eli5 is there actually iron, magnesium, zinc etc. in food

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When they say, for example in the cashew nut, that it contains a lot of magnesium and iron. Is there actually tiny bits of metal in it? Do I have to think like atom size? Or am I totally not getting this? Then explain like I’m 3.

In: Chemistry

5 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

There is metallic iron in some breakfast cereals. You can soak the cereal until it becomes mush and then use a magnet to pull the iron around.

Anonymous 0 Comments

You can take brand flakes like Total, put them in a ziplock with water, mush them up, and use a magnet to extract the iron in them.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Water typically has iron, magnesium, calcium, manganese etc in it. It’s in a soluble form. Some of it can be oxidized out of solution.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Metals exist as just the metal, the pure substance, but also as compounds with other elements. For example, you wouldn’t want to touch metallic sodium, but it also forms compounds like sodium chloride, which have different properties and which are needed by your body. The metals in food come in such compounds, not as pure metal.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Basically there are small traces in almost ever food because like is there was a amount in the soil the plants / vegetables would “ absorb” it and then a animal will eat that and get a small trace of it in their blood / food btw I’m 11 and I love science 🤣😇😇