Definition of a Chemical!!!!

dleithaus

If spinach had a compositional label it would read like this:

Water, chlorophyll, cellulose, oligosaccharides, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Zeaxanthin, Lutein, omega-3, 6,9 fatty acids, beta carotene, calcium, copper, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, sodium, zinc, magnesium, Glutathione, Co-Enzyme Q10, betaine, oxalic acid, Linoleic acid, Linolenic acid, Myristic acid, Palmitic acid, Stearic acid, Palmitoleic acid, Oleic acid, Tryptophan, Threonine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Valine, Arginine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Alanine, Aspartic acid, Cystine, Glutamic acid, Glycine, Proline, Serine, Tyrosine, Tryptophan, Ascorbic acid, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folate, rubiscolins, glucose, fructose.

dmpizza

Nature makes some pretty nasty things too.

ninerbuff

Not to mention that everything the human body does is from a chemical reaction...........including thinking. I'm thinking some people here are inhaling chemicals with some of the knowledge they actually possess.

dleithaus

If corn had a compositional label it would read like this:

Water, fructose, glucose, cellulose, mixed oligosaccharides, fatty acids (palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid, omega-6 linoleic acid, omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid), Protein (Tryptophan, Threonine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Cystine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Valine, Arginine, Histidine, Alanine, Aspartic acid, Glutamic acid, Glycine, Proline, Serine), phyto-nutrients (anthocyanins, beta-carotene, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid, lutein, syringic acid, vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, zeaxanthin, beta Cryptoxanthin), Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Zinc, ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate, vitamin E, vitamin K.

dleithaus

way too much time on my hands... but learning a lot.
the more you know, the better it tastes?

Giantess

I love this thread!!!!

Jorra

If corn had a compositional label it would read like this:

Water, fructose, glucose, cellulose, mixed oligosaccharides, fatty acids (palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid, omega-6 linoleic acid, omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid), Protein (Tryptophan, Threonine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Cystine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Valine, Arginine, Histidine, Alanine, Aspartic acid, Glutamic acid, Glycine, Proline, Serine), phyto-nutrients (anthocyanins, beta-carotene, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid, lutein, syringic acid, vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, zeaxanthin, beta Cryptoxanthin), Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Zinc, ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate, vitamin E, vitamin K.

I love you right now.

I try not to consume chemicals...still haven't been able to find an alternative to breathing though. I can't stand all that carbon dioxide.

laureneva15

If corn had a compositional label it would read like this:

Water, fructose, glucose, cellulose, mixed oligosaccharides, fatty acids (palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid, omega-6 linoleic acid, omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid), Protein (Tryptophan, Threonine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Cystine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Valine, Arginine, Histidine, Alanine, Aspartic acid, Glutamic acid, Glycine, Proline, Serine), phyto-nutrients (anthocyanins, beta-carotene, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid, lutein, syringic acid, vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, zeaxanthin, beta Cryptoxanthin), Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Zinc, ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate, vitamin E, vitamin K.

I love you right now.

I try not to consume chemicals...still haven't been able to find an alternative to breathing though. I can't stand all that carbon dioxide.

breath out more then, it gets rid of those nasty CO2's :P

sweetdianachka

I try not to consume chemicals...still haven't been able to find an alternative to breathing though. I can't stand all that carbon dioxide.


that made me smile!

girlinahat

I try not to consume chemicals...still haven't been able to find an alternative to breathing though. I can't stand all that carbon dioxide.


that made me smile!

however, without all that carbon dioxide being in your body in the first place, you wouldn't know WHEN to breathe in again. Don't diss CO2

dleithaus

Got beef?
If beef had a compositional label it would read like this:


Water, Protein (Arginine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Threonine, Phenylalanine, Tryptophan, Tyrosine, Valine, Methionine), Fat (Palmitic acid, Stearic acid, Myristic acid, Oleic acid, Palmitoleic acid, Linoleic acid, Linolenic acid, Arachidonic acid, tetradecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, octadecadienoic acid), Cholesterol, Purines, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Selenium, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, fluoride, iodine

dleithaus

If beans (dried varieties including great northern, pinto, and kidney beans) had a compositional label:

Water, Oligosaccharides, Protein (Tryptophan, Threonine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Cystine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Valine, Arginine, Histidine, Alanine, Aspartic acid, Glutamic acid, Glycine, Proline, Serine), purines, ascorbic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, mixed phosphates, carbonates, and nitrates, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, phytohaemagglutinin and haemagglutinin (Toxic lectins generally destroyed by cooking)

BerkleyEL

This thread is really interesting.
dleithaus, Do you take requests?

dleithaus

This thread is really interesting.
dleithaus, Do you take requests?

Sure! I am having fun seeing what I can find out.

servilia

When most people talk of "chemicals" in foods in a disparaging way they obviously mean harmful chemicals.

cjw6

But the definition of 'harmful' chemicals depends on the context. Thats kind of the point.

