Basal Metabolic Rate

the number of calories you burn as your body performs basic (basal) life-sustaining function

Calories

a unit of energy

Carbohydrates

sugar molecules

Cholesterol

a waxy substance found in your blood

Diabetes

a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy

Dietary Fiber

found in wholegrain cereals and fruit and vegetables

Digestive system

made up of organs that are important for digesting food and liquids

Electrolytes

minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge

Fats

nutrients in food that the body uses to build cell membranes, nerve tissue (including the brain), and hormones

Macronutrients

the nutrients we need in larger quantities that provide us with energy

Metabolism

the chemical reactions in the body's cells that change food into energy

Micronutrients

vitamins and minerals

Minerals

a naturally occurring inorganic element or compound having an orderly internal structure and characteristic chemical composition, crystal form, and physical properties

Nutrients

a substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life

Protein

a nutrient your body needs to grow and repair cells, and to work properly

Saturated Fat

a type of dietary fat

Trans Fat

formed through an industrial process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil, which causes the oil to become solid at room temperature

Unsaturated Fat

a type of fat containing a high proportion of fatty acid molecules with at least one double bond, considered to be healthier in the diet than saturated fat.

Vitamins

any of a group of organic compounds which are essential for normal growth and nutrition and are required in small quantities in the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the body

Water

a colorless, transparent, odorless liquid that forms the seas, lakes, rivers, and rain and is the basis of the fluids of living organisms