brains amazing neuroplasticity. ($18 Amazon). This book does not (and never claims to) give you the HOW TO FIX IT, because, simply, DNRS is too involved for a “5 easy steps” book. It’d be several books. You can order the DVD’s ($250?-$300?) and commit to investing the time to put it into practice. I went to an in person seminar. Between what I learned there and what I’ve learned from reading Dr. Gundry’s super informational and practical Plant Paradox (very much a How-To book), I have a far better outlook on my future. Now, only when my body is in some sort of crisis (an accident, surgery, etc) do I have to be more careful of avoiding triggers or ALL of my autoimmune issues come roaring to life – the fibromyalgia, thyroid issues, carpal tunnel, skin, allergies, irritable bowel, and on and on . But I now have such a better understanding of what can cause issues and why, and I have more many more tools do deal with it all. Yay!
Hi there. I have been looking more into her material. It’s interesting. The only concern I have right now is that I hear she has recommended people go off of their supplements and just do her DNRS–seems like a not too smart thing to me.
As for Plant Paradox I think that’s interesting as well but I have concerns / thoughts there too. About lectins being the issue. Not that they aren’t for sure, but his food list is inconsistent. I should write a post about it. I would like to ask–have you thought about if you could have mold in your home? Glad you are doing better!
By using some of the info in Plant Paradox book (only a $20 investment) and the DNRS (less than $300 for DVD’s) I have radically changed my outlook and health. I simply do not believe anyone on the DNRS team would tell you to go off supplements – anyway, it would be up to you. It’s pretty common sense. You’ll most likely find that you don’t need many of them eventually, but surely that’s your choice. As far as mold – it is everywhere. If you’re compromised your body can put up a fuss to even teensy traces of mold, but once you are healthier, your body can detox itself pretty well with no conscious interference. I’d once thought I’d have to rip out walls and floors because of mold only I could smell, but now … it is not an issue. In fact that sensitivity was among the first issues to resolve itself.
I am so so glad to hear that you are doing better! I think the mind is definitely connected. The lectin thing appears to me to be a mixed bag. I think they are an issue but then I read that they are beneficial too and the whole balancing act re: what foods are allowed and what aren’t seems confusing to me. Did that part make sense to me?
As for the recommendation to go off of supplements, this is what someone said in a group that I am in. I’m trying to verify where they got this information:
“She’s using Anne Hooper’s program and they apparently tell them to go off of all supplements, everything and they don’t need them anymore.”
Wow, LYNN – I came on here looking for a corn free baking powder because I, too, am now following Dr. Gundry’s Plant Paradox program.
What it does is help anyone with autoimmune issues (I have had Thyroid issues, fibromyalgia, allergies, and a far longer list) and also addresses diabetes, cancer, heart disease, skin trouble, and then some. Over the last couple decades I had learned for myself the hard way I had to avoid corn, soy, wheat, and nightshades (even sunscreen) etc. Gundry sheds light on why meat was bothering me (it is fed corn/soy) and a whole host of other things people ought to know. HIGHLY recommend. I also have his cookbook and suddenly am baking and cooking lots, so needed corn free baking powder that was also potato free. So THANKS MUCH Adrienne!
Hi there – so interesting to hear this. I will check it out. So they are saying that you eat no animal products at all? What is the situation re: the sunscreen? I glanced at the information but I don’t eat lots of what he forbids, but checking it out anyhow.
What does he think about soaking grains and beans to deal with the lectins?
Anything you put on your skin gets absorbed into the body!!
Hello there. Actually not everything gets absorbed into the body. I used to think that but it’s not the case. Some things go in quicker / easier due to their being combined with other things that aid absorption. Also, some things penetrate but don’t go into the bloodstream (get absorbed). Then there are variations in individuals.
Some things have molecules that are too large to get absorbed. Hope that helps!
Thank you for the baking powder recipe. I am not only a celiac I have severe corn and soy allergy. I follow the Plant Paradox diet and you should post this as lectin free as well because a lot of people will love it and Dr Gundry has a great Mug Muffin recipe that calls for baking powder but those without the corn allergy can handle a little bit, I cannot.
Thank you Thank you!!!
Thanks, Lynn! Do you think just mentioning this in the post would be enough? I haven’t looked into that diet. What is it supposed to do? Glad to have helped!
Will definitely try making this! My mom and I both are very sensitive to all things corn like you, plus gluten and oats. Thanks!
You are so welcome!
Wow, is your website a treasure of information! Thank you for sharing. I cannot wait to try the egg substitute and baking powder.
Thank you so much – hope they work well for you!
Does any one know of a corn free cook book that would have more recipes. Like this in it?
Hi Jenny – this is a special diet cookbook with decent ratings. I think it’s worth a look! Let me know what you think and I think it should be of help. This is an affiliate link- https://amzn.to/2zZpvuF
Question, what baking soda do you use for this recipe that is corn free?
Hi there – I have never heard of a baking soda that has corn in it–are you aware of something that I am not? Thanks!
Is the cream of tartar correct? 1/2 cup? I didn’t realize I would need multiple packages of cream of tartar to make this, I want to make sure it’s correct.
Yes, it’s correct. Hope it works well for you!
