Overview of Biochemistry and Macronutrients

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from an overview of biochemistry and metabolism, focusing on biological factors, macronutrients, and energy expenditure.

Biological factors

Considerations such as age, sex, and life stage that affect metabolism.

Nutrigenomics

The study of how food affects gene expression.

Nutrigenetics

The study of how genes affect nutritional health.

Macronutrients

Essential nutrients required in large amounts, including carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

The amount of energy expended while at rest, needed to maintain basic bodily functions.

Anaerobic respiration

A form of respiration that occurs without oxygen, resulting in lactic acid production.

Glycolysis

The metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate, producing ATP.

Krebs cycle

A series of chemical reactions used by all aerobic organisms to generate energy through oxidation.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

The primary energy carrier in cells.

Essential amino acids

Amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained from diet.

Saturated fats

Fats that are solid at room temperature, containing no double bonds between carbon atoms.

Unsaturated fats

Fats that are liquid at room temperature, containing one or more double bonds.

Trans fats

Artificially created fats through hydrogenation, often associated with adverse health effects.

Diet-induced thermogenesis

The increase in metabolic rate induced by the consumption and processing of food.

Calorimeter

A device used to measure the energy released during the combustion of substances, such as food.

Daily Energy Expenditure (DEE)

The total amount of energy used by the body in a day, including BMR and physical activity.

Hyperammonemia

An excess of ammonia in the blood, which can be toxic and often results from amino acid breakdown.

Cis fats

Unsaturated fats with hydrogen atoms on the same side of a double bond.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Essential fatty acids found in fish and flaxseed, beneficial for heart and brain health.

Omega-6 fatty acids

Essential fatty acids found in plant oils, important for growth and development.

Urea cycle

The metabolic pathway that converts ammonia to urea for excretion.

Thermogenesis

The process of heat production in organisms, important for maintaining body temperature.

Alphalipoic acid

A compound involved in energy metabolism and may have antioxidant properties.

Hydrolysis

The chemical breakdown of a compound due to the reaction with water.