Ch. 11 Nutrients and Diets
Absorption
The process by which blood or lymph capillaries pick up digested nutrients to be carried to the body cells.
Bland diet
A diet consisting of easily digested foods that do not irritate the digestive tract.
Calorie-controlled diets
Diets restricted in calories for weight loss, or increased in calories for weight gain.
Diabetic diet
A specialized diet (often called ADA diet) that regulates the intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
Fiber diets
Diets high in indigestible carbohydrates to stimulate the digestive tract and prevent constipation.
Anorexia nervosa
A psychological disorder characterized by a morbid fear of gaining weight, leading to self-starvation and excessive weight loss.
Body mass index (BMI)
A calculation that measures weight in relation to height and correlates this with body fat.
Carbohydrates
The body’s primary source of energy; these include starches, sugars, and cellulose.
Digestion
The physical and chemical breakdown of food by the body in preparation for absorption.
Hypertension
High blood pressure; often treated with sodium-restricted diets.
Antioxidants
Organic molecules that help protect the body from free radicals (substances that can damage cells).
Bulimarexia
A psychological condition that combines features of both anorexia and bulimia (e.g., starving followed by purging).
Cellulose
A fibrous, indigestible form of carbohydrate found in the cell walls of plants; provides bulk in the digestive tract.
Essential nutrients
Chemical elements found in food that are used by the body to perform many different functions.
Lipids
Organic compounds commonly called fats and oils
Atherosclerosis
A condition where arteries are narrowed by the accumulation of fatty substances (plaque) on their inner surfaces.
Bulimia
A psychological disorder in which a person alternately binges (eats excessively) and then fasts or purges.
Cholesterol
A sterol lipid found in body cells and animal products; used in the production of steroid hormones and bile.
Fat-restricted diets
Diets low in fat, often prescribed for patients with gallbladder or liver disease.
Liquid diets
Diets consisting entirely of liquids
Basal metabolic rate (BMR)
The rate at which the body uses energy just for maintaining its own tissue, without doing any voluntary work.
Calorie
A unit of measurement for the fuel value of food or the energy used by the body.
Diabetes mellitus
A metabolic disease caused by insufficient insulin or the body’s inability to use insulin, resulting in high blood glucose.
Fats
Also known as lipids; they provide a concentrated form of energy and help maintain body temperature.
Low-cholesterol diet
A diet limiting foods high in saturated fats, such as beef, cheese, and whole milk.