Nutrition Lecture Vocabulary

Flashcards covering vocabulary terms from the lecture notes.

Organic Nutrient

A nutrient that provides energy and is carbon-based

Inorganic Nutrient

A nutrient that provides energy and is non-carbon-based

Macronutrients

Nutrients needed in large quantities (g-kg)

Micronutrients

Nutrients needed in small quantities (μg-mg)

Essential nutrients

Cannot be produced by the body, so must be consumed

Non-essential nutrients

Can be produced by the body, so don’t need to be consumed

Calorie

The energy required to raise the temperature of 1 mL of water by 1°C

Vitamin D

Enhances calcium absorption by the digestive tract

Vitamin D deficiency

Deficiency can lead to rickets

B vitamins

Involved in chemical reactions to produce ATP

Vitamin B12

Needed to produce red blood cells

Water

Helps to maintain blood volume

Monosaccharides

Simple carbohydrates

Disaccharides

Simple carbohydrates

Lactose intolerance

Inability to break down lactose, the primary sugar found in milk

Polysaccharides

Complex carbohydrates

Fiber

Indigestible form of glucose

Insulin

Responds to elevated blood glucose levels and stimulates organs to take up glucose from the blood and use it for fuel

Glucagon

Responds to low blood glucose levels and stimulates glycogenolysis and glucose release into blood

Triglyceride

Glycerol backbone chemically bonded to fatty acids

Trans Fatty Acids

Make an unsaturated fat behave more like a saturated fat and diets rich in these are associated with increased risk for heart disease

Emulsifiers

Allow oil and water to mix

Sterols

A class of steroid found naturally in plant and animal cells

Cholesterol

Elevated levels are associated with increased risk for coronary disease

Insulin resistance

Muscles, fat and liver don't respond well to insulin

Metabolic syndrome

Group of conditions that together increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, stroke, obesity, fatty liver disease and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Atherosclerosis

Fatty plaques are deposited on the inside of the artery wall due to increased cholesterol, triglycerides

Proteins

Assembled in the cell using combinations of 20 different amino acids

Essential amino acids

Must be consumed in diet

Non-essential amino acids

Produced by our body

Conditionally-essential amino acids

Non-essential amino acids made from essential amino acids that are limited in the diet

Electrolytes

Charged ions that conduct an electrical current in solution

MyPlate

Balances calorie intake with output and encourages nutrient-dense foods

Basal metabolic rate (BMR)

Minimal energy expenditure to keep you alive; represents 60-75% of daily energy expenditure

Thermic effect of food (TEF)

The amount of energy required to digest, absorb and metabolize food; represents 10% of daily expenditure

Appetite

Desire to consume food, with a variety of triggers

Hunger

Physiological need for food