Food & Nutrition Glossary
Clear definitions for 13+ food and nutrition terms. Your A-Z reference guide.
C
Chrononutrition
The science of aligning meal timing with the body's internal clock to optimize metabolism, digestion and health, based on how 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 and sociocultural surroundings that influence what foods a person can access, afford and choose to eat.
Food swamp
An area where unhealthy food options significantly outnumber healthy options, making nutritious eating difficult despite food availability.
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 perceived as pure, clean or healthy, leading to restrictive behaviors, nutritional deficiencies and impaired quality of life