Nutrition Terms
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Sort by: Nutritional Term |
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Nitrogen-bearing organic acids that are the building blocks of protein. The branched chain amino acids are Leucine, Valine and Isoleucine. |
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A vitamin which maintains energy levels, supports brain function (memory). Aids in digestion. Necessary for metabolism of sugar and starch to provide energy. Maintains a healthy nervous system. Alcohol can cause deficiencies of this vitamin and all the B-complex vitamins. |
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A vitamin which helps with energy production and amino acid production. Helps body obtain energy from protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Helps maintain good vision and healthy skin. |
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A vitamin Important in carbohydrate metabolism, formation of testosterone and other hormones, formation of red blood cells and maintaining the integrity of all cells. Helps body utilize protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Necessary for a healthy nervous system and digestive system. It also lowers elevated blood cholesterol levels when taken in large amounts of more than 1,000 milligrams a day. |
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A vitamin which supports carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism; hemoglobin synthesis. Helps release energy from protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Needed to support a variety of body functions, including the maintenance of a healthy digestive system. |
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A vitamin which supports glycogen and nitrogen metabolism; production and transport of amino acids; production and maintenance of red blood cells (hemoglobin) Essential for the body's utilization of protein. Needed for the production of red blood cells, nerve tissues, and antibodies. Women taking oral contraceptives have lower levels of B-6. |
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Necessary for carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism. Important to amino acid and fatty acid synthesis; essential for hemoglobin and nerve cell growth and maintenance. The anti-stress vitamin, sometimes prescribed for stress reduction. |
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A plan native to Asia that has fragrant white flowers and small triangular seeds. The edible seeds are often ground into flour. According to animal studies, buckwheat is better than casein (a milk protein) for promoting muscle growth and body growth and decreasing blood lipds. For persons allergic to wheat gluten, it provides a gluten-free food with uses similar to gains. Roasted buckwheat is known as Kasha. Buckwheat is usually available as flour. |
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Alkaloid that stimulates alertness and boosts energy. A herbal compound that enhances alertness and fights fatigue. Caffeine increases endurance during prolonged submaximal activity by increasing blood epinephrine (adrenaline) levels, thereby allowing fat cells to break down more readily during aerobic activity. Caffeine also makes a muscle contraction more forceful. |
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Most abundant mineral in the body; essential for the formation and repair of bone and teeth, but also essential to nerve transmission, muscle contraction, blood clotting and other metabolic activities as well. Long term calcium deficiency is linked to degenerative bone diseases. |
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There are two basic forms of carbohydrates: Simple & Complex. Simple carbs are usually devoid of fiber and include such foods as refined sugars, fruit juices, and apple sauce. The problem with simple carbs is that they promote a large insulin surge, which can lead to hypoglycemia. Complex carbs are absorbed more slowly, so they don't cause as great an insulin surge as the simple type. Primary macronutrient source of energy in the body; burned as glucose and stored in muscle as glycogen (excess stored as fat) and includes all sugars (1 gram yields 4 calories). |
Non-structural amino acid that transports fatty acids into muscle cells for use as energy fuel. Carnitine is water-soluble and can be made in the body from the amino acids lysine and methionine with the assistance of vitamins C, B6 and Niacin, which act as coenzymes in the process.
Carnitine as discovered in meat in 1905, and was once called Vitamin T, because they thought it was a vitamin at first. 98% of te body's carntine exists in the heart and skelatal muscles. Carnitine is synthesized in the liver from Lysiine and Methionine, but half of the body's daily requirement for Carnitine comes from foods sources, including meat, poultry, fish and some diary products. Without supplemental carnitine, some people cannot use fat as energy. |
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A fat-like sterol used by the body for production of hormones (including testosterone), vitamin D and cell membranes; high levels in the blood stream are a marker for heart disease. |
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