Food and Cooking Chemistry FAQs
Get answers to your questions about food and cooking chemistry.
How Do I Make Rock Candy?
Rock candy is candy made by crystallizing sugar. You can grow sugar crystals yourself, plus add color and flavor to make rock candy that you can eat.
Rock candy is candy made by crystallizing sugar. You can grow sugar crystals yourself, plus add color and flavor to make rock candy that you can eat.
Is It Safe to Use Kitchen Glassware for Chemistry?
Is it safe to use your kitchen glassware and utensils for chemistry experiments? Here's a look at some of the risks involved in using your dishes for chemistry.
Is it safe to use your kitchen glassware and utensils for chemistry experiments? Here's a look at some of the risks involved in using your dishes for chemistry.
Are Copper Bowls Really Better for Whipping Egg Whites?
Explanation of why copper bowls are used when whipping egg whites.
Explanation of why copper bowls are used when whipping egg whites.
Can I Make a Battery from Fruit?
If you have fruit, a couple of nails, and wire then you can generate electricity to turn on a light bulb. Learn how to make a fruit battery. It's fun, safe, and easy.
If you have fruit, a couple of nails, and wire then you can generate electricity to turn on a light bulb. Learn how to make a fruit battery. It's fun, safe, and easy.
Can You Drink Too Much Water?
It's important to drink plenty of fluids, but can you overdo it? Learn the truth about water intoxication and hyponatremia.
It's important to drink plenty of fluids, but can you overdo it? Learn the truth about water intoxication and hyponatremia.
Do You Burn More Calories when you Think Hard?
Find out how many calories you burn when thinking and how it compares with the energy expended by physical exercise.
Find out how many calories you burn when thinking and how it compares with the energy expended by physical exercise.
Does Eating Turkey Make You Sleepy?
Find out why everyone wants to take a nap after Thanksgiving Day turkey dinner. Let's talk turkey and learn about L-tryptophan and carbohydrate metabolism.
Find out why everyone wants to take a nap after Thanksgiving Day turkey dinner. Let's talk turkey and learn about L-tryptophan and carbohydrate metabolism.
How Can I Reduce my Fluoride Exposure?
Fluoride isn't only found in toothpaste and water. There are many everyday sources and several steps you can take to lower your exposure.
Fluoride isn't only found in toothpaste and water. There are many everyday sources and several steps you can take to lower your exposure.
How Can I Test for Vitamin C?
Use this redox-based iodometric titration to determine the amount of Vitamin C or ascorbic acid in juice and other samples.
Use this redox-based iodometric titration to determine the amount of Vitamin C or ascorbic acid in juice and other samples.
How Do I Make Rock Candy?
Sugar crystals are also known as rock candy since the crystallized sucrose resembles rock crystals and because you can eat your finished product. You can grow clear sugar crystals with sugar and water or you can add food coloring to get colored crystals. It's simple, safe, and fun.
Sugar crystals are also known as rock candy since the crystallized sucrose resembles rock crystals and because you can eat your finished product. You can grow clear sugar crystals with sugar and water or you can add food coloring to get colored crystals. It's simple, safe, and fun.
How Do I Substitute Between Baking Powder and Baking Soda?
Baking powder and baking soda both are leavening agents, which means they help baked goods to rise. They are not the same chemical, but you can substitute one for another in recipes. Here's how.
Baking powder and baking soda both are leavening agents, which means they help baked goods to rise. They are not the same chemical, but you can substitute one for another in recipes. Here's how.
How Do Pop Rocks Candy Work?
Find out how pop rocks candy works and whether or not it's true your stomach will explode if you wash down pop rocks with soda.
Find out how pop rocks candy works and whether or not it's true your stomach will explode if you wash down pop rocks with soda.
If civilization ended today, could I still make beer?
If civilization ended right now, could I still make beer? Learn about how beer is brewed and what is required to make this popular alcoholic beverage.
If civilization ended right now, could I still make beer? Learn about how beer is brewed and what is required to make this popular alcoholic beverage.
What Are the Uses of Food Additives?
This is a list of common food additives and a description of their uses.
This is a list of common food additives and a description of their uses.
What Is Absinthe and What Made it Illegal?
Absinthe has been enjoying a resurgence in popularity, as countries lift the ban on making the green wormwood and anise-flavored spirit. Learn about the history of the liqueur, why it was banned, a bit about its chemistry, how to make absinthe, and how to drink it.
Absinthe has been enjoying a resurgence in popularity, as countries lift the ban on making the green wormwood and anise-flavored spirit. Learn about the history of the liqueur, why it was banned, a bit about its chemistry, how to make absinthe, and how to drink it.
What Is in Chewing Gum?
Learn about the ingredients in chewing gum and find out whether it's true gum stays in your stomach seven years if you swallow it.
Learn about the ingredients in chewing gum and find out whether it's true gum stays in your stomach seven years if you swallow it.
What Is the Difference Between Baking Powder & Baking Soda?
Learn about the difference between these two common cooking ingredients, the effect of substitutions, and find out how you can use baking soda to make your own baking powder.
Learn about the difference between these two common cooking ingredients, the effect of substitutions, and find out how you can use baking soda to make your own baking powder.
What Is the Most Bitter Compound?
I've had some scorched coffee that I'm sure should have qualified for this award, but it turns out there's a real answer to this question of taste. Do you know what it is?
I've had some scorched coffee that I'm sure should have qualified for this award, but it turns out there's a real answer to this question of taste. Do you know what it is?
What Is the Sweetest Compound?
Did you know there are sweeteners that are 200,000 times sweeter than table sugar? Take a look at this list to find out how your favorite sweetener rates.
Did you know there are sweeteners that are 200,000 times sweeter than table sugar? Take a look at this list to find out how your favorite sweetener rates.
Why Do Cut or Bruised Apples Turn Brown?
Learn why apples, pears, bananas, potatoes, and other fruits and vegetables turn brown when they are cut or damaged.
Learn why apples, pears, bananas, potatoes, and other fruits and vegetables turn brown when they are cut or damaged.
Why Do Onions Make You Cry?
Find out why you cry when you cut onions and how you can keep it from happening.
Find out why you cry when you cut onions and how you can keep it from happening.
Why Do People Tap on Cans?
When you tap on the top of an unopened carbonated beverage you reduce the chance that it will spray all over you upon opening. Your About Chemistry Guide explains what happens and how it works.
When you tap on the top of an unopened carbonated beverage you reduce the chance that it will spray all over you upon opening. Your About Chemistry Guide explains what happens and how it works.
Why Does Ice Float?
Learn about hydrogen bonding and density to understand why ice floats on water.
Learn about hydrogen bonding and density to understand why ice floats on water.