Is “aluminum free” baking powder important? I think aluminum free baking powder does make recipes taste better. Additionally, there are a lot of conflicting reports about whether or not consuming aluminum is harmful. My general rule of thumb is that if something “might” be bad for you, and you can avoid it, then you probably should. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ATSDR is a government agency who’s website states that small levels of Aluminum exposure are generally safe, but high levels of exposure can lead to bone disease (& in some cases brain disease) in children, and Alzheimer’s disease in adults.

The trouble is, though general amounts of Aluminum we are exposed to in products and environmentally are defined, I cannot seem to find a clear definition of what is considered to be a “high” or “low” level.  For a few cents more, I’d just as soon avoid it. I have the same rule for cosmetics and other products that contain aluminum, but that’s another blog. 😉