Chapter 1 - Nutrition Basics Flashcards
Nutrients
Chemical substances in foods that are used by the body for growth and health.
Food Security
Access at all times to a sufficient supply of safe, nutritious foods.
Food Insecurity
Limited or uncertain availability of safe, nutritious foods.
Calorie
A unit of measure of the amount of energy supplied by food. Also known as kilocalorie or the large Calorie.
Six categories of nutrients
Carbohydrates Proteins Fats (lipids) Water Vitamins Minerals
Essential Nutrients
Substances required for growth and health that cannot be produced, or produced in sufficient amounts, by the body. They must be obtained from the diet.
Nonessential Nutrients
Nutrients required for growth and health that can be produced by the body from other components of the diet.
Daily Values (DVs)
Scientifically agreed-upon standards for daily intakes of nutrients from the diet developed for use on nutrition labels.
Insulin Resistance
A condition in which cell membranes have a reduced sensitivity to insulin so that more insulin than normal is required to transport a given amount of glucose into cells.
Type II Diabetes
A disease characterized by high blood glucose levels due to the body’s inability to use insulin normally, to produce enough insulin, or both.
Glycemic Index
A measure of the extent to which blood glucose is raised by a 50-gram portion of a carbohydrate-containing food compared to 50 grams of glucose or white bread.
Amino Acids
The “building blocks” of protein. Unlike carbohydrates and fats, amino acids contain nitrogen.
Kwashiorkor
A disease syndrome in children, primarily caused by protein deficiency. It is generally characterized by seems (or swelling), loss of muscle mass, fatty liver, rough skin, discolouration of the hair, growth retardation, and apathy.
Fatty Acids
The fat-soluble components of fats in foods.
Glycerol
A component of fats that is soluble in water. It is converted to glucose in the body.
Essential Fatty Acids
Components of fat that are a required part of the diet (i.e., linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids). Both contain unsaturated fatty acids.
Prostaglandins
A group of physiologically active substances derived from the essential fatty acids. They are present in many tissues and perform such functions as the constriction or dilation of blood vessels, and stimulation of smooth muscles and the uterus.
Thromboxanes
Biologically active substances produced in platelets that increase platelet aggregation (and therefore promote blood clotting), constrict blood vessels, and increase blood pressure.
Prostacyclins
Biologically active substances produced by blood vessel walls that inhibit platelet aggregation (and therefore blood clotting), dilate blood vessels, and reduce blood pressure.
Saturated Fats
Fats in which adjacent carbons in the fatty acid component are linked by single bonds only
(eg. C-C-C-C-C)
Unsaturated Fats
Fats in which adjacent carbons in one or more fatty acids are linked by one or more double bonds.
(eg. C-C=C-C=C)
Monosaturated Fats
Fats in which only one pair of adjacent carbons in one or more of its fatty acids is linked by a double bond. (eg. C-C=C-C-C)
Polyunsaturated Fats
Fats in which more than one out of adjacent carbons in one or more of its fatty advice are linked by two or more double bonds. (eg. C-C=C-C=C)
Cholesterol
A fat-soluble, colourless liquid found in animals but not plants.
Coenzymes
Chemical substances that activate enzymes.
Metabolism
The chemical changes that take place in the body. They conversion of glucose to energy or body fat is an example of a metabolic process.
Antioxidants
Chemical substances that prevent or repair damage to cells caused by exposure to oxidizing agents such as oxygen, ozone, and smoke and to other oxidizing agents normally produced by the body. Many different antioxidants are found in foods; some are made by the body.
Phytochemicals
(Phyto=plants) Chemical substances in plants, some of which affect body processes in humans that may benefit health.
Phenylketonuria (PKU)
A very rare disorder caused by the lack of the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase. Lack of this enzyme causes phenylalanine to build up in the blood. During growth, this can lead to mental retardation, poor growth, and other problems.
Celiac Disease
An intestinal malabsorption disorder caused by an inherited intolerance to gluten in wheat, rye, and barley. It causes multiple nutrient deficiencies and is treated with gluten free diets.
Lactose Intolerance
A common disorder in adults resulting from lack of the enzyme lactase. Ingestion of lactose in dairy products causes gas, cramps, and nausea due to the presence of undigested lactose in the gut.
Hemochromatosis
A disorder that occurs due to a genetic deficiency of a protein that helps regulate iron absorption. They absorb more iron than normal and have excessive levels of body iron. This can have toxic effects on tissues such as the liver and heart. The disorder can also be produced by excessive levels of iron intake over time and frequent iron injections or blood transfusions.
Nutrient-Dense Foods
Foods that contain relatively high amounts of nutrients compared to their caloric value.
Empty-Calorie Foods
Foods that provide an excess of calories relative to their nutrient content.
Dietary Supplements
Any product intended to supplement the diet, including vitamin and mineral supplements, proteins, enzymes, amino acids, fish oils, fatty acids, hormones and hormone precursors, and herbs and other plant extracts.
Enrichment
The replacement of thiamin, niacin, and iron that are lost when grains are refined.
Fortification
The addition of one or more vitamins or minerals to a food product.
Functional Foods
Generally taken to mean food, fortified foods, and enhanced food products hat may have health benefits beyond the effects of essential nutrients they contain.
Prebiotics
Certain fiberlike forms of indigestible carbohydrates that support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the lower intestine.
Probiotics
Strains of lactobacillus and bifidobacteria that have beneficial effects on the body.
Anthropometry
The science of measuring the human body and its parts.
Nutrition Surveillance
Continuous assessment of nutritional status for the purpose of detecting changes in trend or distribution in order to initiate corrective measures.
Nutrition Monitoring
Assessment of dietary or nutrition status at intermittent times with the aim of detecting changes int eh dietary or nutritional status of a population.
