Glossary
amino acid building blocks that make up proteins.
arthritis inflammation of the joints.
calories units used to measure the energy we get from food and the energy we need to do activities.
cancer harmful tumor that spreads throughout the body.
cell tiny structure that is the basic unit of animal and plant life.
diabetes disease in which there is too much sugar in the blood because the body cannot use carbohydrate properly.
enriched food grain products like bread,rice and pasta to which nutrients like iron, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin are added after they have been removed during processing.
enzyme a molecule made from protein that is necessary for certain chemical changes to take place in the body.
essential nutrients nutrients that you must get from foods because your body cannot make them.
fortified food a food to which nutrients have been added. Often these nutrients were not in the original, natural food.
gram a unit of weight, about 1/28 of an ounce.
hemoglobin the cells which carry oxygen through the blood stream to your muscles and organs.
high blood pressure higher than normal pressure in the arteries and capillaries (the tubes which carry blood away from the heart).
hormone a substance produced by one part of the body which is carried in the blood and affects another part of the body.
infection sickness caused by a bacteria or other substance.
intestines part of the digestive system that comes after the stomach. Many nutrients are absorbed into the blood stream through the intestine.
intoxication a sickness caused by a poison (toxin).
legumes pods produced by plants such as beans, peas, and lentils.
mental retardation slow or limited growth of the intelligence and/or behavior.
minerals naturally occurring substances such as iron, copper, magnesium, and calcium. Many minerals are needed for life and health. We get many of these minerals from the foods we eat.
nutrient a substance found in food that helps the body to work properly.
organ body structure with a specific function.
physical retardation slow or limited growth of the body.
processed food a food which has been changed during preparation. Examples of processing procedures include milling, enrichment, and addition of colors and preservatives. Depending on how a food is processed, it may be made either less or more nutritious.
red blood cells the cells which carry oxygen through the blood stream to your muscles and organs.
stroke disability caused by a blood clot in the brain. A common long term effect of stroke is partial loss of feeling and function in the face and limbs.
tissue layers of cells which form the basic structure in the body.
unit defined amount or quantity used as a standard of measurement.
vitamins natural substances found in foods that are essential to health.

Sources: Merriam-Webster's Pocket Dictionary. (Springfield, Mass.: Merriam Webster Incorporated, 1995).

Stetman's Pocket Medical Dictionary. (Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1987).

Hamilton E., Whitney, E., Sizer F., Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies. (New York: West Publishing Company, 1991).