Nutrition Final Review – Vocabulary Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, definitions, and numeric values from Chapters 1–16 of the nutrition final review. Use these cards to test recognition of essential concepts, nutrient functions, dietary guidelines, and deficiency diseases.

Taste

The number-one factor that drives most people’s food choices.

Energy

The capacity to do work; measured in kilocalories in nutrition.

Essential Nutrients

Nutrients the body cannot make in adequate amounts and must obtain from food: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water.

Energy-Yielding Nutrients

Carbohydrates (4 kcal/g), proteins (4 kcal/g), and fats (9 kcal/g) that provide calories.

Alcohol (Energy Value)

Provides 7 kcal per gram, but is not an essential nutrient.

Carbohydrate Sources

Starches, grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy; meat and pure fats contain no carbohydrate.

Triglycerides

The most common lipid in food and the body; composed of one glycerol and three fatty acids.

Phospholipids

Lipids that contain a phosphate group; major component of cell membranes.

Sterols

Lipids with a multi-ring structure; cholesterol is the best-known example.

Micronutrient

Nutrient needed in small amounts—vitamins and minerals.

Amino Acids

Building blocks of proteins.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamins A, D, E, and K—absorbed with dietary fat and stored in body fat.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Weight (kg) / height (m²); <18.5 underweight, 18.5–24.9 normal, 25–29.9 overweight, 30–34.9 obese, ≥35 morbidly obese.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

Average intake level that meets nutrient needs of 97–98 % of healthy people.

Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)

Highest daily intake unlikely to cause adverse health effects.

MyPlate Fruit & Vegetable Rule

Half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables.

Low-Fat (FDA Definition)

Food that contains <3 g fat per serving.

Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR)

45–65 % kcal from carbohydrate, 20–35 % from fat, 10–35 % from protein.

Water

Most abundant nutrient in foods and the human body.

Digestion

Process of breaking food into absorbable components.

Fruit Serving Carbohydrate

½ cup fruit provides ~15 g carbohydrate.

Starchy Vegetable Carbohydrate

½ cup cooked starch (e.g., potato) provides ~15 g carbohydrate.

Non-Starchy Vegetable Carbohydrate

½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw non-starchy vegetables provides ~5 g carbohydrate.

Dairy Carbohydrate

1 cup milk provides ~12 g carbohydrate.

AHA Sugar Limit – Men

≤9 teaspoons (≈36 g) added sugar per day.

AHA Sugar Limit – Women

≤6 teaspoons (≈25 g) added sugar per day.

Maltose

Disaccharide of glucose + glucose.

Lactose

Disaccharide of glucose + galactose; milk sugar.

Sucrose

Disaccharide of glucose + fructose; table sugar.

Lactose Intolerance

Inability to digest lactose; small amounts of yogurt or aged cheese are usually tolerated.

Liver

First organ to receive absorbed glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Insulin

Pancreatic hormone that lowers blood glucose by promoting cellular uptake.

Glucagon

Pancreatic hormone that raises blood glucose by stimulating glycogen breakdown.

Glycogen Storage

Stored in liver and muscle tissue.

Soluble Fiber

Fermentable fiber that dissolves in water; partially digested by gut bacteria.

Insoluble Fiber

Fiber that does not dissolve in water and is poorly fermented; adds bulk to stool.

Gluconeogenesis

Creation of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources, primarily amino acids.

Glycogenolysis

Breakdown of glycogen to glucose.

Minimum Carbohydrate Need

130 g carbohydrate/day to sustain brain and nerve function.

Leading Added-Sugar Source

Regular soda/soft drinks.

Type 1 Diabetes

Autoimmune disease in which the pancreas produces no insulin.

Type 2 Diabetes

Insulin resistance with relative insulin deficiency; most common form.

Hemoglobin A1c

Percentage of glycated hemoglobin indicating average blood glucose over ~3 months.

Insulin Administration

Must be delivered by injection or insulin pump.

Metabolic Syndrome

Presence of any three: high blood glucose, high triglycerides, low HDL, hypertension, or obesity.

Hyperglycemia

Elevated blood glucose levels.

Hypoglycemia

Abnormally low blood glucose causing dizziness, shaking, weakness, or slurred speech.

