Personal Nutrition - Essential Nutrients and Dietary Principles

Vocabulary flashcards covering the core functions and classes of nutrients, macronutrients, micronutrients, cardiovascular health risks, and food label metrics from the Personal Nutrition course.

Water

The universal foundation and most critical nutrient for survival, responsible for regulating body temperature, lubricating joints, and flushing out toxins.

Protein

A macronutrient broken down into amino acids that serves as the primary building material to rebuild muscles, repair damaged tissues, renew cells, and create essential enzymes.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds that break down into glucose, providing the primary and most efficient energy source for brain cognition and daily physical activity.

Fats

Essential macronutrients vital for protecting internal organs, insulating the body, supporting cellular growth, and assisting in the absorption of critical fat-soluble vitamins.

Vitamins

Essential organic compounds that do not provide energy directly, but act as regulators necessary for releasing energy from food, directing cellular growth, protecting immunity, and maintaining tissues.

Minerals

Inorganic elements that provide the physical architecture for bones and teeth, maintain fluid balance, and act as biological electricity for nerve transmission and muscle contractions.

Complete Proteins

Protein sources—typically animal products like meat, fish, and dairy, as well as plant options like quinoa—that contain all 8 essential amino acids the body cannot produce on its own.

Incomplete Proteins

Plant-based protein sources, such as beans, grains, and nuts, that are relatively low in 1 or 2 essential amino acids.

Complementary Proteins

Combinations of different incomplete proteins consumed throughout the day (such as rice and beans) that strategically supply a complete and sufficient amino acid profile.

Glucose

An organic compound that acts as the foundational, preferred fuel source for both brain cognition and muscle function.

Simple Carbohydrates

Fast-energy carbohydrates, including natural sugars (such as lactose in milk and fructose in fruit) and processed sugars, that produce a rapid but short-lived spike in energy.

Complex Carbohydrates

Sustained-energy carbohydrates obtained from starches in whole grains, cereals, vegetables, beans, and nuts that break down slowly to provide steady, long-lasting vitality.

Glycemic Index (GI)

A scale that measures how quickly and drastically a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood sugar levels.

Cholesterol

A waxy, fat-like substance manufactured naturally by the body that circulates in the bloodstream to construct cells and synthesize hormones.

Saturated Fats

Dietary fats found in fatty meats, butter, and processed foods that cause a sharp rise in LDL ("bad") cholesterol, promoting arterial buildup and elevating cardiovascular risk.

Monounsaturated Fats

Protective fats found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts that actively work to lower bad cholesterol and improve the overall blood cholesterol profile.

Polyunsaturated Fats

Protective fats found in salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds that supply essential omega-3 fatty acids to help prevent blood clots and reduce inflammation.

Trans Fatty Acids (Trans Fats)

Fats created through the hydrogenation of liquid vegetable oils that are at least twice as damaging to cardiovascular health as saturated fats because they simultaneously increase LDL ("bad") cholesterol and decrease HDL ("good") cholesterol.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamins (A, D, E, and K) that dissolve in dietary lipids, pass through intestinal membranes, and are stored long-term in the liver and fatty tissues.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamins (B-complex and C) that dissolve in water, absorb directly into the bloodstream, cannot be stored long-term in the body, and must be replenished regularly through daily intake.

Major Minerals (Macrominerals)

Essential minerals required by the body in relatively large daily amounts to manage fluid balance and structural health, including calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, and sulfur.

Trace Minerals (Microminerals)

Essential minerals required only in microscopic amounts—including iron, zinc, selenium, iodine, copper, manganese, fluoride, chromium, and molybdenum—that govern processes such as oxygen delivery and thyroid health.

Calcium

A major mineral that serves as the primary structural material for bones and teeth while also enabling blood clotting, muscle contractions, and nerve signaling.

Sodium

An essential electrolyte that maintains fluid balance inside and outside cells, regulates blood pressure, transmits nerve impulses, and allows muscle contraction and relaxation.

Iron

A trace mineral and core component of hemoglobin in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body.

Serving Size

The standardized metric listed at the top of a nutrition label used to calculate all calorie and nutrient numbers, rather than a recommended quantity to eat.

5/20 Rule

A guideline for % Daily Value (% DV) stating that $5\%$ or less represents a low amount of a nutrient, whereas $20\%$ or more represents a high amount.