Food as Medicine Exam 1 Study Guide Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards generated from Dr. Chitra Ponnusamy's Food as Medicine Exam 1 Study Guide (Rutgers 11:400:106).

Gelatin

Processed collagen formed when heat and acid break collagen down into smaller peptides; it is an incomplete protein with low biological value.

Epidemiological transition

A shift in disease patterns away from infectious diseases and nutrient deficiencies toward metabolic syndrome-related diseases and some cancers as income and urbanization rise.

Nutrition transition

A shift toward a higher-density diet characterized by a larger role for fat and added sugars.

Complex carbohydrates

Carbohydrates digested slowly to provide sustained energy, high in fiber and nutrients (e.g., whole grains, beans, and vegetables).

Simple carbohydrates

Carbohydrates digested quickly that can cause rapid blood glucose spikes, low in fiber and nutrients (e.g., sugary foods, refined grains, sweetened beverages, fruits, honey, and milk).

Insoluble fiber

The type of dietary fiber that binds water and helps produce bowel movements to prevent constipation.

Soluble fiber

The type of dietary fiber that lowers blood cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease.

Ketosis

The metabolic state entered when the body breaks down body fat for energy, marked by raised ketones in the blood used as fuel.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

Nutrient intake recommendation based on scientific knowledge and set by a committee of the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

Triglycerides

The form in which excess intake of energy (whether from fat, carbohydrate, or protein) is stored in the human body.

Gut microbiota

The collective name for all microorganisms that typically live in the gastrointestinal tract, predominantly dominated by Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes.

Colonocytes

Epithelial cells of the gut wall that function as the gatekeepers of the gut.

Peristalsis

Rhythmic muscle contractions that move food along the gastrointestinal tract.

Dysbiosis

The medical term for a disturbed gut microflora balance where beneficial and harmful bacteria are out of sync.

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO)

A compound produced by gut bacteria from carnitine in red meat that accelerates artery clogging.

Visceral fat

Fat wrapping around internal organs that is strongly linked to metabolic disease, insulin resistance, and increased mortality risk even at a normal BMI.

Firmicutes

A phylum of gut bacteria that negatively influences glucose and fat metabolism, where a higher ratio relative to Bacteroidetes correlates with obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Bacteroidetes

A primary phylum of beneficial gut bacteria associated with positive metabolic outcomes.

Atherosclerosis

The hardening and narrowing of arteries caused by plaque deposits of cholesterol and other substances, slowing oxygen-rich blood flow.

High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL)

Known as the good cholesterol; associated with decreased risk of heart disease.

Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)

Known as the bad cholesterol; its oxidized form forms the basis for cholesterol build-up and artery damage.

Cytokines

Small signaling molecules released by cells into the blood that immune cells use to communicate and activate inflammation.

Carcinomas

The most common form of cancer, originating from cells covering external and internal body surfaces (e.g., lung, breast, colon).

Sarcomas

Cancers originating from supporting body tissues such as bone, cartilage, fat, connective tissue, and muscle.

Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs)

Carcinogens formed when proteins in flesh (meat, poultry, fish) are heated until browned or blackened, capable of directly damaging DNA.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Cancer-causing chemicals formed during charring or fat flares when grilling meat, linked to stomach cancer.

Probiotics

Live microorganisms which, when consumed in adequate amounts, confer health benefits to the host.

Biopreservation

Extending the shelf life and safety of food by utilizing the growth and metabolic activity of natural or added microorganisms.

Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY)

The microbial mixture used to ferment tea into kombucha.

Prebiotics

Non-digestible food ingredients that pass through the digestive system undigested to stimulate the growth and activity of gut microbiota.

Synbiotic

A dietary product combining both probiotics and the specific prebiotic food required for their survival.