Flashcards: Nutrition
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Created by:
tymelessecho on December 26, 2010
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Health 10 Nutrition Flash Cards
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Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 nutrients | substances in food that the body needs to regulate functions, promote growth, repair body tissues, and obtain energy |
| metabolism | chemical process by which the body breaks down food to be used as energy |
| calorie | unit for the amount of energy released when nutrients are broken down |
| carbohydrate | a nutrient that supplies the body's main source of energy, 4 calories per gram |
| fiber | complex carbohydrate that is found in plants and is necessary for the proper functioning of the digestive system |
| fat | a nutrient that supplies energy, forms cells, maintains body temperature, protects nerves, needed for menstruation and fat-soluble vitamins, 9 calories per gram |
| cholesterol | waxy fat like substance found only in animal products, also produced by the body |
| protein | nutrient needed for the growth and repair of body tissues, 4 calories per gram |
| amino acid | small units of peptides that are bound together to form proteins, the building blocks of proteins |
| vitamin | nutrient made by living things, required in small amounts, assists in chemical reactions in the body |
| mineral | inorganic nutrient that occurs naturally in rocks and soil, needed my the body in small amounts |
| antioxidant | vitamins that help protect the body from the damage caused by free radicals that are created by radiation, tobacco use and metabolism of food |
| hunger | a feeling of discomfort caused by the body's need for nutrients |
| appetite | a desire for food based based on emotion rather than nutritional need |
| basal metabolic rate - BMR | the rate at which energy is used when the body is at rest |
| body composition | measure of how much body fat a person has compared to muscle and bone |
| body mass index - BMI | ratio of a person's height to weight |
| obesity | condition where a person has a BMI of 30 or higher |
| vegetarian | a person who does not eat meat |
| vegan | a person who does not eat food from any animal source |
| digestion | process by which food is broken down food into molecules |
| absorption | process by which nutrients pass through the lining of the small intestine |
| simple carbohydrate | a refined carbohydrate that is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and that provides a quick form of energy that does not last long |
| LDL cholesterol | 'Lousy' cholesterol - "truck" that carries fat to the cells and "parks" the excess fat in the wall of arteries and eventually leads to plaque build up and clogged arteries |
| free radicals | electron seeking compounds that destroys healthy cells, produced from tobacco use, the sun, and metabolism of food |
| HDL cholesterol | 'healthy' cholesterol that lowers the risk of heart disease by eliminating excess LDL |
| insulin | hormone produced by the pancreas to carry glucose from food into the cells to give the body energy |
| diabetes - type I | disease when the body can not produce insulin |
| diabetes - type II | disease when the body produces insulin but the body becomes insulin resisitant and can not use it |
| complete protein | a food source that has all of the essential amino acids, all animal products |
| incomplete protein | a food source that does not have all of the essential amino acids, all plant products (except soybeans) |
| complex carbohydrate | unrefined carbohydrates that enter the blood stream slowly and give longer lasting energy |
| trans fat | partially hydrogenated oils, made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil to prevent fat separation, a health risk |
| serving size | the amount of food recommended to be eaten at one time |
| soluble fiber | can dissolve in water,(binds with fat), important in decreasing cholesterol and blood sugar levels |
| insoluble fiber | does not dissolve in water. helps push stool through digestive system to reduce constipation |
| constipation | Hard, slow stools (feces) that are difficult to eliminate; often a result of too little fiber in the diet. |
| stool | solid feces (poop) that has been eliminated from the intestines |