Nutrition- Health and Wellness

Hunger - ANSWER The physiological impulse to seek food, promoted by a lack or shortage of basic foods needed to provide the energy and nutrients that support health Nutrients - ANSWER The constituents of food that sustain humans physiologically: proteins, carbs, fats, vitamins, minerals and water Appetite - ANSWER The learned desire to eat; normally accompanies hunger but is more psychological than physiological Nutrition - ANSWER The science that investigates the relationship between physiological function and the essential elements of foods eaten Digestive process - ANSWER The process by which the body breaks down foods and either absorbs or excretes them Calorie - ANSWER A unit of measure that indicates the amount of energy obtained from a particular food Dehydration - ANSWER Abnormal depletion of body fluids; a result of a lack of water Proteins - ANSWER The essential constituents of nearly all body cells; necessary for the development and repair of bone, muscle, skin, and blood; the key elements of antibodies, enzymes, and hormones Amino Acids - ANSWER The nitrogen-containing building blocks of protein Essential Amino Acids - ANSWER The nine basic nitrogen-containing building blocks of protein that must be obtained from foods to ensure health Complete(high-quality) proteins - ANSWER Proteins that contain all nine of the essential amino acids Incomplete proteins - ANSWER Proteins that lack one or more of the essential amino acids Complementary proteins - ANSWER Two incomplete protein foods that complement each other's inadequate essential amino acids. When combined, they yield all nine essential amino acids to provide a complete protein Simple carbohydrate - ANSWER A major type of carbohydrate, which provides short-term energy; also called simple sugars Complex carbohydrate - ANSWER A major type of carbohydrate, which provides sustained energy Monosaccarides - ANSWER Simple sugars that contain only one molecule of sugar Disaccrahides - ANSWER Sugars that contain a combination of two monosaccharides Starch - ANSWER A complex carbohydrate form that is the storage form of glucose in plants Glycogen - ANSWER The complex carbohydrate form of glucose stored in the liver and, to a lesser extent, in muscles Fiber - ANSWER The indigestible portion of plant foods that helps move food through the digestive system and softens stools by absorbing water Whole grains - ANSWER Grains that are milled in their complete form, and so include the bran, germ, and endosperm, with only the husk removed Fats - ANSWER Basic nutrients composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms; needed for the proper functioning of cells, insulation of the body organs against shock, maintenance of body temperature, and healthy skin and hair Triglycerides - ANSWER The most common form of fat in our food supply and in the body; excess calories consumed are converted into triglycerides and stored as body fat Cholesterol - ANSWER A form of fat circulating in the blood that can accumulate on the inner walls of arteries, causing narrowing of the channel through which blood flows High- density lipoproteins(HDLs) - ANSWER Compounds that facilitate the transport of cholesterol in the blood to the liver for metabolism and elimination from the body Low-density lipoproteins(LDLs) - ANSWER Compounds that facilitate the transport of cholesterol in the blood to the body's cells Saturated fats - ANSWER Fats that are unable to hold any more hydrogen in their chemical structure; derived mostly from animal sources; solid at room temperature Unsaturated fats - ANSWER Fats that have room for more hydrogen in their chemical structure; derived mostly from plants; liquid at room temperature Trans fats(trans fatty acids) - ANSWER Fatty acids that are produced when poly-unsaturated oils are hydrogenated to make them more solid Vitamins - ANSWER Essential organic compounds that promote growth and reproduction and help maintain life and health Functional foods - ANSWER Foods believed to have specific health benefits and/or to prevent disease Antioxidants - ANSWER Substances believed to protect against tissue damage at the cellular level Carotenoids - ANSWER Fat-soluable plant pigments with antioxidant properties Minerals - ANSWER Inorganic, indestructible elements that aid physiological processes Anemia - ANSWER Condition that results from the body's inability to produce hemoglobin % Daily Value(%DV) - ANSWER The value on a food label that lets you know how much of a nutrient is provided by eating one serving of food Vegetarian - ANSWER A person who follows a diet that excludes some or all animal products Dietary supplements - ANSWER Vitamins and minerals taken by mouth that are intended to supplement existing diets Organic - ANSWER Grown without use of pesticides, chemicals, or hormones Locavore - ANSWER A person who primarily eats food grown or produced locally Food allergy - ANSWER Overreaction by the body to normally harmless proteins, which are perceived as allergens. In response, the body produces antibodies, triggering allergic symptoms Celiac disease - ANSWER An inherited autoimune disorder affecting the digestive process of the small intestine and triggered by the consumption of gluten, a protein found in certain grains Food intolerance - ANSWER Adverse effects resulting when people who lack the digestive chemicals needed to break down certain substances eat those substances Genetically modified(GM) foods - ANSWER Foods derived from organisms whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering techniques