BMI Standardized Ratio of Weight to Height

Antioxidants Chemical substances that help protect against cell damage from free radicals.

BMI Standardized ratio of weight to height.

Calcium Helps the body form bones and teeth and is required for blood clotting.

Calorie Unit of measurement for energy.

Copper It is needed to absorb and utilize iron.

insoluble Fiber that speeds digestion through the intestinal tract.

enzymes Complex proteins that assist in or enable chemical reactions to occur.

Essential ______Amino Acids are amino acids that your body does not have the ability to synthesize.

Insulin A hormone that's secreted by your pancreas to help regulate blood-sugar level and promotes glycogen storage.

iron It forms part of hemoglobin, the component of the blood that carries oxygen throughout the body.

Macronutrients Refer to those nutrients that form the major portion of your consumption and contribute energy to your diet.

Micronutrients All other nutrients are consumed in smaller amounts, and are labeled as these.

Magnesium An essential mineral for the human body. It is needed for protein, bone, and fatty acid formation.

milligram A unit of measure equal to one one-thousandth of a gram (g).

Monosaccharides Simple carbohydrates that consist of a single sugar molecule. Examples include glucose, fructose, and galactose.

polysaccharides Examples of these include cellulose, starch, and dextrin. Multiple sugar molecules.

Potassium An essential mineral that helps regulate heart function, blood pressure, and nerve and muscle activity.

Proteins They provide the structure and contracting capability of muscles.

Aminoacids Are the building blocks of proteins. (2 wds.)

Saturated These fats are usually solid at room temperature.

hydrogenation Converts unsaturated fats to saturated fats.

sodium It helps to maintain blood volume, regulate the balance of water in the cells, and keep nerves functioning.

Teaspoon One ______of salt contains about 2,300 milligrams of sodium, more than four times the amount the body requires per day.

Retinol 'A' fat-soluble vitamin with multiple functions in the body. It helps cells differentiate, an essential part of cell reproduction.

Cobalamine A water-soluble vitamin needed for normal nerve cell activity, DNA replication, and production of the mood-affecting substance SAMe.

Blood Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps maintain ______levels of calcium.

coagulation Vitamin K is necessary for proper bone growth and blood ______.

Loading Carbohydrate ______is a technique used to increase the amount of glycogen in muscles.

Gluten A protein found in wheat and related grains, and present in many foods.

Four The energy produced by carbohydrates is _____ calories per gram.

nine Fats provide ___ calories per gram.

Cholesterol Carried in the bloodstream as lipoproteins.

Lowdensity Cholesterol(the LD), is the "bad" cholesterol because elevated LDL levels are associated with an increased risk of coronary artery (heart) disease.

Electrolytes These are nutrients that affect fluid balance in the body and are necessary for our nerves and muscles to function.

fat Is the sum of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats.

Fiber The parts of fruits and vegetables that cannot be digested.

Folicacid Is an important factor in nucleic acid synthesis (the genetic material of all cells). 2 wds.

Glucose Found in the blood, it is the main sugar that the body manufactures.

Lactase Enzyme that breaks down the milk sugar lactose.

Metabolism The whole range of biochemical processes that occur within us (or any living organism).

Absorb To take something in, as through the skin or the intestine.

Anus The opening of the rectum to the outside of the body.

Appendix A small outpouching from the beginning of the large intestine (the ascending colon).

Bile A yellow-green fluid that is made by the liver, stored in the gallbladder and passes through the common bile duct into the duodenum where it helps digest fat.

Duodenum The first part of the small intestine.

Esophagus The tube that connects the pharynx (throat) with the stomach.

Gallbladder A pear-shaped organ just below the liver that stores the bile secreted by the liver.

Heartburn An uncomfortable feeling of burning and warmth occurring in waves rising up behind the breastbone (sternum) toward the neck.

Ileum The lowest part of the small intestine.

Intestine The long, tubelike organ in the abdomen that completes the process of digestion.

Liver An organ in the upper abdomen that aids in digestion and removes waste products and worn-out cells from the blood.

Saliva Contains amylase, an enzyme that digests starch.

Pancreas A fish-shaped spongy grayish-pink organ about 6 inches (15 cm) long that stretches across the back of the abdomen, behind the stomach.

Peristalsis The rippling motion of muscles in the digestive tract.

Pharynx The hollow tube about 5 inches long that starts behind the nose and ends at the top of the trachea (windpipe) and esophagus.

Rectum The last 6 to 8 inches of the large intestine.

Regurgitation A backward flowing. For example, of food.

Stomach The sac-shaped digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs.

Feces The solid matter discharged in a bowel movement.

Chyme The result of mixing food bolus with acid in the stomach.

Pepsin An enzyme produced in the stomach responsible for protein degradation.

Sphincter A specialized circular muscle that serves a gate-keeping function that prevents the free passage of material.

villi A tiny finger-like or vascular projection.

bolus A round, small lump of chewed and swallowed food inside the digestive tract.

epiglottis A thin piece of tissue at the back of the tongue that covers the opening of the larynx and the trachea while swallowing.

mineral An inorganic chemical compound found in nature; needed in the diet for normal metabolic functioning.

nutrient Chemical substance in foods that are required by the body to keep a living thing alive and to help it to grow.

vitamin An organic compound required as a vital nutrient in small amounts.