Glossary

Aerobic exercise: Makes your body use large quantities of oxygen, such as running, biking, and swimming.

Agave nectar: A natural sweetener that’s about 40 percent sweeter than sucrose (white sugar). Made from the agave cactus, it ranks lower on the glycemic index than other sweeteners.

Amino acids: The building blocks of protein. Your body breaks down protein into amino acids in order to use it.

Antioxidants: Phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals that protect your body from free radicals to promote good health.

Artificial sweeteners: Laboratory-made substances designed to replace sugar, such as aspartame. Prevalent in diet sodas; not recommended on the Clean Eating plan.

Blood glucose: The form of sugar that’s in your blood.

Body mass index (BMI): The proportion of your height to your weight. A healthful BMI is on the lower end of the spectrum—between 18.5 and 24.9, depending on your bone structure and muscle mass.

Calories: The units of measurement of the energy in food. Higher calories mean more energy; if you eat more energy than you use, your body stores it as fat. A calorie from fat contains the same amount of energy as a calorie from carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates: The main food energy source used by your body, found in plants. Carbohydrates are either simple or complex. Simple carbs are broken down by the body quickly and can cause blood sugar fluctuations. Simple carbohydrates have very little nutritional value and include white sugar, honey, and white flour. Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest and are full of fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Healthful complex carb sources include vegetables, fruit, legumes, beans, and grains.

Chia seeds: The chia plant is a member of the mint family and its seeds are highly nutritious. These seeds soak up about nine times their volume in liquid, so they make great thickeners and puddings.

Chlorophyll: This is the green pigment that absorbs the light required to provide energy for the process of photosynthesis in green plants.

Coconut oil: The oil extracted from coconut meat when it’s put through a centrifuge. It is thought to have many health benefits including helping to lower cholesterol, boosting the immune system, assisting with weight loss, and promoting proper digestion.

Complete proteins: A protein that contains all nine essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are not produced in the body, so they have to be obtained in food. Dairy, red meat, eggs, poultry, seafood, and fish are all complete proteins.

Diet: Whatever you eat, not necessarily related to a weight-loss or health-improvement plan.

Essential amino acids: The amino acids that your body can’t produce at all, or not in the quantities it needs. There are nine essential amino acids, which come from protein or supplements.

Essential fatty acids: These are fats that are essential to the workings in the body. They have to be obtained in food because the body does not produce them. Omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 essential fatty acids are the most commonly known.

Fiber: Also known as bulk or roughage. This is the part of plants that’s not digestible, which means it moves through the body and helps move stool. It can help prevent heart disease, diabetes, digestive issues, and some cancers such as colon cancer.

Flavonoids: Substances found in almost all plants that act as antioxidants in the body, helping to prevent cell damage. There are more than six thousand known flavonoids.

Flaxseed: The seeds from the flax plant. Very high in many nutrients and fiber; a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Free radicals: Oxygen or nitrogen molecules that do not have electrons in complete sets. They cause damage in the body because they try to take electrons from surrounding cells to complete the electron set. Too many free radicals can contribute to the development of heart disease, dementia, cancer, and diabetes.

Gluten: A protein that’s found mostly in cereal grains. Many people are sensitive to gluten and must avoid all foods containing it.

Glycemic index: A measure of the speed at which your blood sugar levels rise after eating a particular food.

Glycemic load: A measurement that indicates the carbohydrate content of a food based on its glycemic index.

Grass-fed meat: Meat produced from animals that aren’t factory-raised, but are raised in pastures and allowed to graze naturally.

Hemp seeds: The seeds from a variety of the cannabis plant. Hemp seeds contain all the essential amino acids, which makes them a great choice for vegetarians. Hemp seeds come hulled or unhulled (which means it’s the whole seed with the crunchy outer shell intact). Hulled seeds contain less fiber but are easier for most people to eat.

Insulin: A hormone that helps your body move glucose from your blood into your cells, where it’s used for various functions.

Kukicha twig tea: A super food that consists of the stems and stalks of Camellia sinensi, a tea shrub. This tea contains six times the amount of calcium as cow’s milk, almost three times the vitamin C as oranges, and many vitamins and minerals.

Lactose: A sugar found in milk. For many people it is a digestive irritant and allergen.

Macronutrients: The categories of nutrients that your body uses for essential tasks. They include protein, carbohydrates, and fat and make up the main part of your diet.

Metabolic rate: The rate at which your body uses calories.

Micronutrients: Nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, which your body needs in small quantities.

Omega ratio: The ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 fatty acids in food. Ideally, the amount of omega-3 should be higher than or equal to the amount of omega-6.

Omega-3 fatty acid: A group of three fats (ALA, EPA, and DHA) essential for good health and not produced by the body. Omega-3s help cell walls form and assist with almost every cell activity. They are found mostly in fatty fish.

Omega-6 fatty acid: Unsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic and arachidonic acid, that aren’t made by your body but are essential to your health. Omega-6s can help fight cancer and treat diseases like arthritis.

Phytonutrients: Chemical compounds found only in plants. They have many beneficial effects, including cutting the risk of diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.

Prebiotics: These are the nondigestible carbohydrates that serve as food for probiotics, helping them grow, multiply, and stay in the digestive tract.

Prediabetes: A condition when you have higher-than-normal blood glucose levels; indicates that you’re at risk of developing diabetes.

Probiotics: Live bacteria that aid in digestion and help eliminate bad bacteria in your body.

Processed foods: Foods that have been treated with chemicals, preservatives, additives, and dyes. Not recommended on the Clean Eating plan.

Protein: An essential nutrient that your body uses for many functions, including maintaining and building lean muscle mass.

Protein powder: There are three commonly used protein powders: whey, soy, and casein protein, which are commonly available in most supermarkets, health food stores, and online. Whey is a by-product left over after milk is made into cheese. Whey protein is fast-absorbing, which means it’s good right after a workout. Soy protein powder is a plant-based protein source and easier to digest than whey or casein. Casein protein is the main protein in milk and is slow-absorbing.

RDA: The recommended daily allowance of food components, such as vitamins and minerals.

SAD: The standard American diet. This diet has all the features that contribute to disease and obesity. It’s high in animal fats, processed foods, and hydrogenated fats while low in plant-based foods, fiber, and complex carbohydrates.

Spirulina: A super food that is a form of blue-green algae that grows in freshwater bodies. It can boost the immune system, improve blood pressure, and lower bad cholesterol levels.