For students
Nutrition glossary
59 terms every nutrition student should know, from amino acids to TDEE — each one links to the full article for more depth.
A
- Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR)
- The range of intake for a macronutrient associated with reduced risk of chronic disease while providing adequate intake of essential nutrients — 10-35% of calories from protein, 20-35% from fat, 45-65% from carbohydrate. Read more →
- Amino acid
- The building block of protein. 20 exist in the human body; 9 are essential and must come from food. Read more →
- Anabolism
- The metabolic process of building larger molecules from smaller ones, such as building muscle protein from amino acids. The opposite of catabolism. Read more →
B
- Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
- The number of calories your body burns at complete rest just to maintain basic functions like breathing and circulation. Read more →
- Bulking
- A deliberate phase of eating in a calorie surplus to support muscle growth. Read more →
C
- Calorie
- A unit of energy. In nutrition, "Calorie" (capital C) technically refers to a kilocalorie, the energy needed to raise 1kg of water by 1°C. Read more →
- Carbohydrate
- One of the three macronutrients; broken down into glucose for energy and stored as glycogen. Read more →
- Catabolism
- The metabolic process of breaking larger molecules into smaller ones for energy, such as breaking down muscle protein into amino acids. The opposite of anabolism. Read more →
- Cholesterol
- A waxy lipid used to build cell membranes and steroid hormones; found in food and also produced by the liver. Read more →
- Complete protein
- A protein source that supplies all 9 essential amino acids in sufficient amounts. Read more →
- Cutting
- A deliberate phase of eating in a calorie deficit to lose body fat while trying to preserve muscle. Read more →
D
- Deficit (calorie)
- Eating fewer calories than your body burns (TDEE), causing weight loss over time. Read more →
- Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI)
- A set of nutrient reference values (including RDA and AMDR) published by the U.S. National Academies used to plan and assess diets. Read more →
- Disaccharide
- A carbohydrate made of two linked sugar units, such as sucrose (table sugar) or lactose (milk sugar). Read more →
E
- Essential amino acid
- One of 9 amino acids the body cannot synthesize on its own and must obtain from food. Read more →
- Essential fatty acid (EFA)
- A fat the body cannot make itself — omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids — and must get from food. Read more →
F
- Fiber
- A type of carbohydrate the body can't fully digest; supports digestion, blood sugar control, and gut health. Read more →
G
- Glucose
- The simple sugar cells use directly for energy; the main breakdown product of dietary carbohydrate. Read more →
- Gluconeogenesis
- The process of making new glucose from non-carbohydrate sources, including amino acids from protein — increases when carbohydrate and glycogen are low. Read more →
- Glycemic index (GI)
- A ranking of how quickly a carbohydrate food raises blood sugar compared to pure glucose. Read more →
- Glycogen
- The storage form of glucose, held mainly in muscle and liver tissue and used as an energy reserve. Read more →
H
- Hydrogenation
- An industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oil to make it more solid; partial hydrogenation is the main source of artificial trans fat. Read more →
I
- IIFYM
- "If It Fits Your Macros" — a flexible dieting approach where food choices are unrestricted as long as daily macro targets are met. Read more →
- Insulin
- A hormone that lowers blood sugar by helping cells absorb glucose from the bloodstream. Read more →
J
- Joule
- The SI unit of energy; 1 dietary Calorie (kilocalorie) equals about 4,184 joules. Used alongside Calories on some nutrition labels outside the US. Read more →
K
- Ketosis
- A metabolic state where the body burns fat and produces ketones for fuel instead of relying primarily on glucose, typically triggered by very low carbohydrate intake. Read more →
- Kwashiorkor
- A severe form of malnutrition caused by inadequate protein intake, causing swelling, a swollen liver, and impaired growth. Read more →
L
- Lipid
- The broader scientific term for fats and fat-like substances, including triglycerides and cholesterol. Read more →
M
- Macronutrient
- A nutrient the body needs in large amounts for energy: protein, fat, or carbohydrate. Read more →
- Maintenance calories
