Q9 - Raisins are made by drying

[secretad22]

I correctly chose B by process of elimination as I knew that A, C, D, and E HAD were in no way going to help us resolve the issue of why raisins contain more iron per calorie than grapes.

However, out of curiosity, I would like to know how B helps to explain this phenomenon. Is it because that the iron could be in the caramelized sugar that is not counted as calories?

[theaether]

Yeah that's how I thought of it too. The iron is "hiding" in the uncounted calories of the caramelized sugar. So anything that could have that sugar could add iron without adding calories, and therefore increase the iron per calorie statistic.

[noah]

I think the issue is a bit different than what y'all are saying. I think (B) lowers the number of calories, it doesn't "hide" the iron - the amount of iron actually stays the same. Let me explain the question.

The discrepancy that needs to be resolved in this question is that raisins have more iron per calorie than grapes even though the only differences between raisins and grapes are that raisins have less water (which is calorie and nutrient free) and as grapes turn into raisins, some of the sugar is caramelized. We'd expect that the iron per calorie stays the same because it seems that the number of calories and the amount of iron in a grape and it's future raisin-self would be the same.

The only ways to explain this discrepancy are: 1) show that some iron gets added; or 2) show that some calories are lost.

(B) capitalizes on the second option. The caramelization ends up reducing the number of calories, so while the iron amount remains the same, the ratio of iron to calories changes.

(A) compares the number of bunches needed of each to provide a certain amount of iron - where are the calories?

(C) is out of scope as it focuses on absorption rates.

(D) is out of scope - availability?

(E) is out of scope - other foods?

[esnanees]

I still do not get answer choice B. I know all the rest do not help to explain the discrepancy but can someone please help to break this down for me? If the calories do not count towards the calorie content of the raisins, what are we looking at here- I am so confused and lost with this answer choice.

please help.

[noah]

I still do not get answer choice B. I know all the rest do not help to explain the discrepancy but can someone please help to break this down for me? If the calories do not count towards the calorie content of the raisins, what are we looking at here- I am so confused and lost with this answer choice.

please help.

Which part of the explanation didn't click for you?

Here's an analogy (not the best, but hopefully it'll do the trick):

Ten years ago in County A, 50% of its citizens voted Democrat (500 of the 1000 folks that live there) . In those 10 years, nobody has moved to this county, and nobody there has changed their political views, but only 40% now vote Democrat (400 of the 1000). Why?

Well it turns out that 100 Democrats died, but no Republicans died. In short, the concentration can change.

In the stimulus, when you carmelize sugars and they no longer count as calories, the amount of iron PER calorie changes.

[esnanees]

Thanks I get it now. That was helpful.