# Why does cornbread + soda = disgusting taste?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cornbread-soda-disgusting-taste/332881>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 27, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cornbread-soda-disgusting-taste/332881 "2005-11-27T04:50:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cornbread-soda-disgusting-taste/332881/1 "2005-11-27T04:50:27Z")

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I drink soda with all types of food that I would imagine share ingredients with cornbread. But then why is it that when I consume cornbread and soda there is a strong, bitter taste that makes me want to spit it out?

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**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cornbread-soda-disgusting-taste/332881/2 "2005-11-27T12:09:44Z")

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I have no idea, but when I read the title I recalled a similar question I used to ponder a lot as a kid: Where does the strange (not disgusting but _very_ strange) taste which you get when drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth come from?

I guess it’s some chemical reaction with the acid in the juice, but I don’t know any details.

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**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cornbread-soda-disgusting-taste/332881/3 "2005-11-27T12:19:01Z")

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Exactly, **Schnitte**. I have never understood how people could get up, brush their teeth with toothpaste, then immediately have orange juice at breakfast. The resulting taste is vile. So I brush without paste before breakfast, and with paste after breakfast.

I thought the OP was about making cornbread like Irish soda bread, i.e. made with bicarbonate of soda. After I opened and read the OP, I saw you were talking about pop.

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**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cornbread-soda-disgusting-taste/332881/4 "2005-11-27T15:15:32Z")

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It doesn’t. It tastes wonderful. (Now I want some cornbread… :()

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**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cornbread-soda-disgusting-taste/332881/5 "2005-11-28T16:05:58Z")

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I’d speculate that it’s something to do with the clash of alkali with acid. This would depend on cornbread having some alkaline raising agent in (?). This ignorant guess would make more sense with the toothpaste/orange juice combo perhaps.