HOSA Nutrition Vocab

Absorption

Taking up nutrients in the intestines

Adipose tissue

Fatty tissue

Aerobic metabolism

Combining nutrient oxygen within the cell; also called oxidation

Albumin

Protein that occurs in blood plasma

Alkalosis

Condition in which excess base accumulates in, or acids are lost from, the body

Amino acids

Nitrogen containing chemical compounds of which protein is composed

Amphetamines

Drugs intended to inhibit appetite

Anemia

Condition caused by insufficient number of red blood cells, hemoglobin, or blood volume

Angina pectoris

Pain in heart muscle due to inadequate blood supply

Arteriosclerosis

Generic term for thickened arteries

Arthritis

Chronic disease involving the joints

Ascites

Abnormal collection of fluid in the abdomen

Aspartame

Artificial sweetener made from two amino acids; does not require insulin for metabolism

Aspirated

Inhaled or suctioned

Atherosclerosis

A form of arteriolosclerosis affecting the intimal (inner lining) of the artery walls

Avitaminosis

Without vitamins

Beriberi

Deficiency disease caused by lack of vitamin B1 (thiamine). Legs feel heavy, feet burn, and muscles degenerate

Basal metabolism rate

Rate at which energy is needed for body maintenance

Bile

Secretion of the liver, stored in the gallbladder, essential to digest fat

Bioavailable

Ability of nutrient to be readily absorbed and used by the body

Biotin

B vitamin, necessary for metabolism

Bolus

Food in the mouth, ready to be swallowed

Botulism

Deadilest of food poisoning; caused by the bacteria Clostridium Botulinum

Bran

Outer covering of grain kernels. Contains minerals, B vitamins, cellulose, and protein

Buffer systems

Protective systems that regulate amount of hydrogen ions in body fluids

Cachexia

Severe malnutrition and body wasting caused by chronic disease

Caliper

Mechanical device used to measure percentage of body fat by skin fold measurement

Calorie

Represents the amount of heat needed to raise temperature of water by one degree Celsius

Carboxypeptidase

Pancreatic enzyme necessary for protein digestion

Nutrients

Chemical substances that are found in food and necessary for good health: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, water

Essential nutrient

Nutrients only found in food

Monosaccharides

Simplest form of carbohydrates; no digestion required; can be easily absorbed directly into the blood stream form the small intestine: glucose, fructose, galactose

Disaccarides

Double sugars; hydrolysis used to convert them to monosaccharides: sucrose, maltose, and lactose

Lactose intolerance

Inability to digest lactose due to lack of lactase enzymes; causes abdominal cramps and diarrhea

Polysaccharides

Complex carbohydrates containing combinations of monosaccharides: starch, dextrin, cellulose, and glycogen

Fiber

Indigestible parts of plants; absorbs water in large intestine, creates soft stool

Cellulose

Primary source of dietary fiber

Endosperm

Inner part of the kernel of grain; contains a carbohydrate, starch protein, and some B vitamins

Germ

Smallest part of the grain and a source of B vitamins, vitamin E, minerals, and protein

Hypercholesterolemia

High levels of cholesterol and blood; also known as high serum cholesterol

Plaque

Fatty deposit on interior of artery walls; causes heart attack when it blocks the heart and stroke when it blocks the brain

Stomach function

Temporary food storage, mixing food with gastric juices, regulation of emptying food into intestines, secretion of the factor for B12, destruction of most bacteria

Sphincter malfunction

Causes acid reflux disease

Chyme

Food mass after being mixed with gastric juices

Gastric juices

Digestive secretions in stomach; contain HCl, pepsin, and mucus; HCl activates pepsin to digest protein

Additional child enzymes

Rennin-milk protein and gastric lipase-butterfat

Salivary amylase

Component of saline that starts the digestion of starch in the mouth