Food terms you should know

antioxidant (nutritional) — a chemical that slows down a type of chemical reaction called oxidation, which can cause damage inside the body. Examples are vitamins A and C, and the mineral selenium. Antioxidants are essential in the fight against cancer and aging. See free radical.

antioxidant (food additive) — you sometimes see antioxidants listed in the ingredients on food labels of processed food. They are added to help make the food stay fresh longer - they are not necessarily beneficial to your health.

bile — a greenish liquid made by the liver, and stored in the gall bladder between meals. During digestion, bile leaks into the small intestine, where it helps to break up fat globules.

calorie (cal) — a unit of energy, the one most often used when dealing with food. When people say, “calorie,” they normally mean “kilocalorie.” So, if someone tells you a chocolate bar has 200 calories, it actually has 200 kilocalories (200,000 calories).

carbohydrate — any chemical compound made up of the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and no other elements. Sugars, starch and dietary fiber are examples of carbohydrates. Those that can be digested are used by the body to provide energy.

cholesterol — a soft, waxy substance that plays an essential role in many body processes. In the blood, it is carried in globules called lipoproteins. A high level of one form of lipoprotein (called low density lipoprotein, or LDL) is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. LDL is often called “bad cholesterol,” while the other main lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), is often called “good cholesterol,” because it is not associated with health problems.

DNA — stands for deoxyribonucleic acid; often referred to as the molecule of life. It carries information from generation to generation, and acts as a blueprint and template for building your body.

enzyme — a type of protein that plays a part in important chemical reactions inside living things. There are digestive enzymes, for example, which help to break down large, complex molecules in food into small, simple molecules that can be absorbed into the body.

fat — one of the macronutrients (along with carbohydrates and proteins). It accumulates in fat cells, most of which are just under the skin and around your internal organs. Fat provides insulation and shock absorption. Your body manufactures fat, as an energy store, if you take in more calories than you use up.

fiber — any indeigestable carbohydrate, such as cellulose found in plants. It absorbs water and it passes through your digestive system, preventing your feces from being too dry. Some fiber feeds beneficial bacteria in your large intestine. A high-fiber diet has many health benefits.

free radical — a chemical that easily takes part in chemical reactions. Inside your body, free radicals can damage your cells, contributing to aging. See antioxidant.

glucose — a simple sugar that is the body's main ready supply of energy. When you eat foods with carbohydrates in them, the carbohydrates break down in your digestive system to form glucose, which is absorbed into the blood.

glycogen — a chemical compound similar to glucose, and formed from glucose inside cells in the liver and muscles. When there is more than enough glucose in the blood, the excess is stored away as glycogen; when there is not enough, the glycogen forms glucose again, and is released into the blood.

glycemic index (GI) — a measure of how quickly a carbohydrate-rich food increases your blood sugar concentration. Pure glucose, which dissolves rapidly into the blood, is used as a reference, with a GI of 100. Low GI foods, which release glucose slowly, include apple juice and pasta.

HDL (high-density lipoprotein) — see cholesterol

insulin — a hormone produced by the pancreas, and released into the blood when the concentration of blood sugar rises after a meal. It causes cells to absorb glucose.

kilocalorie (kcal) — see calorie

LDL (low-density lipoprotein) — see cholesterol

macronutrient — any of the three most important families of substance in food; carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

metabolic rate — the rate at which the body uses energy, usually expressed as kilocalories per day.

micronutrient — any important chemical compound in foods that is not a carbohydrate, fat, protein, water or fiber. Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are examples of micronutrients.

mineral — chemical element essential in our diets (except carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, which are found in abundance in all foods). Most dietary minerals are metals; examples include iron and calcium.

monosaturated fat — a type of unsaturated fat founds in some foods, including mayonnaise, sunflower oil and oily fish, and generally regarded as a healthy type of fat. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats.

protein — one of the macronutrients (along with carbohydrates and fats). Digestive enzymes break down proteins into smaller molecules called amino acids. Inside your body's cells, amino acids join together to make new protein molecules. Proteins make up about half the dry weight of every cell in your body; enzymes are proteins, and hair and nails are almost pure protein.

saturated fat — a type of fat found commonly in meat, cheese and butter, and generally regarded as unhealthy in large quantities. The consumption of high levels of saturated fat is associated with heart disease.

starch — a carbohydrate common in many foods, including bread, rice and potatoes. It breaks down easily to form glucose. Plants make starch as a way of storing glucose - it is the plant equivalent of glycogen.

trans fats — a type of fat normally made by reacting vegetable oil with hydrogen (they are then called partially hydrogenated vegetable oils). Trans fats are soft, and ideal for baking, and they do not spoil as quickly as vegetable oils. They are found in fast foods and confectionery, although they are becoming less common, because they are the least healthy type of fat. Trans fat in your diet increases your risk of developing heart disease.

unsaturated fat — a type of fat that is most often found in fish and vegetables, and is regarded as healthier than saturated fats.

vitamin — a micronutrient essential to the human body, and found in food (in particular, in fruits and vegetables). Some vitamins are antioxidants, others take part in important chemical reactions. A deficiency of each vitamin causes disease; for example, if you do not eat enough vitamin C, you will develop a disease called scurvy; lack of vitamin D can lead to rickets.

Courtesy: Discovery Health