Nutrition for Life Unit 2 vacab

carbohydrates

A class of nutrients containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms; most are commonly known as sugar, starches or dietary fibers.

glucose

A 6-carbon monosaccharide that is the major carbohydrate used to provide energy in the body.

monosaccharide

A carbohydrate made up of a single sugar molecule.

simple carbohydrates

Carbohydrates known as sugars that contain monosaccharides and disaccharides.

complex carbohydrates

Carbohydrates known as sugars that contain monosaccharides and disaccharides.

Examples of monosaccharides

glucose, fructose, galactose

Examples of disaccharides

lactose, maltose, sucrose

polysaccharide

A carbohydrate made up of sugar molecules linked together.

starch

A complex carbohydrate that is found in plants and made up of glucose molecules linked together in a straight or branched structure.

Examples of polysacchrides

glycogen, amylopectin, amylose

functional fiber

Nondigestible forms of a carbohydrate that has been extracted by starchy foods and added to other processed foods.

lactose

A disaccharide made of glucose linked to galactose found in milk.

sucrose

A disaccharide made of glucose linked to fructose and commonly known as table sugar.

galactose

A 6-carbon monosaccharide arranged in a ring structure part of the disaccharide lactose.

maltose

A disaccharide made up of two glucose molecules linked together.

carbohydrate primary functions

energy production, energy storage, building macromolecules, sparing protein, lipid metabolism

essential amino acids

Amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the body or synthesized in sufficient quantities to meet the body’s needs.

complete proteins

Proteins that contain all of the essential amino acids in proportions capable of promoting growth when they are the only proteins in the body.

protein

A class of compounds composed of linked amino acids. They contain carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and sometimes other atoms in specific configurations.

amino acids

The molecules from which proteins are built, each protein being composed of a specific sequence of linked amino acids.

macronutrient

Essential nutrients that are needed by the body in large amounts

enzyme

A protein molecule that speeds up or accelerates specific chemical reactions without changing itself.