Di-hydrogen oxide* is extremely dangerous, kills thousand of people a year, is lethal if inhaled and can destroy homes,buildings and roads if the circumstances are correct. Yet it is also essential for human life and cellular respiration, and I am advised to take large volumes of it per day.

Potassium chloride makes up a lethal injection. Yet its components are essential for human life- for the stomach acid which enables you to digest your food, for the function of your heart and kidneys, it is given as part of medical treatment, frequently used as a salt replacement (lo-salt) and I wouldn't mind betting you've eaten some today as part of your normal diet.

Cyanide, arsenic, atropine, digoxin, quinine are all naturally occuring.

I could go on and on. Its just the intellectually lazy use of chemical=bad natural=good which is frustrating.


* water, for anyone who hadn't figured it out

meerkat70

Mind you, the term 'natural' has its problems too.... Quite what does it mean? What in the world is not 'natural'?

Jorra

Mind you, the term 'natural' has its problems too.... Quite what does it mean? What in the world is not 'natural'?

I think natural means anything that doesn't come from a scary laboratory staffed with evil Eastern European scientists in lab coats.

naesue

Actually what this OP is mostly frustrated with is the fact that so many uneducated or undereducated people blame everything bad on those things that they don't yet understand i.e. chemicals. Maybe Stupid was the wrong word to use as it implys the inability to learn I should have used the word ignorant which implys the lack of such knowledge or the unwillingness to learn. The second part of my frustration is the fact that such people who choose to eat only naturally occuring foods still eat things like yogurt, or cheese or bread. All of which are man made items. Milk does not naturally ferment into yogurt or cheese. And the only bread that has ever occured in nature was when God sent manna down from the heavens to feed the isrealites during their 40 year exile. And that wasn't really bread!

As far as the person who insinuated that all scientific laboratories are manned by eastern European men in lab coats you are very sadly mistaken. There are far more asians these days in scientific laboratories then eastern europeans.:bigsmile:

Mostly though this was not meant to be mean at all just me ranting about yet another person telling me that the things I eat are full of "chemicals" that are going to kill me or give me cancer or continue to make me fat! Whether you eat "chemicals" or think that you don't that is up to you but please don't try to tell me that I am going to die or get cancer or stay fat because of the new healthier choices I am making for me because you think they contain "harmful" "added" "chemicals"!!!

dleithaus

Then there are the naturally occurring toxins that are in normal foods we may (or may not) consume. This is the short list, it does not even begin to talk about naturally occurring microorganisms that can make us very sick. Many of these you are probably familiar with... but I hope you do not think that eating beans, potatoes, mushrooms, peanuts, and leafy greens is bad for you...

Chemical examples like: solanine in potatoes, hydrazine in mushrooms, cyanide in the pits/seeds of most fruits like cherries, apricots, apples, peaches, oxalic acid in spinach, lots of other dark green veggies, and rhubarb, aflatoxin in peanuts, ergot on poorly stored grains, lectins in many beans, alkaloids vicine, isouramil and convicine in fava (broad beans)....

kunibob

I love this thread so much.

Jorra

As far as the person who insinuated that all scientific laboratories are manned by eastern European men in lab coats you are very sadly mistaken. There are far more asians these days in scientific laboratories then eastern europeans.:bigsmile:

Don't worry, I've spent my fair share of time in the lab to know who's in it. Not to mention, my academic advisor likes to complain about how he's too old and not Asian enough to do research anymore.

dleithaus

Now let's talk about acrylamides!
Look em up if you dare. (beyond the wiki bit below.... )
There is a lot of information out there.

They are in all foods that are browned, toasted, fried, bbq'd (NO! :sad: ) as a result of Maillard reactions.
Relatively simple carbohydrates turn into hundreds and thousands of chemicals... yes, CHEMICALS, some poorly understood, many could be considered carcinogenic... acrylamide is just one of them.

Acrylamide laden foods include crackers, cereals (those that are not boiled), chips, bread, prune juice, coffee... almost anything containing some carbs and subjected to a drying heat will make some nice carcinogenic acrylamides!

I hope that this fact does not keep you from eating the variety of foods that contain these substances because if you try you may be extremely bored!

Next topic.... caramelization reaction. Oh boy, now we are going to have a real problem....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylamide
Acrylamides:

Acrylamide (or acrylic amide) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula C3H5NO. Its IUPAC name is prop-2-enamide. It is a white odourless crystalline solid, soluble in water, ethanol, ether, and chloroform. Acrylamide is incompatible with acids, bases, oxidizing agents, iron, and iron salts. It decomposes non-thermally to form ammonia, and thermal decomposition produces carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and oxides of nitrogen.

Acrylamide is prepared on an industrial scale by the hydrolysis of acrylonitrile by nitrile hydratase.

