Estimated price per pound: $15,000

Like calcium and iron, gold is a mineral that's safe to eat, although it's not an essential part of the human diet. It may be pricey by the pound, but a small shaker of 23K gold sprinkles (80 mg) costs only $30 at Fancy Flours in Bozeman, Mont. The store also carries flakes of gold leaf called "petals" - $45 for 150 milligrams - and packs of 25 small sheets of gold leaf for $75.

Extracted from Time Inc