Basal Metabolic Rate
the rate at which the body uses energy while at rest to keep vital functions going, such as breathing and keeping warm.
Calories
a unit of energy, often used to express the nutritional value of foods, equivalent to the heat energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 °C, and equal to one thousand small calories; a kilocalorie.
Carbohydrates
food consisting of or containing a lot of sugars, starch, cellulose, or similar substances that can be broken down to release energy in the human body, and make up one of the main nutritional food groups.
Cholesterol
a compound of the sterol type found in most body tissues. Cholesterol and its derivatives are important constituents of cell membranes and precursors of other steroid compounds, but a high proportion in the blood of low-density lipoprotein (which transports cholesterol to the tissues) is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
Diabetes
A group of diseases that result in too much sugar in the blood (high blood glucose).
Dietary Fiber
Dietary fiber or roughage is the portion of plant-derived food that cannot be completely broken down by human digestive enzymes. Dietary fibers are diverse in chemical composition
Digestive system
The human digestive system consists of the gastrointestinal tract plus the accessory organs of digestion.
Electrolytes
a liquid or gel that contains ions and can be decomposed by electrolysis, e.g., that present in a battery.
Fats
a natural oily or greasy substance occurring in animal bodies, especially when deposited as a layer under the skin or around certain organs.
Macronutrients
a chemical element (e.g., potassium, magnesium, calcium) required in large amounts for plant growth and development.
Metabolism
the chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.
Micronutrients
a chemical element or substance required in trace amounts for the normal growth and development of living organisms.
Minerals
a solid inorganic substance of natural occurrence.
Nutrients
a substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life.
Protein
any of a class of nitrogenous organic compounds that have large molecules composed of one or more long chains of amino acids and are an essential part of all living organisms, especially as structural components of body tissues such as muscle, hair, etc., and as enzymes and antibodies.
Saturated Fat
a type of fat containing a high proportion of fatty acid molecules without double bonds, considered to be less healthy in the diet than unsaturated fat.
Trans Fat
- another term for trans-fatty acid.
Unsaturated Fat
a type of fat containing a high proportion of fatty acid molecules with at least one double bond, considered to be healthier in the diet than saturated fat.
Vitamins
any of a group of organic compounds which are essential for normal growth and nutrition and are required in small quantities in the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the body.
Water
a colorless, transparent, odorless liquid that forms the seas, lakes, rivers, and rain and is the basis of the fluids of living organisms.