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Simple chemistry experiments using ordinary kitchen equipment illustrate facts about molecules, matter, elements, compounds, mixtures, and vitamins.
Over the past decade there has been a resurgence of interest in growing fruit and vegetables in the garden and on the allotment. Part of the driving force behind this is an increased awareness of the health benefits that can be derived from fruit and vegetables in the diet. The 'five helpings a day' dictum reflects the correlation between a regular consumption of fruit and vegetables and a reduced incidence of, for example, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Growing your own vegetables provides the opportunity to harvest them at their peak, to minimize the time for post-harvest deterioration prior to consumption and to reduce their 'food miles'. It also provides an opportunity to grow interesting and less common cultivars. The combination of economic advantages and recreational factors add to the pleasure of growing fruit and vegetables. This book covers the natural products that have been identified in common 'home-grown' fruit and vegetables and which contribute to their organoleptic and beneficial properties. Over the last fifty years the immense advances in separation methods and spectroscopic techniques for structure elucidation have led to the identification of a wide range of natural products in fruit and vegetables. Not only have many of their beneficial properties been recognized but also their ecological roles in the development of plants have been identified. The functional role of many of these natural products is to mediate the balance between an organism and its environment in terms of microbial, herbivore or plant to plant interactions. The book is aimed at readers with a chemical background who wish to know a little more about the natural products that they are eating, their beneficial effects, and the roles that these compounds have in nature. Developments in the understanding of the ecological and beneficial chemistry of fruit and vegetables have made the exploration of their chemical diversity a fascinating and expanding area of natural product chemistry and readers will obtain some 'taste' for this chemistry from the book. It develops in more detail the relevant sections from the earlier RSC book 'Chemistry in the Garden'. The book begins with an outline of the major groups of compound that are found in fruit and vegetables. This is followed by a description of aspects of environmental chemistry that contribute to the successful cultivation of these crops. Subsequent chapters deal with individual plants which are grouped in terms of the part of the plant, roots, bulbs and stems, leaves, seeds, that are used for food. The final chapters deal with fruit and herbs. The epilogue considers some general aspects of ecological chemistry and climatic stress which may, in the future, affect the growth of fruit and vegetables in the garden particularly in the context of potential climate changes. The book concludes with a section on further reading, a glossary of terms used in plant chemistry and a list of the common fruit and vegetables grouped in their plant families.
Whether you know it or not, you become a chemist any time you step into a kitchen. As you cook, you oversee intricate chemical transformations that would test even the most hardened of professional chemists. Focussing on how and why we cook different dishes the way we do, this book introduces basic chemistry through everyday foods and meal preparations. Through its unique meal-by-meal organisation, the book playfully explores the chemistry that turns our food into meals. Topics covered range from roasting coffee beans to scrambling eggs and gluten development in breads. The book features many experiments that you can try in your own kitchen, such as exploring the melting properties of cheese, retaining flavour when cooking and pairing wines with foods. Through molecular chemistry, biology, neuroscience, physics and agriculture, the author discusses various aspects of cooking and food preparation. This is a fascinating read for anyone interested in the science behind cooking.
It's no secret that cooking at home and creating meals from scratch is often healthier than dining out or reheating pre-made food. What might come as a surprise, though, is that doing so with your partner has its own set of health benefits. From refining communication skills, increasing feelings of support, creating quality bonding time, and stimulating sex drive, cooking a meal together is the new and improved date night. Authors TJ Anderson and Amanda Gyuran will highlight each step of the process for readers, creating rituals for relationships. In doing so, couples develop in and out of the kitchen—preparing food, emotional intimacy practices, and creating time together. By incorporating these rituals, each meal made in Kitchen Chemistry will leave you feeling fully nourished, on a physical, emotional, and relational level. This unique cookbook for couples features 100 whole food-based recipes, homemade aphrodisiacs and intimacy rituals that will create better health together. This is the perfect book to grow closer to your partner, get messy, and get healthier all at the same time.
* 2021 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books in Middle Grade Longlist * 2021 NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book * 2021 EUREKA! Nonfiction Children’s Honor Book Aspiring young chemists will discover an amazing group of role models and memorable experiments in Chemistry for Kids, the debut book of The Kitchen Pantry Scientist series. Replicate a chemical reaction similar to one Marie Curie used to purify radioactive elements. Distill perfume using a method created in ancient Mesopotamia by a woman named Tapputi. This engaging guide offers a series of snapshots of 25 scientists famous for their work with chemistry, from ancient history through today. Each lab tells the story of a scientist along with some background about the importance of their work, and a description of where it is still being used or reflected in today’s world. A step-by-step illustrated experiment paired with each story offers kids a hands-on opportunity for exploring concepts the scientists pursued, or are working on today. Experiments range from very simple projects using materials you probably already have on hand, to more complicated ones that may require a few inexpensive items you can purchase online. Just a few of the incredible people and scientific concepts you’ll explore: Galen (b. 129 AD) Make soap from soap base, oil, and citrus peels. Modern application: medical disinfectants Joseph Priestly (b. 1733) Carbonate a beverage using CO2 from yeast or baking soda and vinegar mixture. Modern application: soda fountains Alessandra Volta (b. 1745) Make a battery using a series of lemons and use it to light an LED. Modern application: car battery Tu Youyou (b. 1930) Extract compounds from plants. Modern application: pharmaceuticals and cosmetics People have been tinkering with chemistry for thousands of years. Whether out of curiosity or by necessity, Homo sapiens have long loved to play with fire: mixing and boiling concoctions to see what interesting, beautiful, and useful amalgamations they could create. Early humans ground pigments to create durable paint for cave walls, and over the next 70 thousand years or so as civilizations took hold around the globe, people learned to make better medicines and discovered how to extract, mix, and smelt metals for cooking vessels, weapons, and jewelry. Early chemists distilled perfume, made soap, and perfected natural inks and dyes. Modern chemistry was born around 250 years ago, when measurement, mathematics, and the scientific method were officially applied to experimentation. In 1896, after the first draft of the periodic table was published, scientists rushed to fill in the blanks. The elemental discoveries that followed gave scientists the tools to visualize the building blocks of matter for the first time in history, and they proceeded to deconstruct the atom. Since then, discovery has accelerated at an unprecedented rate. At times, modern chemistry and its creations have caused heartbreaking, unthinkable harm, but more often than not, it makes our lives better. With this fascinating, hands-on exploration of the history of chemistry, inspire the next generation of great scientists. Dig into even more incredible science history from The Kitchen Pantry Scientist series with: Biology for Kids, Physics for Kids, Math for Kids, and Ecology for Kids.
Do you know why honey drips whereas ketchup refuses to budge in the bottle? Or what kettles have in common with power stations, or how to cook with radar? This delightful and accessible book provides a smorgasbord and a whirlwind tour of the multitude of physical phenomena that occur in a kitchen: from the diffusion of nutrients during cooking to how an extractor fan works, how smells disperse, and where quantum effects are hidden. These and numerous other fascinating phenomena are served up in an engaging manner that will fascinate and tantalise the taste buds of anyone who enjoys eating, cooking or simply spending time in the kitchen. No specialist technical or mathematical knowledge is required to enjoy this book. Tuck right in and discover the universe of physical laws in your very own kitchen...
