Paul M. Insel,
Stanford University, School of Medicine
Walton T. Roth,
Stanford University, School of Medicine
| nutrition | The science of food and how the body uses it in health and disease.
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| essential nutrients | Substances the body must get from foods because it cannot manufacture them at all or fast enough to meet its needs. These nutrients include proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water.
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| digestion | The process of breaking down foods in the gastrointestinal tract into compounds the body can absorb.
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| kilocalorie | A measure of energy content in food; 1 kilocalorie represents the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 liter of water 1°C; commonly referred to as calorie.
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| protein | An essential nutrient; a compound made of amino acids that contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
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| amino acids | The building blocks of proteins.
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| legumes | Vegetables such as peas and beans that are high in fiber and are also important sources of protein.
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| *saturated fat | A fat with no carbon-carbon double bonds; usually solid at room temperature.
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| monounsaturated fat | A fat with one carbon-carbon double bond; liquid at room temperature.
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| polyunsaturated fat | A fat containing two or more carbon-carbon double bonds; liquid at room temperature.
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| hydrogenation | A process by which hydrogens are added to unsaturated fats, increasing the degree of saturation and turning liquid oils into solid fats. Hydrogenation produces a mixture of saturated fatty acids and standard and trans forms of unsaturated fatty acids.
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| trans fatty acid | A type of unsaturated fatty acid produced during the process of hydrogenation; trans fats have an atypical shape that affects their chemical activity.
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| *cholesterol | A waxy substance found in the blood and cells and needed for cell membranes, vitamin D, and hormone synthesis.
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| low-density lipoprotein (LDL) | Blood fat that transports cholesterol to organs and tissues; excess amounts result in the accumulation of deposits on artery walls.
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| high-density lipoprotein (HDL) | Blood fat that helps transport cholesterol out of the arteries, thereby protecting against heart disease.
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| omega-3 fatty acids | Polyunsaturated fatty acids commonly found in fish oils that are beneficial to cardiovascular health; the endmost double bond occurs three carbons from the end of the fatty acid chain.
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| carbohydrate | An essential nutrient; sugars, starches, and dietary fiber are all carbohydrates.
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| whole grain | The entire edible portion of a grain such as wheat, rice, or oats, including the germ, endosperm, and bran. During milling or processing, parts of the grain are removed, often leaving just the endosperm.
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| glucose | A simple sugar that is the body's basic fuel.
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| dietary fiber | Carbohydrates and other substances in plants that are indigestible by humans.
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| soluble fiber | Fiber that dissolves in water or is broken down by bacteria in the large intestine.
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| insoluble fiber | Fiber that does not dissolve in water and is not broken down by bacteria in the large intestine.
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| diverticulitis | A digestive disorder in which abnormal pouches form in the walls of the intestine and become inflamed.
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| vitamins | Carbon-containing substances needed in small amounts to help promote and regulate chemical reactions and processes in the body.
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| antioxidant | A substance that can lessen the breakdown of food or body constituents by oxygen free radicals; actions include binding oxygen, donating electrons to free radicals, and repairing damage to molecules.
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| minerals | Inorganic compounds needed in relatively small amounts for regulation, growth, and maintenance of body tissues and functions.
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| anemia | A deficiency in the oxygen-carrying material in the red blood cells.
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| osteoporosis | A condition in which the bones become extremely thin and brittle and break easily.
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| free radical | An electron-seeking compound that can react with fats, proteins, and DNA, damaging cell membranes and mutating genes in its search for electrons; produced through chemical reactions in the body and by exposure to environmental factors such as sunlight and tobacco smoke.
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| phytochemical | A naturally occurring substance found in plant foods that may help prevent and treat chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease; phyto means plant.
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| cruciferous vegetables | Vegetables of the cabbage family, including cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, and cauliflower; the flower petals of these plants form the shape of a cross, hence the name.
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| Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) | Amounts of certain nutrients considered adequate to prevent deficiencies in most healthy people; will eventually be replaced by the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs).
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| Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) | An umbrella term for four types of nutrient standards: Adequate Intake (AI), Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), and Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) set levels of intake considered adequate to prevent nutrient deficiencies and reduce the risk of chronic disease; Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) sets the maximum daily intake that is unlikely to cause health problems.
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| Food Guide Pyramid | A food-group plan that provides practical advice to ensure a balanced intake of the essential nutrients.
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| Dietary Guidelines for Americans | General principles of good nutrition intended to help prevent certain diet-related diseases.
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| Daily Values | A simplified version of the RDAs used on food labels; also included are values for nutrients with no RDA per se.
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| vegan | A vegetarian who eats no animal products at all.
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| lacto-vegetarian | A vegetarian who includes milk and cheese products in the diet.
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| lacto-ovo-vegetarian | A vegetarian who eats no meat, poultry, or fish, but does eat eggs and milk products.
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| partial, semivegetarian, or pesco-vegetarian | A vegetarian who includes eggs, dairy products, and small amounts of poultry and seafood in the diet.
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| *organic | A designation applied to foods grown and produced according to strict guidelines limiting the use of pesticides and nonorganic ingredients.
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| genetically modified (GM) organism | A plant, animal, or microorganism in which genes have been added, rearranged, or replaced through genetic engineering.
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| food allergy | An adverse reaction to a food or food ingredient in which the immune system perceives a particular substance (allergen) as foreign and acts to destroy it.
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| food intolerance | An adverse reaction to a food or food ingredient that doesn't involve the immune system; intolerances are often due to a problem with metabolism.
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| food irradiation | The treatment of foods with gamma rays, X rays, or high-voltage electrons to kill potentially harmful pathogens and increase shelf life.
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2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education