- The number of calories that keeps body weight stable — roughly equal to TDEE. Read more →
- Metabolism
- The sum of all chemical processes that convert food into energy and building blocks for the body. Read more →
- Micronutrient
- A nutrient needed in small amounts, such as a vitamin or mineral; doesn't provide calories. Read more →
- Monounsaturated fat
- An unsaturated fat with one double bond in its chemical structure; liquid at room temperature. Found in olive oil and avocado. Read more →
- Muscle protein synthesis (MPS)
- The biological process of building new muscle protein, stimulated by both resistance exercise and protein intake. Read more →
N
- Nitrogen balance
- A measure comparing nitrogen (protein) intake to nitrogen loss, used to assess whether the body is gaining, maintaining, or losing protein/muscle mass overall. Read more →
O
- Omega-3 fatty acid
- An essential polyunsaturated fat found in fatty fish, walnuts, and flaxseed; involved in reducing inflammation. Read more →
- Omega-6 fatty acid
- An essential polyunsaturated fat abundant in vegetable oils; needed in balance with omega-3. Read more →
P
- Physical Activity Level (PAL)
- A multiplier applied to BMR to estimate total daily energy expenditure based on activity level. Read more →
- Polysaccharide
- A carbohydrate made of long chains of sugar units, such as starch or glycogen. Read more →
- Polyunsaturated fat
- An unsaturated fat with two or more double bonds; includes essential omega-3 and omega-6 fats. Read more →
- Protein
- One of the three macronutrients, made of amino acids; used to build and repair tissue, enzymes, hormones, and antibodies. Read more →
R
- Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
- The average daily intake level sufficient to meet the nutrient needs of nearly all healthy people in a group. Read more →
S
- Saturated fat
- A fat with no double bonds in its chemical structure, allowing it to pack tightly and stay solid at room temperature. Found in butter and fatty meat. Read more →
- Sarcopenia
- The age- or inactivity-related loss of muscle mass and strength. Read more →
- Satiety
- The feeling of fullness that suppresses hunger after eating; protein and fiber are especially satiating. Read more →
- Simple carbohydrate
- A carbohydrate made of one or two sugar units, digested and absorbed quickly. Read more →
- Starch
- A complex carbohydrate (polysaccharide) made of many linked glucose units; found in grains, potatoes, and legumes. Read more →
- Surplus (calorie)
- Eating more calories than your body burns (TDEE), supporting weight and muscle gain over time. Read more →
T
- Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)
- The total number of calories burned in a day, including BMR, digestion, and all activity. Read more →
- Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)
- The energy your body uses to digest, absorb, and metabolize food — protein has the highest TEF of the three macronutrients. Read more →
- Trans fat
- An unsaturated fat that has been chemically altered (usually via partial hydrogenation) to behave more like a saturated fat; linked to negative cardiovascular effects. Read more →
- Triglyceride
- The main form of fat stored in the body and found in food — three fatty acid chains attached to a glycerol backbone. Read more →
U
- Unsaturated fat
- A fat containing one or more double bonds in its structure, keeping it liquid at room temperature. Found in oils, nuts, and fish. Read more →
V
- Vegan diet
- An eating pattern that excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy, eggs, and honey; requires deliberate planning to combine plant proteins for a complete amino acid profile. Read more →
- Visceral fat
- Body fat stored deep around the abdominal organs, as opposed to just under the skin; elevated levels are linked to greater metabolic and cardiovascular risk. Read more →
- VLDL (Very-Low-Density Lipoprotein)
- A lipoprotein made by the liver that carries triglycerides through the bloodstream to tissues; elevated VLDL is associated with higher cardiovascular risk. Read more →
W
- Whey protein
- A fast-digesting, complete protein derived from milk during cheesemaking; a common protein supplement. Read more →
Y
- Yo-yo dieting
- A repeating cycle of weight loss followed by weight regain, often from unsustainable calorie deficits; also called weight cycling. Read more →
Z
- Zone diet
- A dieting approach that targets a fixed 40/30/30 percent split of calories from carbohydrate, protein, and fat at every meal. Read more →