Introduction to Nutrition and Energy Fundamentals

Vocabulary flashcards covering key nutrition definitions, physiological processes, energy units, and scientific research methodologies based on Chapter 1 through Chapter 7 lecture transcript.

Seed Bank (Norway)

A preservation facility located in Norway near the North Pole created by scientists to protect original fruit and vegetable genes from environmental loss and genetic modification.

Hunger

The physiological, physical, and biological need for food driven by internal signals sent from the stomach, intestine, and blood to the brain.

Satiety

The feeling of satisfaction and fullness resulting in no longer having a desire to eat, triggered by neural and nutrient signals received by the brain.

Hypothalamus

The region of the brain that serves as the primary control center for hunger, appetite, and satiety.

Nutrition

The branch of science that studies the link between food consumption and health, encompassing processes such as ingestion, digestion, absorption, and transportation.

Amylase

An enzyme present in saliva that begins breaking down carbohydrates into glucose directly in the mouth.

Absorption

The biological process of moving digested nutrients across the lining of the gastrointestinal tract and into the bloodstream.

Transportation

The delivery of absorbed nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract and bloodstream to various tissues and individual cells throughout the body.

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

A credentialed health professional specializing in dietetics, food science, calorie management, and the clinical link between nutrition and health.

Macronutrients

Nutrients required by the body in large amounts that supply energy (calories), comprising carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins.

Micronutrients

Essential nutrients needed in smaller amounts that do not provide energy directly, comprising vitamins, minerals, and water.

Glucose

The simplest single-unit carbohydrate composed of a six-carbon ring structure that serves as a primary source of cellular energy.

Glycogen

A complex carbohydrate storage form of glucose found in animal muscle tissue and liver.

Starch

A complex carbohydrate storage form of energy found in plant foods.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamins (such as Vitamin D) that require the presence of dietary lipids for proper dissolution and optimal absorption in the digestive system.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamins (such as Vitamins B and C) that dissolve easily in water and are readily excreted from the body, requiring frequent intake.

Calorie

A standard physics unit of heat energy defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of $1\,\text{g}$ of water by $1^\circ\text{C}$.

Kilocalorie (kcal)

A unit equal to $1{,}000\,\text{calories}$ used on nutrition facts labels (often written with a capital C as Calorie) to measure food energy content.

Hypothesis

A proposed statement or educated assumption formulated to explain an observation before testing it scientifically.

Epidemiology

The scientific study of how health conditions, diseases, and dietary patterns occur and are distributed within specific populations.

Meta-Analysis

The highest tier in the hierarchy of scientific evidence, combining and analyzing data from multiple randomized controlled trials.

Control Group

A baseline group in an experiment that experiences the exact same environmental conditions as the experimental group but does not receive the active variable or treatment.

Placebo

An inactive substance (such as a sugar-coated pill) given to a control group in scientific studies to assess the true effects of an active intervention.

Cohort Study

An observational research design that follows a large group of individuals over time, either prospectively into the future or retrospectively into the past.