Cholesterol (Dietary) - cholesterol that is derived from animal
products in the foods consumed. Cholesterol is not really a fat, but is instead a fat-like substance that belongs to a class called a lipid. It is crucial to sustain life and is found in all parts of the body, including cell membranes. Cholesterol is crucial for the production of bile acids and steroid hormones. Dietary cholesterol is only found in foods from animal sources. Abundant in organ meats and egg-yolks, cholesterol is also found in meats and poultry products. Vegetable oils and shortenings are cholesterol-free.
Ideal Weight Chart - a table or graph to help individuals to identify their ideal body weight range. It assumes knowledge of whether the person is small, medium, or large-framed.
Fat Reduction Ingredients - in order to make it easier for people to control how much fat they include in their diet, cutting-edge innovations in food science have encouraged the availability of a wide array of fat-reduced processed and packaged foods and milk and meat products. To know more about various foods that mimic fatty foods but contain far fewer calories, look at `Fat Replacers`. Saturated Fat - a class of fat that is solid at room temperature. Fats that are present in foods are combined blends of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fatty acids. Saturated fat is found in high-fat dairy products (such as whole-cream milk, cream, regular ice cream, butter, processed and natural cheeses), fatty meats (both fresh and processed), the fat and skin of poultry (turkey and chicken), suet, coconut oil, and palm oil. They contain the identical caloric count as do other classes of fat (9 calories per gram), and may contribute to weight gain if eaten in excess. In addition, a diet that is rich in saturated fat builds up high levels of cholesterol in the blood and also increases the chances of cardiac diseases. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that those who want to be or remain physically fit ought to consume fewer than 10 % of calories from saturated fats daily.
Layered Eating - a strategy in weight control, where low- calorie, high-volume foods are ingested first, before high-calorie, low-volume foods are eaten. This is a logical process of filling up by consuming certain foods and / or liquids before high-calorie foods are ingested.
Obesity Surgery Center - a medical facility specializing in obesity-related surgery and follow-up care.
Oils - triglycerides which retain a liquid form at room temperature (20-25°C or 68-77°F). Oils are commonly included in the overall classification of `fat`, although, in terms of their chemical composition, fats are triglycerides that remain solid at room temperature.
Allergy (food allergy or food hypersensitivity) - a negative reaction that occurs when the immune system responds defensively to an (otherwise harmless) specific food protein. In order to avoid confusion with other types of adverse responses to food items, it is essential to employ the expressions `food allergy` or `food hypersensitivity` only if the reaction involves the immune system.
Aerobic - containing oxygen or requiring oxygen.
Pectin - an organic gelling agent found in ripe fruit. It is a key ingredient in making jellies and jams. Certain fruits have high pectin levels (for example, citrus fruits, blackberries, apples, and red currants), while other fruits are low in pectin (for instance, strawberries), so lemon juice should additionally be used in those jams to help them gel.
Renal Threshold - the blood glucose level above which glucose spills into the urine.
Anticarcinogens - substances or agents that safeguard against the formation of cancers or cancerous tumors. Over 600 chemical substances are alleged to be anti-cancer substances. These range from the organic chemical component (present in garlic, broccoli, cabbage, and green tea) to artificial antioxidants, for example BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and forms of retinoic acid (also known as Vitamin A acid or tretinoin).
Glucose - also called `dextrose`, a building block for the majority of carbohydrates. Absorption of the nutrients that the body consumes causes carbohydrates to break down into glucose. Once the body has broken down the carbohydrates ingested, glucose is carried in the blood and is taken to the cells of the body, where it is used to provide fuel for cell functions or else it is stored. Glucose is usually found in the form of dextrose, that occurs naturally, has roughly 50% of the sweetening power of regular sugar, plus does not crystallize readily. Glucose is available from some vegetables, fruits such as grapes, and from honey, and other plant sources. Duodenum - the initial segment of the small intestinal tract, which is linked to the stomach.
Morbid Obesity - also called `clinically severe obesity`, applies to an individual with a BMI of 40 or higher, which is roughly equivalent to 100 pounds (45.5 kilos) or more over the optimal body weight; a magnitude of obesity which is considered to be a threat to life.
Binge Eating Disorder - a medical syndrome characterized by episodes of out-of-control consumption of large quantities of food.
Anorexia Nervosa - a psychological and physiological eating disorder, characterized by refusal to maintain a minimal normal weight in terms of normal standards for the person`s height and their age and a morbid fear of putting on too much weight and, therefore, a distorted self-image. The disorder includes weight loss, leading to body weight being 15 percent below par; an abnormal and illusory dread of becoming overweight regardless of the victim`s low body weight; a disturbance in the self-awareness of one`s own body weight and shape; and in girls and young women, the non-appearance of a minimum of three consecutive menstruations that could normally be anticipated. It may also include throwing up, excessive exercise and additional changes in the health or normal bodily functions. It is characteristically noticed in teenaged girls, but might occur in children, males, and adults.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) - a US federal institution, which is an arm of the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) and monitors the quality of licensed biological cultivation.
Post Harvest Waxes - wax covering on fresh produce. When a vegetable or fruit is harvested, it still requires some amount of water to remain edible and fresh. To help preserve moisture, some species of fresh produce are treated with a thin wax coat in order to replace the organic wax the fresh produce loses in the course of being harvested and shipped to the consumer market. If a fungicide is mixed with the wax to safeguard against mold or fungus, retail shops must put a label on the wax-treated fruit or vegetable.
Chromosome - stringy components contained in the nucleus of the cell, which contain DNA and proteins. Genes are carried on chromosomes.
Nitrogen - a non-metallic chemical element that constitutes nearly 80 % of the atmosphere by volume, being an odorless, colorless, almost non-reactive diatomic gas present in several minerals, as well as in each and every protein. It is used in a wide array of important industrial products, which include ammonia, nitric acid, TNT, and fertilizers.
Artificial Sweeteners - substances or agents that impart sweetness to foods but furnish very little energy, or none at all, to the body. They include saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium. Saccharin is the oldest of artificial low-cal sweeteners and has no calories. Acesulfame potassium (or Ace-K) is also used in many foods and beverages and was additionally approved as a flavor enhancer in `03. Ace-k is non-caloric, can withstand high temperatures and, when mixed with any other low-calorie sweetening agents, generates a synergistic effect that helps enhance the flavor, sweetness, and stable properties of low-calorie foods and beverages. Aspartame is also extensively utilized in foods & beverages and as a table-top sweetener. It contains 4c/g but since it`s sweetening capacity is 200 times greater than that of table sugar, just a little bit of it is needed to adequately sweeten foods or beverages. Sucralose is the only low-calorie sweetener which is made from sugar. This sweetener is about six hundred times sweeter than sugar, has zero calories, and is extremely stable under a broad range of processing conditions. The FDA has accepted sucralose to be used in foods & beverages, for cooking as well as baking, and also as a tabletop sweetener (forms of low-calorie sweeteners served at the table).
