Food & nutrition glossary
Clear definitions for 27+ terms—your A–Z guide for labels, nutrition, and food systems.
A
Antinutrients
Natural compounds found in plant foods that can prevent or reduce the body's ability to absorb certain vitamins and minerals from that food
Appetite regulation
Your body's complex system of hormones, brain signals and gut responses that controls when you feel hungry, how much you eat and when you feel satisfied
B
Batch cooking
A food preparation strategy where you cook large quantities of food at one time so you can store and eat across multiple meals over a period
Bioaccessibility
The proportion of a nutrient in food that is released during digestion and is within reach for your body to absorb in the gut
Bioaccumulation
The gradual buildup of harmful substances such as mercury or pesticides in a living organism's body faster than the body can break them down or remove them
Bioavailability
The proportion of a nutrient from food or supplements that your body absorbs into the bloodstream and puts to use for normal body functions
Blanching
A food preparation method where fruits or vegetables are briefly cooked in boiling water or steam, then immediately cooled in ice water to stop cooking and preserve color, texture and nutrients
Blood sugar crash
A sudden drop in blood glucose levels that leaves a person feeling shaky, tired, irritable or lightheaded, often triggered by what, when or how much the person ate.
C
Chrononutrition
The science of aligning your meal timing with your body's internal clock to improve metabolism, digestion and health based on how the body's organs process nutrients differently throughout the day
Confused eater
A consumer overwhelmed by conflicting nutrition information, diet trends and food marketing, leading to their uncertainty about what constitutes healthy eating
F
Food apartheid
Food apartheid describes the systemic inequities in food accessibility caused by structural racism and intentional policies, not geographic location or natural occurrence.
Food desert
Geographic areas where residents lack adequate access to affordable, nutritious foods
Food environment
The collective physical, economic, political, social and cultural circumstances that influence what foods a person can access, afford and choose to eat
Food swamp
An area where unhealthy food options largely outnumber healthy options, making nutritious eating difficult despite food availability.
M
Mindful eating
A practice of paying intentional attention to the experience of eating including the food, hunger cues, flavors and emotions in order to build a healthier relationship with food
Minimally processed foods
Foods that have been slightly altered from their natural or original state but retain most of their original nutrients and with little to no added ingredients.
Mise en place
A French culinary term meaning "everything in its place"; the practice of preparing, measuring and organizing all ingredients and tools before cooking begins.
O
Omnipresent nature of unhealthy junk foods
The widespread, constant availability and aggressive marketing of highly processed, nutrient-poor foods in virtually every setting of daily life
Orthorexia
An unhealthy obsession with eating only foods seen as pure, clean or healthy, leading to restrictive behaviors, nutritional deficiencies and impaired quality of life