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