Glossary
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| antioxidants Nutrients that slow down the process of oxidation. During normal digestion, free radicals — believed to damage cells in the body, are released into the body through the oxidation of foods. Antioxidants inhibit oxidation and neutralize free radicals. They are thought to be helpful in reducing allergies, heart disease, cancer and aging effects. |
| atherosclerosis Commonly called “hardening of the arteries,” it is the result of an accumulation of fat deposits containing cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels. These deposits decrease or block blood flow and can lead to heart attacks. |
| body mass ratio (BMR) Weight in pounds divided by height in inches squared, then multiplied by 703. Among middle-aged adults, the BMR is closely linked to fat in the body. The risk of diabetes, high blood pressure or coronary disease grows in parallel with the BMR. In this ratio, a BMR of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, and a BMR of more than 30 is considered obese. |
| cardiovascular disease All diseases or lesions attacking the cardiovascular system: heart, blood vessels feeding the heart, arteries and veins in the whole heart and especially the brain. |
| chitin Structural organic substance similar to cellulose, found in shellfish and insect dermal sheaths and the membrane of some mushrooms. |
| chitosan Chitosan, or chitosane, represents a chitin by-product family, main component of the shellfish exoskeleton (shrimp, crab, crayfish, etc.) |
| cholesterol A natural chemical “construction block” used by the body to produce hormones, bile acid (which helps digestion), cell membranes and other tissues. Our bodies require cholesterol to function. However, too much cholesterol can cause problems; the most important is atherosclerosis. Two types of cholesterol are commonly mentioned: Food cholesterol, or cholesterol from other animals, absorbed from foods such as eggs, cheese, and meat. Total cholesterol / blood cholesterol; cholesterol contained in blood of the human body, transported through the bloodstream within lipoproteins. |
| coronary disease Disease of the coronary arteries which feed the vessels of the heart. |
| diet deficiencies Nutrition problem resulting from a malfunction or insufficiency of an element, generally outside the body, i.e., a substance essential to the body’s metabolism. For example, vitamin deficiencies may cause disease. |
| drug interaction Occurs when two or more drugs are taken simultaneously or successively, and the pharmacological activity of one is modified by the other(s). |
| fat One of the large food categories, in addition to proteins and lipids, which are vital to the human body. Fat is an important source of energy and plays an essential role in the absorption of vitamins. |
| fiber Residues of vegetal foods not transformed by digestion and considered as exclusively cellulose. Although they do not have food properties, vegetal fibers play an important role in the colon physiology, since they facilitate digestion. |
| functional foods Fresh or processed foods that contain significant levels of biologically active components providing health benefits beyond basic nutrition. |
| HDL Cholesterol is transported in the blood in the form of lipoprotein particles. HDL is a lipoprotein which draws cholesterol from tissues and transports it to the liver to be transformed or eliminated. Often called “good cholesterol,” because the higher the level of HDL, the lower the risk of heart attack. |
| heart deficiency Inability of the heart to ensure the proper circulation required to satisfy the needs of the body. |
| hypercholesterolemia High level of blood cholesterol. This rate varies from one person to another according to the presence or absence of more than one associated risk factor: male gender, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, family history, low HDL. |
| LDL Cholesterol transportation in the blood is ensured by particles called lipoproteins. LDL is a lipoprotein which deposits cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels. This is why it is called “bad cholesterol.” The higher your level of LDL, the greater your risk of heart attack. |
| lipids Members of a large group of fatty substances vital to health. A concentrated source of food energy. Lipids are stored in bone marrow and human tissues. Animal fat and vegetable oil are lipids. |
| natural health supplements Dietary supplements composed of essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and proteins, herbs and similar nutritional substances, in a form more concentrated than normally found in conventional food products. |
| nutraceuticals Food, or the parts of food, that provide medical or healthy benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease. The nutraceutical may be refined before being incorporated into a capsule or tablet that is then consumed as a dietary supplement. |
| nutrients Any organic or inorganic element or combination contained in food that can be used directly by the human organism to be assimilated in the cells without being previously transformed by digestion. Nutrients are generally classified as: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, mineral salts, etc. |
| risk factor A condition leading to or causing a disease or health problem. There are risk factors specific to the individual, factors linked to the environment, predisposing factors (which make one person more vulnerable to a disease than another). For example, some risk factors for cardiovascular disease cannot be modified (heredity, sex, age), while others can be modified (physical activity, excess weight, smoking). |
| safety / innocuousness Quality of what is harmless, inoffensive, safe. The word “innocuousness” is often used to define drugs presenting no risk whatsoever. |
| saturated fatty acids The bad fat! At room temperature, they remain solid. Commonly found in beef, chicken and dairy products, as well as in palm oil, coconut oil, and hydrogenated vegetable oils. Saturated oils are a major cause of high blood cholesterol levels. |
| triglycerides Triglycerides store and carry fatty acids in the body. This lipid substance is formed by a glycerol molecule esterified by three fatty acids. |
| undesirable side effects These can be defined as the unexpected effect of a drug, unrelated to its therapeutic effect, and which is embarrassing, dangerous, or limits its use. |
| unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids Unsaturated fatty acids are usually in liquid form at room temperature and are found in vegetable oils (canola, safflower, olive, sunflower, corn and soy) as well as in fish oils. Contrary to saturated fat, they seem to have a positive effect on the blood cholesterol level. Unfortunately they tend to decrease the levels of HDL in addition to LDL. |
