What We Eat
Our food gives us the nutrients we need to live. Most of what we eat is made up of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Nutrients that are needed in smaller amounts are vitamins and minerals. Also on the list is fibre and water!
Food and Colour in Science You Can Eat by Stefan Gates, published by DK
Activity: Skittles Experiment
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Here’s the science:
Colours can be added to food to make it more fun or appealing, some colour pigments are natural, some are artificial. When water is added to the Skittles, the sugar and coloured coating start to dissolve. The colours gradually spread out due to diffusion, moving away from the area of high concentration (near the Skittle) to the area of lower concentration (the surrounding water). The colours don’t immediately mix because each colour solution has slightly different densities.
Sweets make great science tools, but they’re not great fuel for our bodies. It’s important to eat a natural rainbow every day! Natural purple food is great for your digestion and green foods are packed with iron. Next time you sit down to eat, check you have a rainbow on your plate!
Safety Notice: Adult supervision is required for all activities.