Health Chapter 8
empty calories
- Non-nutritional calories in foods that come from solid fat or added sugar.
vitamins
- Organic compounds essential for normal growth, functioning, and maintenance of the body.
protein
- Provides the body with energy and builds, repairs, and maintains body cells. - Protein is easily found in animal products. - 4 calories per gram of weight
nutrient- claim
- Regulated statement about a food product that relates to the nutrition content of the food, such as "low fat" or "fat free."
trans-fatty acid or hydrogenated fat
- Sometimes unsaturated fat (e.g., sunflower oil) is chemically altered to look and act like saturated fat
Cholesterol
- Waxy, fatlike substance found in meat, dairy products, and egg yolk; a high amount in the blood is implicated in various types of heart disease. - small amount is needed to make hormones and provide structure to cell membranes. - High blood cholesterol puts you at risk for atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases
calcium and iron
- calcium helps build and maintain your bones - Your body needs iron for proper formation and functioning of your red blood cells, which carry oxygen to your muscles and other tissues
six major nutrient categories
- carbohydrate - protein - fat - vitamin - mineral - water
Dietary guidelines for americans
- emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products; - include lean meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and - be low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugar.
complete protein
- food that provides all nine essential amino acids in proper proportion
Fat
- found in animal products and some plant products - 9 calories per gram of weight - helps dissolve and carry certain vitamins, aids in the growth and repair of your tissues, and is critical for normal functioning in your nervous system, including brain functioning - either saturated or unsaturated - less than 30 % of calories should come from fat
saturated fat
- is found in animal products and is generally solid at room temperature. - more dangerous - no more than 10%
insoluble fiber
- is not digestible; it passes through your digestive tract without being broken down or used. - often found on the outer layer of fruits, grains, and vegetables.
non-energy-yielding nutrients
- vitamin - mineral - water - provide no direct energy or calories but are critical to chem. reactions in your body.
carbohydrate
-main source of energy - One of the six major classes of nutrients composed of sugar, starch, and fiber. - 2 main classification = simple and complex - provide four calories per gram of weight.
Fiber
2 types: soluble and insoluble
nutrient-dense food
Foods that contain a lot of vitamins and minerals and fewer calories
essential amino acids
Nine amino acids that must be eaten in the diet for normal protein metabolism to occur.
micronutrients
Nutrients needed in smaller quantities (also called non-energy-yielding nutrients)
health claims
Regulated statement about a food product that relates directly to a health condition or disease such as "heart healthy" or "helps prevent osteoporosis.
structure/ function claim
Statement found on a food or supplement, such as vitamins, that relates to a function or specific structure in the body such as "improves eyesight" or "builds strong bones." These claims are not regulated by the FDA.
water
- 50-70% of your body - most imp. nutrient - Water carries other nutrients to your cells and helps regulate your body temperature
minerals
- Essential nutrients that help regulate the activities of cells. - 25 minerals have been identified as imp.
unsaturated fat
- Fat that is less dangerous to health and comes mostly from plant sources. - tends to be liquid at room temp.
percentages
To determine the true percentage of fat calories in a given food, divide the total calories from fat per serving by the overall calorie total per serving, then multiply the result by 100. For the food label shown in figure 8.2, one serving contains 15 calories from fat, and the overall calories per serving is 60 (15 ÷ 60 = 0.25 × 100 = 25), so the fat content is 25 percent.
calorie
Unit of energy or heat that describes the amount of energy in a food (the true term is kilocalorie).
energy-yielding nutrients
carbs, proteins, fats
incomplete protein
food that provides some of the essential amino acids
soluble fiber
is partially digestible and absorbs water as it passes through your digestive system.
macronutrients
needed in large quantities
amino acids
smaller building blocks - 20 amino acids are required for the human body to normal functioning - 9 of them must be obtained in the body because we cannot make them