Healthy
Eating — Nutrition Information Medical
Dictionary
The latest research has resulted in a new healthy
eating pyramid, a new concept of good fats and
bad fats, and a greater understanding of the
components of foods and how they influence health
and longevity. This medical dictionary covers
the terms used in the report, Healthy Eating:
A guide to the new nutrition, and includes
details on keeping track of your health, diets,
various foods and vitamins, natural options,
the food pyramid, and helpful tips.
body mass index (BMI): An estimate
of the body’s fat content, calculated from
measurements of height and weight.
dietary fiber: The edible,
nondigestible component of carbohydrates naturally
found in plant food.
dietary reference intakes (DRIs): A
comprehensive set of standards for daily intake
of essential vitamins and minerals, based on
evidence from scores of observational and clinical
studies.
essential fats: Beneficial
fats, such as omega-3 and omega-6, that come
exclusively from foods and supplements; they
are not manufactured by the body.
glycemic load: A measure of
how soon and how much a serving of a food causes
blood sugar to rise. Foods with a high glycemic
load are thought to increase the risk of insulin
resistance and other health problems.
high-density lipoproteins (HDLs): Spherical
particles that transport cholesterol from body
cells to the liver and other sites for elimination;
called “good” cholesterol because
high levels are associated with a low risk for
heart disease.
insulin resistance: An illness
in which the body does not respond normally to
insulin, the hormone that ferries sugar from
the blood into the cells. Insulin resistance
can lead to type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
low-density lipoproteins (LDLs): Spherical
particles that transport cholesterol in the blood;
called “bad” cholesterol because
high levels are associated with a high risk for
heart disease.
macronutrients: The basic categories
of nutrients that humans need: fat, carbohydrate,
and protein.
micronutrients: The vitamins
and minerals that humans need to maintain normal
body functions and prevent certain illnesses.
monounsaturated fats: Beneficial
fats that contain one double bond between adjacent
carbon atoms.
omega-3 fatty acids: Beneficial
fats also known as n-3 fatty acids. These are
polyunsaturated fats in which the last double
bond between carbon atoms is located three carbons
from the end of the chain.
omega-6 fatty acids: Beneficial
fats also known as n-6 fatty acids. These are
polyunsaturated fats in which the last double
bond between carbon atoms is located six carbons
from the end of the chain.
phytochemicals: Substances
made by plants that have biological effects in
the human body. Some are phytoestrogens, chemicals
that behave like (or sometimes block the action
of) the hormone estrogen.
polyunsaturated fats: Beneficial
fats that contain two or more double bonds between
adjacent carbon atoms.
saturated fats: Unhealthy fats
in which all the carbon atoms are bonded to the
maximum number of hydrogen atoms so there are
no double bonds between the carbons.
trans fatty acids (trans fats): Unhealthy
fats that occur naturally in meat but come mainly
from processed foods made with hydrogenated oils.
Hydrogenated oils are polyunsaturated fats that
have been chemically altered to be made more
like saturated fats.
triglycerides: Fat that is transported
through the bloodstream. High levels increase the
risk of heart disease.
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