Nutrition Glossary

A nutrient or chemical that reacts with and neutralizes free radicals or chemicals that release free radicals. Antioxidants are also called free radical scavengers. Vitamins A, C, E and some of the B vitamins, beta-carotene, selenium and some key enzymes in your body are all antioxidants. By intercepting the free radicals, antioxidants prevent them from damaging molecular structures such as your DNA (see free radicals).

A form of arteriosclerosis in which fatty substances for a deposit of plaque on the inner lining of arterial walls.

The quantity or percentage of glucose in the blood.

A measurement corresponding to the mineral density of bone, used to diagnose osteopenia and osteoporosis. Also called bone mineral density.

The major inorganic component of bones and teeth. Small amounts in blood plasma and in tissues play a vital role in the excitability of nerve tissue, the control of muscle contraction and the integration and regulation of metabolic processes.

Any of a group of organic compounds that includes sugars, starches, celluloses and gums and serves as a major energy source in the diet of animals.

A congenital or acquired disease of the heart or blood vessels, including atherosclerosis, rheumatic heart disease and vascular inflammation. Also called heart disease.

Destructive metabolism; the breaking down in living organisms of more complex substances into simpler ones, with the release of energy.

A white crystalline substance found in animal tissues and various foods, that is normally synthesized by the liver and is important as a constituent of cell membranes and a precursor to steroid hormones. Its level in the bloodstream can influence the pathogenesis of certain conditions, such as the development of atherosclerotic plaque and coronary artery disease.

A condition of the bowels in which the feces are dry and hardened and evacuation is difficult and infrequent.

A disorder of carbohydrate metabolism, usually occurring in genetically predisposed individuals, characterized by inadequate production or utilization of insulin and resulting in excessive amounts of glucose in the blood and urine, excessive thirst, weight loss, and in some cases progressive destruction of small blood vessels leading to such complications as infections and gangrene of the limbs or blindness. Also called diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus.

Any of various proteins, such as pepsin, originating from living cells and capable of producing certain chemical changes in organic substances by catalytic action, as in digestion.

To abstain or refrain from food.

With the help of lipids or fats, absorbed through the intestinal tract: fat soluble vitamins.

Food containing high amount of such carbohydrates, as whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

A water-soluble vitamin that is converted to a coenzyme essential to purine and thymine biosynthesis: deficiency causes a form of anemia.

Delayed negative reaction to a food, beverage or food additive; a true food allergy occurs within minutes of ingesting the triggering item. Food sensitivity is often caused by the absence of specific chemicals or enzymes needed to digest a food substance, such as lactase deficiency. Also called food intolerance.

A test for measuring specific vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and other fundamental micronutrients, including cholesterol, within an individual's lymphocytes or white blood cells.

A form of hemoglobin used primarily to identify the average plasma glucose concentration over prolonged periods of time. It is formed in a non-enzymatic pathway by hemoglobin’s normal exposure to high plasma levels of glucose. Glycosylation of hemoglobin has been implicated in nephropathy and retinopathy in diabetes mellitus.

This “good cholesterol” removes harmful bad cholesterol from where it doesn’t belong. High HDL levels reduce the risk for heart disease – but low levels increase the risk.