Most acrylamide is used to synthesize polyacrylamides, which find many uses as water-soluble thickeners. These include use in wastewater treatment, gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), papermaking, ore processing, and the manufacture of permanent press fabrics. Some acrylamide is used in the manufacture of dyes and the manufacture of other monomers.

Acrylamide also occurs in many cooked starchy foods and is of concern as a possible carcinogen.[2] Acrylamide was accidentally discovered in foods in April 2002 by scientists in Sweden when they found the chemical in starchy foods, such as potato chips, French fries, and bread that had been heated (production of acrylamide in the heating process was shown to be temperature-dependent).[2] It was not found in food that had been boiled[2][3] or in foods that were not heated.[2]

In February 2009, Health Canada announced that they were assessing whether acrylamide, which occurs naturally during the cooking of French fries, potato chips, and other processed foods, is a hazard to human health and whether any regulatory action needs to be taken. They are currently collecting information on the properties and prevalence of acrylamide in order to make their assessment.[4] In December 2009, after a positive reception from the food industry, Health Canada invited comment from the public on this proposal.[5]

dleithaus

Cross posted by me in a post about artificial sweeteners...tired of people thinking that just because something comes from a plant originally it is *also hate these following terms* "natural" and "organic".... huh.
Suspect a flame is about to be lit.

not sure why people think that Stevia is called "natural". It is an extract of a plant. Does that make it natural?
It is a highly processed material.

This is stevia.....
The diterpene known as Steviol is the aglycone of stevia's sweet glycosides, which are constructed by replacing steviol's carboxyl hydrogen atom (at the bottom of the figure) with glucose to form an ester, and replacing the hydroxyl hydrogen (at the top of the figure in the infobox) with combinations of glucose and rhamnose. The two primary compounds, stevioside and rebaudioside A, use only glucose: Stevioside has two linked glucose molecules at the hydroxyl site, whereas rebaudioside A has three, with the middle glucose of the triplet connected to the central steviol structure.

In terms of weight fraction, the four major steviol glycosides found in the stevia plant tissue are:

5–10% stevioside (250–300X of sugar)
2–4% rebaudioside A — most sweet (350–450X of sugar) and least bitter
1–2% rebaudioside C
½–1% dulcoside A.

Rebaudioside B, D, and E may also be present in minute quantities; however, it is suspected that rebaudioside B is a byproduct of the isolation technique.[2] The two majority compounds stevioside and rebaudioside, primarily responsible for the sweet taste of stevia leaves, were first isolated by two French chemists in 1931.[3]

dleithaus

I had some super pesto made from garden fresh basil this evening, with a light amount of olive oil, parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper. Of course, had to find out what scary organic compounds make basil smell and taste so aromatically awesome.

I hope that knowing this information does not keep you from enjoying the wonderful blessings of summer!

If basil had a compositional label....

Water, chlorophyll, oligosaccharides, eugenol, citral, limonene, camphor, camphene, anethole, citronellol , linalool, myrcene, pinene, ocimene, terpineol, linalyl acetate, fenchyl acetate, trans-ocimene, 1,8-cineole, camphor octanane, methyl eugenol. beta-caryophyllene, methyl chavicol , methyl cinnamate, 1,8-cineole, Bergamotene, trans-β-Ocimene, Beta Carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, folate, choline, ascorbic acid, vitamin e, vitamin K, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, zinc

dleithaus

More big and scary chemical names.

You know those Omega 3 and 6 fats that are good for you?
(at least in clinical studies those that fall into the "EPA" and "DHA" categories; the ALA category less so)....

here they are:


Hexadecatrienoic acid (HTA)-16:3 (n−3) all-cis-7,10,13-hexadecatrienoic acid
α-Linolenic acid (ALA)-18:3 (n−3) all-cis-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid
Stearidonic acid (SDA)-18:4 (n−3) all-cis-6,9,12,15-octadecatetraenoic acid
Eicosatrienoic acid (ETE)-20:3 (n−3) all-cis-11,14,17-eicosatrienoic acid
Eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA)-20:4 (n−3) all-cis-8,11,14,17-eicosatetraenoic acid
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)-20:5 (n−3) all-cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid
Heneicosapentaenoic acid (HPA)-21:5 (n−3) all-cis-6,9,12,15,18-heneicosapentaenoic acid
Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), Clupanodonic acid -22:5 (n−3) all-cis-7,10,13,16,19-docosapentaenoic acid
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-22:6 (n−3) all-cis-4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid
Tetracosapentaenoic acid-24:5 (n−3) all-cis-9,12,15,18,21-tetracosapentaenoic acid
Tetracosahexaenoic acid (Nisinic acid) 24:6 (n−3) all-cis-6,9,12,15,18,21-tetracosahexaenoic acid

It is not just "fish oil" anymore. It is now a characterized "fatty acid". Don't be scared.

dleithaus

Another chapter in the compositional nature of food.... this one a bit more descriptive...
(all those big words are kinda scary?!)

