A Healthy Diet Lecture Notes

A collection of vocabulary terms based on the lecture notes regarding a healthy diet, macronutrients, micronutrients, and energy balance.

Eatwell Guide

A resource from the NHS showing the types and proportions of foods and drinks needed during the day for a healthy and balanced diet.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

The rate at which a person uses energy while resting to maintain life-sustaining functions like breathing, organ operation, and blood flow.

Kilocalorie (Kcal)

The unit of measurement for energy found in food; for example, swimming for $20\,\text{min}$ uses approximately $160\,Kcal$.

Obesity

A condition where a person is very overweight with a lot of body fat, estimated to affect around $1$ in every $4$ adults and $1$ in every $5$ children aged $10$ to $11$ in the UK.

Anorexia

An eating disorder and serious mental health condition where individuals attempt to keep their weight as low as possible by not eating enough, over-exercising, or both.

Macronutrients

Nutrients required by the body in large amounts, specifically protein, fats (lipids), and carbohydrates, measured in grams ($g$).

Micronutrients

Nutrients required by the body in small amounts, specifically vitamins and minerals, measured in milligrams ($mg$) and micrograms.

Amino acids

The building blocks of proteins; there are approximately $20$ different types, including $8$ essential ones for adults and $10$ for children.

High Biological Value (HBV) Proteins

Proteins containing all essential amino acids, typically sourced from animals (meat, fish, eggs, milk) or plant sources like soya beans and quinoa.

Low Biological Value (LBV) Proteins

Proteins that are missing one or more essential amino acids, usually found in plant sources like peas, beans, lentils, nuts, and cereals.

Complementary Proteins

The practice, common in vegan diets, of combining different LBV proteins (e.g., beans on toast) to ensure the intake of all essential amino acids.

Kwashiorkor

A severe form of malnutrition caused by protein deficiency, commonly resulting in a pot belly and failure to grow in children.

Energy Yield of Carbohydrates

The amount of energy provided by carbohydrates, specifically $16\,kJ$ or $3.75\,kcal$ per $1\,g$.

Free Sugars

Added sugars found in products like honey, jam, and syrups that are more harmful to health and should not exceed $5\%$ of daily calorie intake.

Complex Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates like starch and dietary fibre that consist of many simple sugars joined together and provide slow-release energy.

Non-Starch Polysaccharide (NSP)

Another name for dietary fibre, which is a carbohydrate found in plant-based cell walls that keeps the digestive system healthy.

Soluble Fibre

A type of fibre broken down by bacteria in the large bowel that can be digested; examples include oats, beans, peas, and carrots.

Insoluble Fibre

Fiber that is not easily broken down by the digestive system and passes through unchanged, such as whole grain cereals, bran, and fruit skins.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamins A, D, E, and K, which dissolve in fat and can be stored by the body for future use.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamin C and the B-complex vitamins, which dissolve in water and cannot be stored by the body, requiring a fresh daily supply.

Trace Minerals

Minerals needed by the body in very small amounts, including chromium, copper, iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc.

Saturated Fats

Fats, mostly from animal sources like butter and lard, that are usually solid at room temperature and can be harmful to health if consumed in excess.

Unsaturated Fats

Fats, mostly from vegetable sources like sunflower or olive oil, that are typically liquid at room temperature and include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated types.

Omega-3

An essential unsaturated fatty acid found in oily fish and walnuts that helps prevent blood clotting and promotes heart health.

Visible Fats

Fats that are easily seen in foods, such as butter, margarine, lard, vegetable oil, or the fat rind on meat.

Invisible Fats

Fats contained within products that are not immediately apparent, such as those found in milk, cheese, yogurt, and burgers.