We all know about stomach acid and how it helps us digest the food we eat. But did you know that this acid in your stomach is so strong that it can even dissolve metal?
Stomach acid, also called gastric acid or gastric juice, is composed of Hydrochloric acid (HCl), potassium chloride (KCl), and sodium chloride (NaCl). The concentration of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is about 0.5 percent or 5,000 parts per million.
Hydrochloric acid acts as the first line of defense against bacterial and viral infections.
Various germs enter our stomach when we eat and breathe, but these germs cannot survive because of the Hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
How strong is stomach acid?
Acids are measured on a scale known as the pH scale with a range from 0 to 14. The lower the pH level, the more strongly acidic the fluid.
The pH of a healthy stomach is usually 1.0-2.0.This low pH level of stomach fluids typically keeps it free of microbes. But at the same time, these pH levels put stomach acid in almost the same category as battery acid, which can dissolve steel.