Polydipsia

Excessive thirst.

Polyphagia

Excessive hunger.

Polyuria

Excessive urination.

Protein Functions

Enzymes, hormones, antibodies, fluid balance, transport, tissue building/repair.

Protein RDA (Healthy Adult)

0.8 g/kg body weight per day.

Complete Protein

Food that supplies all 9 essential amino acids; e.g., meat, eggs, dairy, soy, quinoa.

Incomplete Protein

Protein lacking one or more essential amino acids; e.g., grains, beans, nuts, vegetables.

Complementary Proteins

Two incomplete proteins combined to supply all essential amino acids (e.g., beans + rice).

Deamination

Removal of an amino group from an amino acid, producing ammonia → urea.

Kwashiorkor

Protein-energy malnutrition with adequate kcal but inadequate protein.

Marasmus

Severe deficiency of kcal and protein leading to wasting.

Essential Amino Acids

Nine amino acids that must come from the diet.

Saturated Fat

Fatty acid with no double bonds; solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated Fat

Fatty acid with one or more double bonds; liquid at room temperature.

Hydrogenation

Adding hydrogen to unsaturated fat, creating trans fats and making fat more saturated.

Trans-Fatty Acid

Fatty acid with hydrogens on opposite sides of the double bond; raises LDL, lowers HDL.

Short & Medium-Chain Triglyceride Absorption

Enter intestinal villi → portal vein → liver (direct bloodstream transport).

Rancidity

Oxidative spoilage of fats producing off flavors and odors.

Atherosclerosis-Promoting Fats

Oxidized (rancid) fats accelerate artery plaque formation.

High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL)

Removes cholesterol from arteries and returns it to the liver for disposal; “good” cholesterol.

Fortification

Adding nutrients not originally present in a food.

Enrichment

Replacing nutrients lost during processing.

Primary Nutrient Deficiency

Deficiency caused by inadequate dietary intake.

Secondary Nutrient Deficiency

Deficiency caused by disease, absorption issues, or drug interactions.

Vitamin K (Endogenous)

Produced by gut bacteria; essential for blood clotting.

Beriberi

Thiamin (vitamin B1) deficiency.

Pellagra

Niacin (vitamin B3) deficiency.

Scurvy

Vitamin C deficiency causing bleeding gums and poor wound healing.

Rickets

Vitamin D deficiency in children leading to bowed legs.

Osteomalacia

Vitamin D deficiency in adults causing soft bones.

Major Minerals

Minerals required in amounts ≥100 mg/day.

Trace Minerals

Minerals required in amounts <100 mg/day.

Iron Absorption Enhancer

Vitamin C improves non-heme iron absorption.

Vitamin C Sources

Citrus fruits, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, broccoli, cantaloupe.

Sunshine Vitamin

Vitamin D, synthesized in the skin via sunlight.

Hyponatremia

Dangerously low blood sodium from excessive water intake.

Electrolytes

Sodium, chloride, and potassium maintain fluid balance.

Riboflavin Source & Effect

Found in milk; excess causes bright yellow urine.

Niacin Synthesis

Can be made from the amino acid tryptophan.

Pernicious Anemia

Macrocytic anemia from lack of intrinsic factor and vitamin B12.

Goiter

Enlarged thyroid gland due to iodine deficiency.

Peak Bone Mass Age

Typically achieved by about age 30.

Calcium

Most abundant mineral in the body; essential for bones and teeth.

Phosphorus

Second most abundant mineral; part of bone and ATP.

Malnutrition

Leading cause of immune deficiency worldwide.

Vitamin D & Calcium

Vitamin D is needed for efficient calcium absorption.

Vitamin A Function

Essential for normal vision and immune function.

Selenium

Trace mineral that converts inactive thyroid hormone to its active form.

Vitamin K Function

Necessary for synthesis of blood-clotting proteins.

Iron Recycling

≈95 % of body iron is reused.

Heme Iron

Iron found in animal foods; well absorbed.

Non-Heme Iron

Iron from plant sources; absorption enhanced by vitamin C.

Vitamin D Food Sources

Fatty fish, egg yolks, and fortified dairy products.