Unit 6: nutrition and health
low density lipoprotein (LDL)
"Bad" cholesterol tends to contribute to plaque buildup and an excess amount leads to atherosclerosis
high density lipoprotein (HDL)
"Good" cholesterol tends to transport cholesterol back to liver and prevents plaque buildup
Overweight
A body weight that exceeds the acceptable weight for a particular person; based on individual height and frame size
Carbohydrate
A chemical compound that acts as the primary biological means of storing or consuming energy: naturally produced by plants and animals; sugars and starches are carbohydrates
Fats (lipids)
A generic term for a class of lipids; produced by organic processes in animals and plants; insoluble in water and have a density significantly below that of water (i.e. they float on water); fats that are liquid at room temperature are often referred to as oils
Obesity
A physical condition that results from excessive storage of fat in the body
Metabolism
A process in which nutrients are used by the cells
Triglycerides
A type of liquid
Nutrient
Any element or compound necessary for or contributing to an organism's metabolism, growth, or other functions; six nutrient groups exist classifiable as those that provide energy, and those that otherwise support metabolic processes in the body
Protien
Basic components of all body cells they are essential for building and repairing tissue, regulating body functions, and providing energy and heat
Amino acids
Building blocks of protein 22, 9 are essential to life, proteins that contain those none are complete proteins, protein that contain any of the other 13 and some of the 9 are called incomplete proteins
Fat soluble vitamins
Dissolve in fat, can be stored in body and are not easily destroyed by cooking, air, or light
basal metabolic rate (BMR)
Energy needed to maintain life; a measurement of energy required to keep the body functioning at rest; measured in calories, metabolic rates increase with exertion, stress, fear, and illness
Saturated fats
Fats that are solid at room temperature example: fat in meats, eggs, milk, butter, and cheese
Mineral
Inorganic elements found in all the body tissues, regulate body fluids, assist in various body functions, contribute to growth, an aid in building tissue
Anorexia
Loss of appetite
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Method used to gauge whether a person is overweight or underweight; calculated by dividing a persons weight (in kilograms) by his or her height (in meters squared)
Vitamins
Organic compounds that regulate cell metabolism; each has specific functions; divided into 2 groups depending on weather they dissolve in water or fat
Antioxidants
Organic molecules that help protect the body from harmful chemicals called free radicals
Absorption
Process in which blood or lymph capillaries pick up the digested nutrients, most occurs in the small intestine
Fad diet
Promises quick weight loss and is usually popular for a short time; generally not nutritionally sound
Estimated Energy Requirement (EER)
The amount of kilo calories a person needs to eat each day to offset the energy expanded through BMR and physical activity and maintain an energy balance of zero
Calorie
The quantity of thermal energy required to raise one gram of water 1* C at 15* C
Polyunsaturated fats
Usually soft or oily at room temperature examples: vegetable oils, margarine, fish and peanut oils
water soluble vitamins
dissolve in water and are not normally stored in the body and are easily destroyed by cooking, air, and light
therapeutic diets
modifications of the normal diet and are used to improve specific health conditions
Digestion
process by which food is broken down into smaller parts, changes food chemically, and moves food through the digestion system