Glossary of terms and food types

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

B

Butter

Butter tastes great but is high in saturated fat and cholesterol!

C

Chocolate

Pure, unsweetened chocolate contains primarily cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions. However much of the chocolate consumed today is in the form of sweet chocolate, combining chocolate with sugar. Milk chocolate is sweet chocolate that additionally contains milk powder or condensed milk. "White chocolate" contains cocoa butter, sugar, and milk but no cocoa solids (and thus does not qualify to be considered true chocolate).

Chocolate has become one of the most popular flavours in the world. Gifts of chocolate molded into different shapes have become traditional on certain holidays: chocolate bunnies and eggs are popular on Easter, coins on Hanukkah, Santa Claus and other holiday symbols on Christmas, and hearts on Valentine's Day. Chocolate is also used in cold and hot beverages, to produce chocolate milk and hot cocoa.

Chocolate contains alkaloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine which have physiological effects on the body. It has been linked to serotonin levels in the brain. Scientists claim that chocolate, eaten in moderation, can lower blood pressure.

Dark chocolate has recently been promoted for its health benefits, including a substantial amount of antioxidants that reduce the formation of free radicals, though the presence of theobromine renders it toxic to some animals.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is produced naturally by the liver and so is vital to the body. It is needed for many bodily functions and serves to insulate nerve fibres, maintain cell walls and produce vitamin D, various hormones and digestive juices.

However high levels of damaging low-density (LDL) cholesterol can be produced by eating a diet with too many saturated fats. If you accumulate too much cholesterol it can be deposited in the arteries, which in time may get blocked, causing a heart attack or stroke.

E

Eggs

For many years, eggs have been given bad press as a forbidden food because of their cholesterol content. The mere mention of cholesterol conjured up fear and was enough to banish eggs entirely from the diets of many of us.

No cholesterol is a most important benefit trumpeted in advertising and on the labels of many food products.

Today, due to the intervening years of research, we know more than ever about the relationship between diet, lifestyle and good health. There is growing evidence that diet and health relationships are a function of both what is in the diet and what is missing from it. It is also becoming clear that many of our perceptions about various dietary factors are inaccurate. For example, when it comes to dietary cholesterol, many people believe that it is an extremely important factor in high blood cholesterol.

Studies have now shown that many people on a low-fat diet can eat one or two eggs a day without measurable changes in their blood cholesterol levels.

Free-Range Eggs

True free-range eggs are those produced by hens raised outdoors or that have daily access to the outdoors. Due to seasonal conditions, however, few hens are actually raised outdoors. Some egg farms are indoor floor operations and these are sometimes erroneously referred to as free-range operations. Due to higher production costs and lower volume per farm, free-range eggs are generally more expensive. The nutrient content of eggs is not affected by whether hens are raised free-range or in floor or cage operations, but rather by the breed of chickens laying the eggs, and what those chickens are fed in their diet.

F

Fat

Fat that occurs naturally in living matter contains varying proportions of saturated and unsaturated fat.

Saturated Fat

Foods that contain a high proportion of saturated fat are butter, ghee, suet, tallow, lard, coconut oil, cottonseed oil, and palm kernel oil, dairy products (especially cream and cheese), meat, chocolate, and some prepared foods. Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature.

Saturated fats are usually considered the "bad" kind of fat and their consumption should be moderated since eating foods that contain saturated fats raises the level of cholesterol in your blood.  High levels of blood cholesterol increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.  Be aware, too, that many foods high in saturated fats are also high in cholesterol – which raises your blood cholesterol even higher!

Unsaturated Fat

Unsaturated fat is usually liquid at room temperature and generally comes from vegetable sources. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are both included in this group. Unsaturated fat is a healthier alternative to saturated fat and can be found in vegetable oils such as sesame, sunflower, soya and olive; oily fish, such as mackerel, sardines, pilchards and salmon; and soft margarine.

Monounsaturated Fat

Monounsaturated fats are found in natural foods such as nuts and avocados, and are the main component of tea seed oil and olive oil (oleic acid). Canola oil is 57%–60% monounsaturated fat, olive oil is about 75% monounsaturated fat while tea seed oil is commonly over 80% monounsaturated fat. Other sources include grapeseed oil, ground nut oil, peanut oil, flaxseed oil, sesame oil, corn oil, popcorn, whole grain wheat, cereal, oatmeal, safflower oil, sunflower oil, tea-oil Camellia.

Olive oil is a key component of the Mediterranean diet, widely regarded as being protective against cardiovascular disease, while Tea-oil Camellia has been a traditional part of Asian food. Although polyunsaturated fats protect against cardiovascular disease by providing more membrane fluidity than monounsaturated fats, they are more vulnerable to lipid peroxidation (rancidity). On the other hand, monounsaturated fatty acids (like saturated fats) promote insulin resistance, whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids are protective against insulin resistance.

Foods containing monounsaturated fats lower LDL cholesterol, while possibly raising HDL cholesterol. However, their true ability to raise HDL is still in debate.

In children, consumption of monounsaturated oils is associated with healthier serum lipid profiles.

Polyunsaturated Fat

Polyunsaturated fat, along with monounsaturated fat are "healthy fats," the amount of which in one's daily diet should be near 25 g (in a 2000 calorie-per-day diet).

Polyunsaturated fat can be found mostly in grain products, fish and sea food (herring, salmon, mackerel, halibut), soybeans, and fish oil. Foods like mayonnaise and soft margarine may also be good sources, but nutritional facts can vary by style and brand.

Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil, fish and seafood lower the total amount of fat in the blood, which can lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Omega-6 fatty acids in sunflower oil and safflower oil also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, but can contribute to allergies and inflammation.

Some studies have shown that consuming high amounts of polyunsaturated fat may increase the risk of an individual developing cancer. This is thought to be because polyunsaturated fat is prone to oxidation, which leads to the generation of free radicals and eventually to rancidity. Studies on animals have shown a link between polyunsaturated fat and the incidence of tumours. In some of these studies the incidence of tumours increased with increasing intake of polyunsaturated fat, up to about 5% of total energy, near to the middle of the current dietary intake in humans.

However, studies in humans have found little evidence of an association between polyunsaturated fat and the risk of cancer. It is advised that the level of polyunsaturated fats in the diet be regulated, although the effect on health may be more beneficial than harmful in terms of its effect on reducing cholesterol levels.

Trans Fat

See Trans Fat below.

Flour

The ingredient flour is a fine powder made by grinding cereal grains or other suitable edible plant matter that is high in starch. It is most commonly made from wheat — the word "flour" used without qualification implies wheat flour — but also maize (now called corn in many parts of the Western Hemisphere), rye, barley, and rice, amongst many other grasses and non-grain plants (including buckwheat, grain amaranths and many Australian species of acacia). Ground legumes and nuts, such as soy, peanuts, almonds, and other tree nuts, are also called flours. Finally flours can be made by grinding the roots of several plants, including cassava, arrowroot and taro. The same substances ground more coarsely are, many cases, called "meal" instead of "flour".

Flour is the key ingredient of bread, which is a staple food in many countries, and therefore the availability of adequate supplies of flour has often been a major economic and political issue. Wheat flour is one of the most important foods in European and North American culture, and is the defining ingredient in most European styles of breads and pastries. Regulations in many countries require that wheat flour be enriched to replace nutrients lost in the production of refined flour.

Flour, by definition, contains a high proportion of starches, which are complex carbohydrates also known as polysaccharides. Wheat, and some other, flours also contain proteins called gluten. When dough made with wheat flour is kneaded, the gluten molecules cross-link to form a sub-microscopic network that gives the dough an elastic structure. This allows the retention of gas bubbles in an intact structure, resulting in an aerated final product with a soft texture, desirable for breads, cakes and the like.

Some people suffer from an intolerance to gluten known as coeliac or celiac disease. Increased awareness of this disorder, as well as a rising belief in the benefits of a gluten-free diet for persons suffering certain other conditions, has led to an increased demand for bread, pasta, and other products made with flours that do not contain gluten, such as buckwheat flour.

H

Hemp

Hemp comes in many different forms, such as seeds, flour or oil, and has outstanding nutritional value. It is an excellent source of fibre and a huge variety of vitamins and minerals. Hemp is 35 per cent oil and hence provides essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids much needed in our diet. Not only this, but these fatty acids occur in a 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, which according to the World Health Organisation, is the best ratio for good health.

S

Soya

Soya is an excellent source of high quality protein, is low in saturated fats and is cholesterol free.

The soya bean is the seed of the leguminous soya bean plant. Soya foods have been a staple part of the Chinese diet for over 4000 years but have only been widely consumed in Western countries since the 1960's. Soya foods include tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein (chunks, mince etc), miso, soya sauces, soya oil and margarine, and soya dairy alternatives.

Soya beans contain high concentrations of several compounds which have demonstrated anti-carcinogenic activity. The low incidence of breast and colon cancer in China and Japan and the low incidence of menopausal symptoms in Japanese women have been partially attributed to the high consumption of soya products.

Sugar

Sugar as a basic food carbohydrate primarily comes from sugar cane and from sugar beet, but also appears naturally in fruit, honey, sorghum, sugar maple (in maple syrup), and in many other sources. Human taste-buds interpret its flavour as sweet.

Excessive consumption of sugar has been associated with increased incidences of type-2 diabetes, obesity and tooth-decay.

Natural Brown Sugar

Natural brown sugar is a name for raw sugar which is a brown sugar produced from the first crystallisation of the sugar cane. As such "natural brown sugar" is free of additional dyes and chemicals. There is more molasses in brown sugar, giving it a higher mineral content. Some natural brown sugars have particular names and characteristics, and are sold as: Demerara or Muscovado.

Brown sugar has a slightly lower caloric value by weight than white sugar due to the presence of water.

T

Trans Fat

Trans fat is the common name for a type of unsaturated fat.

About 100 years ago the discovery was made that liquid oils could be converted to solid fats (which were more useful in food manufacture) by a procedure called hydrogenation. As hydrogen was added to liquid unsaturated oil it gradually became a solid saturated fat (also called a hydrogenated fat). These more saturated fats have a higher melting point, which makes them attractive for baking and extends their shelf-life.

After the Second World War the process for making hydrogenated and hardened fats from cheaper sources of vegetable oils was widely adopted. Margarines were developed and marketed as alternatives to butter, and vegetable shortenings increasingly replaced the animal fats in cooking.

It is now generally accepted that trans-fats are actually worse for the health than the saturated animal fats they were designed to replace.

Unlike other dietary fats, trans fats are not essential and, in fact, the consumption of trans fats increases one's risk of coronary heart disease by raising levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and lowering levels of "good" HDL cholesterol. Health authorities worldwide recommend that consumption of trans fat be reduced to trace amounts.