Nutrition > Common Terms in Diet and Nutrition
Here are the most common terms that we use while we talk of nutrition and diets, during any talk of healthy living.
ALCOHOL
An ingredient in a variety of beverages, including beer, wine, liqueurs, cordials, and mixed or straight drinks. Pure alcohol itself yields about 7 calories per gram.
AMINO ACIDS
Basic building blocks of protein. They contain the chemical elements carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitroganic elements.
CALORIE
A unit used do express heat or energy value of food. Calories comeform carbohydrate, protein, fat, sand alcohol. Also called “Kilocalorie.”
CARHOHYDRATE
One of the three major energy sources in foods. Carbohydrates are subdivided into three groups, monosaccharides (one sugar group per molecule), dis saccharides (two sugar groups per molecule), polysaccharides (many sugar groups per molecule).
“simple sugars also used to refer to monosaccharides.
“Starch” is one of the polysacchyarieds (many sugar groups per molecule).
Carbohydrates yield about 4 calorie3s per gram,.
CHOLESTEROL
A fat like substance present in blood, muscle,m liver, brain, and all other tissues throughout the body of man and animals and therefore in foods of animal origin. Cholesterol is a key part of the fatty deposits in the arterial wall atherosclerosis.
DIGESTION
The breakdown of foods by chemical processes in the digestive tract to simpler substances in preparation for absorption so the body can use them.
DIURETICS
A drug that stimulates increased water excretion.
ENRICHEMENT
The addition of one or more nutrients to foods made form refined grains in amounts approximately equivalent to those found in whole-grain products.
ENZYME
A protein substance that speeds up chemical reactions but is not itself affected in the process.
FAT
One of the three major energy sources in food. Fat yields about 9 calories per gram.
FIBER
An indigestible part of fruits, vegetable, whole-grin cereals, and grains. Fiber is important in the diet a roughage, or bulk.
FOOD EXCHANGE
Foods grouped together on a list acording to similarities in food values. Measured amounts of foods within the group may be used as trade offs in planning meals. A single Exchange contains approximately equal amounts of calories, carbohydrates, proteins, and fates as other foods in the same list.
FORTICIATION
The addition of one or more nutrients to a food whether or not they are naturally present. The term “ vitamin added” or “with added vitamin(s) and mineral(s)” as well as sthe term “fortified” have been used to identify rortified products.
HORMONE
A chemical messenger. Hormones are secreted by a variety or glands in the body. Each hormone affects a specific tissue or organ and caused specific response. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas.
POLYYOUNSATURATED FAT
Fates from vegetable oils such as corn, cottonseed, sunflower, and soybean oil. Oils high in polyunsaturated fats tend to lower the level of cholesterol in the blood when used to replace part of the saturated fat.
PROTIEN
One of the major nutrient groups in foods that are essential for the life processes. Proteins are made up of aminoacids of which there are 22. Protein provides about 4 calories per gram.
SATURATED FAT
Fat that is often hard at room temperature, primarily form animal food products (like butter an meat fat). Examples of saturated vegetable fats are palm and coconut oil.
VITAMINS
Organic compounds which are found in small amounts in foods and are essential for many body processes; fatsoluble: A,D,E, and K; water-soluble: ascorbic acid and the B complex.
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