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The chemistry of spinach

July 17, 2018

“Spinach is a good source of iron” – a myth, but a surprisingly persistent one. The story behind the myth and the chemistry that debunks it are fascinating. Here we look at both, as well as the chemical explanation behind the ‘spinach teeth’ phenomenon. Let’s start with the ‘good source of iron’ myth. If the myth itself wasn’t enough, its origins also have their own sub-myth. The story goes that the iron content of spinach was overestimated by a factor of ten in the early 1900s due to a misplaced decimal point in a scientific paper. It’s a fantastic tale, but unfortunately, one that’s a complete falsehood.

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Liquid Light, Inc.

Liquid Light develops and licenses process technology to make major chemicals from low-cost, globally abundant carbon dioxide. Customers profit from a lower cost of production, while harnessing their current waste stream; reduce their dependence on cyclically-priced petroleum feedstocks; and can reduce their carbon footprint.

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The chemistry of spinach