Basic Concepts in Nutrition and Diet Therapy – Vocabulary Review

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental terms and definitions from the lecture on basic concepts in nutrition and diet therapy.

Nutrition

The study of food and how the body receives, utilizes, and converts it for growth, renewal, and maintenance of body functions.

Dietetics

Practical application of nutrition principles, including planning meals for healthy and sick individuals.

Food

Any edible material that supports the body’s growth, repair, and maintenance.

Balanced Diet

A diet supplying all essential nutrients in sufficient quantity and correct proportion to promote good health.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Numerical relationship between weight and height used to estimate body-fat–related health risk.

Malnutrition

Impaired health from deficiency, excess, or imbalance of nutrients.

Undernutrition

Deficiency of calories and/or one or more essential nutrients.

Overnutrition

Excess intake of one or more nutrients, usually calories.

Food Security

A condition in which people do not live in hunger or fear of starvation.

Nutrient

Substance in food that provides energy, builds/repairs tissues, or regulates body processes.

Essential Nutrient

Nutrient required in the diet because the body cannot synthesize it (or enough of it).

Nonessential Nutrient

Nutrient the body can synthesize in adequate amounts; no specific dietary requirement.

Macronutrient

Nutrient needed in large amounts—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—that provides energy or structural material.

Micronutrient

Nutrient required in small amounts—vitamins and minerals—essential for metabolic processes.

Carbohydrate

Major energy-giving macronutrient composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; should supply 45–65 % of calories.

Protein

Body-building macronutrient made of amino acids; maintains and repairs tissues, suggested at 10–15 % of calories.

Fat (Lipid)

Energy-dense macronutrient (9 kcal/g) that cushions organs, insulates the body, and aids nutrient absorption.

Calorie (kcal)

Amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water by 1 °C; energy unit for food.

Monosaccharide

Single-sugar carbohydrate unit that is water-soluble and sweet; cannot be broken down further during digestion.

Disaccharide

Double sugar composed of two monosaccharide units, e.g., sucrose, lactose, maltose.

Polysaccharide

Carbohydrate of three or more monosaccharides; slower to digest, sometimes indigestible, e.g., starch, fiber, glycogen.

Glucose

Primary blood sugar; body’s immediate energy source; excess stored as glycogen in liver and muscles.

Fructose

Fruit sugar; sweetest natural monosaccharide found in many fruits.

Galactose

Monosaccharide derived from milk sugar; not usually found free in nature.

Sucrose

Table (cane) sugar made of glucose + fructose.

Maltose

Malt sugar (glucose + glucose) used in fermentation and alcohol production.

Lactose

Milk sugar (glucose + galactose); intolerance occurs when it cannot be digested in the small intestine.

Starch

Plant storage polysaccharide, primary digestible complex carbohydrate in grains and root vegetables.

Fiber (Roughage)

Indigestible plant polysaccharide that aids intestinal motility and cholesterol removal but provides no calories.

Glycogen

Animal storage polysaccharide of glucose; stored in liver and muscles, converted to fat when in excess.

Saturated Fat

Solid fat primarily from animal sources; contains no double bonds; can raise LDL cholesterol.

Unsaturated Fat

Fatty acid with one or more double bonds; usually liquid oils from plant sources; considered heart-healthy.

Essential Amino Acids

Eight amino acids that must be supplied by the diet because the body cannot synthesize them.

Nonessential Amino Acids

Fourteen amino acids that the body can produce on its own.

Kwashiorkor

Protein-deficiency disorder marked by edema, potbelly, and low immunity in children.

Marasmus

Severe energy and protein deficiency causing extreme wasting and “little old man” appearance.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamins A, D, E, and K that dissolve in fat and can be stored in body tissues.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamin C and the B-complex vitamins that dissolve in water and are not significantly stored in the body.

Vitamin A (Retinol)

Fat-soluble vitamin essential for vision, immune function, reproduction, and cell growth; sources include liver and carrots.

Vitamin D

Sunshine vitamin working with calcium for bone health and muscle function; produced in skin by sunlight.

Vitamin E

Antioxidant vitamin that supports immunity and prevents blood clots; abundant in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds.

Vitamin K

Vitamin necessary for blood clotting and bone health; found in leafy greens and vegetable oils.

B Vitamins

Group of eight water-soluble vitamins that aid energy metabolism and red blood cell formation.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Antioxidant vitamin that makes collagen, aids iron absorption, and boosts immunity; richest in citrus fruits and peppers.

Calcium (Ca)

Major mineral for bone/teeth formation, muscle contraction, nerve transmission, and blood clotting; abundant in dairy.

Phosphorus (P)

Mineral partnering with calcium in bones, acid-base balance, and energy metabolism; common in meats and dairy.

Potassium (K)

Mineral critical for cardiac and muscle activity and nerve impulse transmission; high in bananas and potatoes.

Sodium (Na)

Electrolyte regulating fluid balance and nerve impulses; primary source is table salt and processed foods.

Magnesium (Mg)

Mineral involved in bone formation, protein synthesis, and muscle relaxation; found in nuts and green vegetables.

Chloride (Cl)

Electrolyte maintaining fluid balance and forming stomach hydrochloric acid; sourced from table salt.

Sulfur (S)

Mineral essential for protein synthesis, enzyme activity, and collagen formation; present in protein-rich foods.

Major Minerals

Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, chloride, and sulfur—needed in larger quantities for body functions.

Simple Carbohydrate

Sugars (mono- and disaccharides) that digest quickly and provide rapid energy.

Complex Carbohydrate

Starches and fibers that digest slowly and supply sustained energy and digestive benefits.