Can this be made this without tartar? I found another recipe for baking soda that was like yours except it had no arrowroot in it. I have arrowroot, but no tartar. Also, I have no idea how to store this away from moisture. Guess I could try to divide the amounts to make less at a time.
Thank you,
Actually no b/c the cream of tartar is the acid. You would need to have another acidic ingredient to make it work.
An excerpt from my February 25, 2018, letter to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Re: “Corn Allergy: A Possible Death Sentence? Hospitals are not mandated to stock corn-free foods, liquids, or medications.”
“Due to the false and dangerous claims published on the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), “Ask the Expert,” and American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), “Ask the Allergist,” websites related to corn allergies, I also contacted the majority of world-wide pharmaceutical companies after a compounding pharmacist actually told a corn-allergic patient that “cornstarch is not really corn.” As a result, I have been challenging their “expert” opinion articles; and was successful in having one “expert” paper removed from the AAAAI, “Ask the Expert” website. I went so far as to personally contact each contributing “expert.” I am now challenging an extremely dangerous statement on the ACAAI website that can endanger the lives of the corn allergy population:
“Most corn-derived products, like cornstarch and high-fructose corn syrup, do not contain corn protein. If you have a corn allergy, you do not need to avoid these products.”
Please join me in signing the petition demanding the ACAAI remove their potentially life-threatening claims from their website. Thank you!
Petition to Demand that the ACAAI Remove False Statement Re: Cornstarch/High Fructose Corn Syrup
https://cornallergyadvocacyresources.blogspot.com/2018/02/petition-to-demand-that-acaai-remove.html
My February 25, 2018, letter to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Re: mandate that hospitals stock corn-free foods, fluids, & drugs for the safety of corn-allergic patients.
https://cornallergyadvocacyresources.blogspot.com/2018/02/my-february-25-2018-letter-to-us.html
This is VERY interesting. So my kids and I were just talking about this the other day…..if food allergies are due to protein then how is this possible? I think it is but what is going on here?
Thank you so much for being an advocate! I am allergic to corn and ANY corn product makes me itch including corn syrup, corn starch, maltodextrin, etc. I’m alarmed that a compound pharmacist had said corn starch isn’t corn!
I have recently developed an intolerance to corn. Did your sensitivity clear up after avoiding it for the 3 months?
Hi there. I’m not sure b/c I don’t know what tests to use to determine that but I try to really limit my intake b/c I don’t think it’s the best thing to eat. I personally only eat organic corn.
Nope! Corn is a bad one! If I eat corn I get diabetes and sores in my mouth.
If I quite corn all signs of diabetes completely disappear.
Doctor has no answers so … I read labels and avoid corn.
It is in everything!!!
I replaced baking powder in a recipe for whole wheat biscuits. I used a ratio of 1 part baking soda to 2 parts cream of tartar without any fillers such as the starches you mention, and there was quite a bitter or chemical taste to my whole wheat biscuits. Could it have been caused by the baking soda and/or cream of tartar? I’m kind of scared to try this again. (I have a daughter with a potato intolerance and we’ve been told to avoid baking powder, though I hear Rumford Non Aluminum GMO free baking powder is not sourced from potatoes…)
Hi there. I’m sorry but I have never used just cream of tartar and baking soda in a recipe. Baking soda can be very strong. You would have to reduce the amount of what you use I would think to have that work out. Rumford is from corn I think?
Hello. I’m allergic to corn, arrowroot, tapioca and potatoes. Can lemon juice and apple cider vinegar be added to the baking soda instead? If so, what would the revised recipe be?
Thank you!
I have done this – try 3/4 tsp b soda and 1 T vinegar or lemon juice!
Do you store this in the fridge or pantry?
Pantry is fine.
What is the importance of adding the arrowroot or tapioca flour? Other recipes that I have seen online only include baking soda and cream of tartar. Please advise. Tks!
Good question. I read that the purpose of the starch is to absorb any liquid to prevent a reaction between the acid and the base. I am thinking this over and not totally sure how that works since when you add them altogether it would start reacting, so maybe in reality it’s just for heft to make measuring more easy.
Thanks for posting this and I would love if you know a good substitute for cream of tartart bc I can’t eat that, but baking soda and arrowroot are fine.
Hi there. They won’t work b/c they aren’t acids, whereas cream of tartar is. You can use apple cider vinegar or lemon juice with baking soda.
Hi again. Try 1/4 the amt of citric acid.
Citric acid is made from corn
Hi there – sorry for the delay – inundated with a bunch of things. It can be made from sugar cane as well so there’s that option.
what would be a safe starting point for a cake that calls for 1 tsp baking soda. 1/2 cup buttermilk. two eggs
1 cup coca cola. allergies, wheat, corn, soy, oats.
I’m sorry but I’m not sure what you are asking? A sub for baking soda?
Yea! So happy I stumbled upon this! Corn popped up on my recent allergy test, so this is a great thing! Awesome! Thanks so much! Plus, when I clicked on the arrowroot link I noticed that you can use it in place of cornstarch. You just made my life easier. I love baking too and the thought of not being able to make something breaks my heart. You made my day with this 🙂
So happy to hear this! I know how hard allergies can be! Hope to see you around again. 🙂