What’s Inside: Red Wine

By Patrick Di Justo
August 30, 2011 |
12:30 pm |
Wired September 2011



Ethanol
Most cultures see something magical, even holy, about the way this toxin confuses our brain into thinking we are gods. It’s formed by microorganisms that eat sugar (C6H12O6) and excrete the waste as CH3CH2OH.
Glycerol
Some insist that this syrupy sugar alcohol, a byproduct of ethanol fermentation, is as important to a wine’s mouthfeel (texture) as ethanol itself. But while connoisseurs may credit it for determining “body” and “silkiness,” chemists haven’t found a clear connection.
Tannins
These astringent molecules found in grapes (and in the oak barrels used in winemaking) do a real number on your tongue. Their multiple phenol groups bind to salivary proteins, making your mouth feel drier than it should when it’s full of liquid. This odd effect is what oenophiles call a “gripping” mouthfeel.
Malvidin 3-Glucoside
One of a family of natural pigments called anthocyanins. Also known as oenin, it puts the red in red wine.
Catechin and Caffeic Acid
Catechin is a phenol antioxidant found in grape seeds. Caffeic acid is another phenolic compound found in grapes. Together they have the serendipitous benefit of preventing DNA damage from ionizing radiation and reactive oxygen molecules. Send a magnum to your local nuclear plant workers.
3-Isobutyl-2-Methoxy-Pyrazine
This chemical gives Cabernet Sauvignon its herbaceous green pepper aroma, detectable at as little as six parts per trillion. Connoisseurs note: If the smell is overpowering, it could mean the grapes were not allowed sufficient time to ripen—IBMP breaks down as grapes mature. Or leaves may have gotten into the ferment (the green parts of the vine are chock-full of IBMP).
Tyramine
Wine-and-cheese parties give you a migraine? It might not be the pretentious banter. You could be overdosing on this amino acid, which is found in both foods. It constricts cerebral blood vessels, and when they reopen, you get a throbbing headache. So skip the cheese, but be sure to nosh on something; you’ll absorb less tyramine if you have food in your stomach.
Malic and Lactic Acids
Malic acid occurs naturally in grapes. But too much of it gives vino a harsh “green” taste that clashes with other flavors. Most vintners let the wine age a bit so bacteria can turn malic acid into the “softer,” “rounder” lactic acid.
Resveratrol
The antioxidant that’s been touted for the past decade as a miracle cure-all: It fights cancer! Tames diabetes! Keeps winos alive forever! But in some mice, resveratrol inhibits the absorption of dietary iron, causing anemia.

MikeSEA

I bow in awe of dleithaus's powers of thread necromancy.

That said, and since I'm not the one digging anything up: while it's perfectly understandable to get frustrated at the fact that identical words are used with differently nuanced meanings, it's also a perfectly normal use of language. There's nothing really that wrong with it. Obviously the varying uses across different discourse communities are going to be considered inaccurate. It just is what it is.

Personally, I'm not fond of popular usage of, "decimate." Reducing something by 10% isn't that drastic, and yet...

baisleac

If an orange had a real composition label, it would say this...

Water, glucose, fructose, galactose, phenolic glycosides, 6-deoxyaldohexoses (fuctose and rhamnose), saccharose, galacturonans, (1-4) linked D-galactopiranuronic acid, pectin, pectinic acids, polygalacturonic acids, pectinestarase, Citric Acid, L-Malic Acid, D-Isocitric Acid, Oxalic Acid, Succinic Acid, Malonic Acid, Quinic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Adipic Acid, 2-ketogluratic Acid, praline, asparagines, aspartic acid, serine, glutamic acid and arginine. oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases and lyases, isomerases and ligases, glucosilglucerides, Carotenoids, tetraterpenes, limonin, aslimonoic acid A-ring lactone, neohesperidosides, flavones (3-hydroxyflavanones, 3-dydroxyflavones, O-glycosyl, aglycones C-glycosylflavones, Anthocyanins, (hesperidin, naringin, poncirin, neoheriocitrin, neohesperidin, rhoifolin, rutin, diosmin, sinensetin, auranetin, tangeritin, hydroxyethylrutinosideres, nobiletin cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidina-3.5-diglucoside, peonidin-5-glucoside, delphinidin-3-glucoside, petunidin-3-glucoside, Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Pholacine, Vitamin B6, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Biotin, Pantotenic acid, Vitamin A.

EVERYTHING IS COMPOSED OF CHEMICALS.

Brilliant!

Jorra

Bringing up this thread again reminded me of a new policy in the labs at my school. We are no longer allowed to write H2O on containers of water. We have to write "water" because H2O might be confusing and scary to someone who spills it. -______-