MPU3343 Nutrition and Public Health

Glossary
Chapter 2 The Carbohydrates

No Term / Word Definition / Meaning

Glossary
1 Acid-base balance The equilibrium in the body between acid and base concentrations.
2 Amylase (AM-ih-lace) An enzyme that hydrolyzes amylose (a form of starch). Amylase is a
carbohydrase, an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates.
3 Carbohydrates Compounds composed of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen arranged
as monosaccharides or multiples of monosaccharides. Most, but
not all, carbohydrates have a ratio of one carbon molecule to one
water molecule: (CH2O)n.
Carbo = carbon (C)
Hydrate = with water (H2O)
4 Condensation A chemical reaction in which water is released as two molecules
combine to form one larger product.
5 Diabetes (DYE-uh- A chronic disorder of carbohydrate metabolism, usually resulting from
BEET-eez) insufficient or ineffective insulin. When blood glucose levels are higher
than normal, but below the diagnosis of diabetes, the condition is called
prediabetes.
6 Dietary fibers In plant foods, the nonstarch polysaccharides that are not digested by
human digestive enzymes, although some are digested by GI tract
bacteria. Dietary fibers include cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectins, gums,
and mucilages as well as the nonpolysaccharides lignins, cutins, and
tannins.
7 Disaccharides (dye- Pairs of monosaccharides linked together.
SACK-uh-rides) Di = two
8 Epinephrine (EP-ih- A hormone of the adrenal gland that modulates the stress response;
NEFF-rin) formerly called adrenaline. When administered by injection, epinephrine
counteracts anaphylactic shock by opening the airways and maintaining
heartbeat and blood pressure.
9 Fermentable The extent to which bacteria in the GI tract can break down fibers to
fragments that the body can use.
10 Fructose (FRUK-tose A monosaccharide; sometimes known as fruit sugar or levulose.
or FROOK-tose) Fructose is found abundantly in fruits, honey, and saps.
Fruct = fruit
11 Galactose (ga-LAK- A monosaccharide; part of the disaccharide lactose.
tose)
12 Glucagon (GLOO-ka- A hormone secreted by special cells in the pancreas in response to low
gon) blood glucose concentration. Glucagon elicits release of glucose from
liver glycogen stores.
13 Gluconeogenesis The making of glucose from a noncarbohydrate source.
(gloo-ko-nee-oh-JEN- Gluco = glucose
ih-sis) Neo = new
Genesis = making
14 Glucose (GLOO-kose) A monosaccharide; sometimes known as blood sugar in the body or
dextrose in foods.
Ose = carbohydrate
15 Glycemic (gly-SEEM- The extent to which a food raises the blood glucose concentration and
ic) response elicits an insulin response.
16 Glycemic index A method of classifying foods according to their potential for raising
blood glucose.

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17 Glycogen (GLY-ko- An animal polysaccharide composed of glucose; a storage form of

jen) glucose manufactured and stored in the liver and muscles. Glycogen is
not a significant food source of carbohydrate and is not counted as a
dietary carbohydrate in foods
Glyco = glucose
Gen = gives rise to
18 Hydrolysis (high- A chemical reaction in which one molecule is split into two molecules,
DROL-ih-sis) with hydrogen (H) added to one and a hydroxyl group (OH) to the other
(from water, H2O). (The noun is hydrolysis; the verb is hydrolyze).
Hydro = water
Lysis = breaking
19 Hypoglycemia An abnormally low blood glucose concentration.
(HIGH-po-gly-SEE-
me-ah)
20 Insoluble fibers Nonstarch polysaccharides that do not dissolve in water. Examples
include the tough, fibrous structures found in the strings of celery and
the skins of corn kernels.
21 Insulin (IN-suh-lin) A hormone secreted by special cells in the pancreas in response to
(among other things) elevated blood glucose concentration. Insulin
controls the transport of glucose from the bloodstream into the muscle
and fat cells.
22 Kefir (keh-FUR) A fermented milk created by adding Lactobacillus acidophilus and other
bacteria that break down lactose to glucose and galactose, producing a
sweet, lactose-free product.
23 Ketone (KEE-tone) Compounds produced during the incomplete breakdown of fat when
bodies glucose is not available in the cells.
24 Ketosis (kee-TOE-sis) An undesirably high concentration of ketone bodies in the blood and
urine.
25 Lactase An enzyme that hydrolyzes lactose.
26 Lactose (LAK-tose) A disaccharide composed of glucose and galactose; commonly known as
milk sugar.
Lact = milk
27 Lactase deficiency A lack of the enzyme required to digest the disaccharide lactose into its
component monosaccharides (glucose and galactose).
28 Lactose intolerance A condition that results from the inability to digest the milk sugar
lactose; characterized by bloating, gas, abdominal discomfort, and
diarrhea. Lactose intolerance differs from milk allergy, which is caused
by an immune reaction to the protein in milk.
29 Maltase An enzyme that hydrolyzes maltose.
30 Maltose (MAWL-tose) A disaccharide composed of two glucose units; sometimes known as
malt sugar.
31 Monosaccharides Carbohydrates of the general formula CnH2nOn that typically form a
(mon-oh-SACK-uh- single ring. The monosaccharides important in nutrition are hexoses,
rides) sugars with six atoms of carbon and the formula C6H12O6.
Mono = one
Saccharide = sugar
Hex = six
32 Phytic (FYE-tick) acid A nonnutrient component of plant seeds; also called phytate (FYE-tate).
Phytic acid occurs in the husks of grains, legumes, and seeds and is
capable of binding minerals such as zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium, and
copper in insoluble complexes in the intestine, which the body excretes
unused.

