Antioxidant: Chemical substances that can help protect the body against cell damage from free radicals. Well-known antioxidants include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and flavonoids.
Body Mass Index (BMI): Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. BMI can be calculated by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by the square of your height (in metres).
Calcium: Calcium is the most abundant of all the essential minerals in the body. Calcium helps the body form bones and teeth and is required for blood clotting, transmitting signals in nerve cells, and muscle contraction.
Calorie: Calorie is a unit of measurement for energy. One calorie is formally defined as the amount of energy required to raise one cubic centimetre of water by one degree centigrade. For the purpose of measuring the amount of energy in food, nutritionists most commonly use kilocalories (equal to 1,000 calories), and label the measurement either as "kcal" or as "Calories" with a capital "C." One kcal is also equivalent to approximately 4.184 kilojoules.
Dietary Fibre: Dietary fibre comes from the thick cell walls of plants. It is an indigestible complex carbohydrate. Fibre is divided into two general categories: water-soluble and water-insoluble.
Fatty Acids: Fatty acids are individual isomers of what we more commonly call "fats". There are potentially hundreds of different fatty acids, but just a few dozen that are commonly found in the foods we eat.
Flavonoids (bioflavonoids): Flavonoids are a class of water-soluble pigments that are found in many plants. A few thousand different flavonoids have so far been identified. While not labeled as essential nutrients, many of these compounds serve as antioxidants or play other important roles in maintaining the health of your body.
Glycemic Index (GI): The Glycemic Index is a dietary index that's used to rank carbohydrate-based foods. The Glycemic Index predicts the rate at which the ingested food will increase bloodsugar levels.
Iron: Iron is one of the human body's essential minerals. It forms part of hemoglobin, the component of the blood that carries oxygen throughout the body. People with iron-poor blood tire easily because their bodies are starved for oxygen.
Protein: Protein is one of the basic components of food and makes all life possible. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. All of the antibodies and enzymes, and many of the hormones in the body, are proteins. They provide for the transport of nutrients, oxygen, and waste throughout the body. They provide the structure and contracting capability of muscles. They also provide collagen to connective tissues of the body and to the tissues of the skin, hair, and nails.
Sodium: Sodium is a mineral, an essential nutrient. It helps to maintain blood volume, regulate the balance of water in the cells, and keep nerves functioning. The kidneys control sodium balance by increasing or decreasing sodium in the urine.