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33 Polysaccharides Compounds composed of many monosaccharides linked together. An

intermediate string of three to ten monosaccharides is an
oligosaccharide.
Poly = many
Oligo = few
34 Protein-sparing action The action of carbohydrate (and fat) in providing energy that allows
protein to be used for other purposes.
35 Resistant starches Starches that escape digestion and absorption in the small intestine of
healthy people.
36 Satiety (sah-TIE-eh- The feeling of fullness and satisfaction that occurs after a meal and
tee) inhibits eating until the next meal. Satiety determines how much time
passes between meals.
Sate = to fill
37 Soluble fibers Nonstarch polysaccharides that dissolve in water to form a gel. An
example is pectin from fruit, which is used to thicken jellies.
38 Sucrase An enzyme that hydrolyzes sucrose.
39 Sucrose (SUE-krose) A disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose; commonly known as
table sugar, beet sugar, or cane sugar. Sucrose also occurs in many fruits
and some vegetables and grains.
Sucro = sugar
40 Sugars Simple carbohydrates composed of monosaccharides or disaccharides.
41 Starches Plant polysaccharides composed of many glucose molecules.
42 Viscous A gel-like consistency.
43 Type 1 diabetes The less common type of diabetes in which the pancreas produces little
or no insulin.
44 Type 2 diabetes The more common type of diabetes in which the cells fail to respond to
insulin.
Glossary of Added Sugars
45 Brown sugar Refined white sugar crystals to which manufacturers have added
molasses syrup with natural flavor and color; 91 to 96 percent pure
sucrose.
46 Confectioners' sugar Finely powdered sucrose, 99.9 percent pure.
47 Corn sweeteners Corn syrup and sugars derived from corn.
48 Corn syrup A syrup made from cornstarch that has been treated with acid, high
temperatures, and enzymes to produce glucose, maltose and dextrins. It
may be dried and used as corn syrup solids.
49 Dextrose The name food manufacturers use for the sugar that is chemically the
same as glucose.
50 High-fructose corn A syrup made from cornstarch that has been treated with an enzyme that
syrup (HFCS) converts some of the glucose to the sweeter fructose; made especially for
use in processed foods and beverages, where it is the predominant
sweetener. With a chemical structure similar to sucrose, HFCS has a
fructose content of 42, 55 or 90 percent, with glucose making up the
remainder.
51 Honey Sugar (mostly sucrose) formed from nectar gathered by bees.
Composition and flavor vary, but honey always contains a mixture of
sucrose, fructose and glucose.
52 Invert sugar A mixture of glucose and fructose formed by the hydrolysis of sucrose in
a chemical process; sold only in liquid form and sweeter than sucrose.
Invert sugar is used as a food additive to help preserve freshness and
prevent shrinkage.
53 Levulose An older name for fructose.

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54 Maple sugar A sugar (mostly sucrose) purified from the concentrated sap of the sugar
maple tree.
55 Molasses The thick brown syrup produced during sugar refining. Molasses retains
residual sugar and other by-products and a few minerals; blackstrap
molasses contains significant amounts of calcium and iron.
56 Raw sugar The first crop of crystals harvested during sugar processing. Raw sugar
cannot be sold in the United States because it contains too much filth
(dirt, insect fragments and the like). Sugar sold as "raw sugar"
domestically has actually gone through more than half of the refining
steps.
57 Turbinado (ter-bih- Sugar produced using the same refining process as white sugar, but
NOD-oh) sugar without the bleaching and anticaking treatment. Traces of molasses give
turbinado its sandy color.
58 White sugar Granulated sucrose or "table sugar," produced by dissolving,
concentrating and recrystallizing raw sugar.
Additional Glossary
59 Acceptable Daily The estimated amount of a sweetener that individuals can safely
Intake (ADI) consume each day over the course of a lifetime without adverse effect.
60 Artificial sweeteners Sugar substitutes that provide negligible, if any, energy; sometimes
called nonnutritive sweeteners.
61 Dental caries Decay of teeth.
Caries = rottenness
62 Dental plaque A gummy mass of bacteria that grows on teeth and can lead to dental
caries and gum disease.
63 Nonnutritive Sweeteners that yield no energy (or insignificant energy in the case of
sweeteners aspartame).
64 Nutritive sweeteners Sweeteners that yield energy, including both sugars and sugar alcohols.
65 Sugar alcohols Sugar-like compounds that can be derived from fruits or commercially
produced from dextrose; also called polyols. Sugar alcohols are absorbed
more slowly than other sugars and metabolized differently in the human
body; they are not readily utilized by ordinary mouth bacteria. Examples
are maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, isomalt, and lactitol.