BGCSE Food & Nutrition key terms

A substance in food that the body uses for energy, growth, repair, or regulation of body processes. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water are the main groups.

A nutrient needed in large amounts each day to supply energy or building material. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are macronutrients and are measured in grams.

A nutrient needed only in very small amounts for health and normal body functioning. Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients and do not supply energy themselves.

A diet that supplies all the nutrients the body needs, in the right proportions, for good health. It includes a variety of foods from each food group and enough water.

The amount of energy a food provides when it is used by the body, usually measured in kilojoules or kilocalories. Fat provides more energy per gram than carbohydrate or protein.

An illness caused by a long-term shortage of one or more nutrients in the diet. Examples include anaemia from lack of iron and scurvy from lack of vitamin C.

Poor health caused by an unbalanced diet, whether from too little food, too much food, or the wrong mix of nutrients. It includes both undernutrition and overnutrition.

Official advice on the kinds and amounts of food to eat for good health. Guidelines usually encourage variety, plenty of vegetables and fruit, and limited sugar, salt, and fat.

The printed information on packaged food showing ingredients, weight, storage instructions, and nutrition details. It helps consumers compare products and make informed choices.

A substance added to food in small amounts for a purpose such as colouring, flavouring, thickening, or preserving. Additives must be listed in the ingredients on the label.

A nutrient that is the body's main source of energy. It is found in starchy foods such as rice, bread, and ground provisions, and in sugary foods.

A complex carbohydrate stored in plant foods such as potatoes, rice, corn, and cassava. It must be cooked and digested before the body can use it for energy.

The parts of plant foods that the body cannot digest, found in vegetables, fruit, peas, beans, and whole grains. Fibre helps keep the digestive system working well.

A nutrient made of amino acids that the body uses to build and repair tissues. Good sources include fish, chicken, meat, eggs, peas, beans, and nuts.

The small building block from which proteins are made. The body needs about twenty different amino acids, and some must be supplied by food.

A combination of two plant foods whose amino acids together supply a complete protein. Examples are rice with peas or beans, or bread with peanut butter.

A nutrient that supplies concentrated energy, carries some vitamins, and protects organs. Fats may be saturated or unsaturated and are found in oils, butter, nuts, and fish.

A stable mixture of two liquids that do not normally mix, such as oil and water. Egg yolk and mustard help hold an emulsion together, as in mayonnaise.

A micronutrient needed in small amounts for health, growth, and protection from disease. Vitamins are found in many foods and some are easily destroyed by heat or light.

A micronutrient such as iron, calcium, or iodine that the body needs in small amounts. Minerals help build bones and teeth and keep body processes working properly.

A nutrient needed in large amounts every day for digestion, transport of nutrients, and temperature control. The body loses water through urine, sweat, and breathing.

A condition caused by losing more water than the body takes in. It causes thirst, dark urine, tiredness, and in serious cases confusion or collapse.

The relationship between the energy taken in from food and the energy used by the body. Taking in more than is used leads to weight gain over time.

The transfer of heat through direct contact between materials, such as a pan touching a hot burner. It is one of the main ways food is heated during cooking.

The transfer of heat by moving currents of liquid or gas, such as hot air in an oven or bubbling water in a pot. It cooks food evenly on all sides.

The transfer of heat by invisible waves that travel through space and warm the surface of food. Grilling and microwaving use this method of heat transfer.

The process in which starch granules absorb liquid and swell when heated, thickening the mixture. It is used when making sauces, porridge, and puddings.

The browning and sweetening of sugar when it is heated strongly. It gives colour and flavour to foods such as caramel sauce, baked goods, and fried plantain.

The browning that happens when proteins and sugars react together under dry heat. It creates the brown crust and savoury flavour of roast meat, toast, and fried food.

The browning of cut fruit and vegetables when enzymes react with oxygen in the air. It can be slowed by adding lemon juice or by covering the cut surface.

A chemical reaction with oxygen that can change the colour, flavour, or quality of food. It causes fats to become rancid and cut fruit to turn brown.

The unpleasant smell and taste that develops when fats break down, usually through oxidation or long storage. It makes the food unfit to eat.

Changes that make food unfit or unsafe to eat, caused by microorganisms, enzymes, oxygen, or physical damage. Signs include mould, slime, bad smell, and changed colour.

A living thing too small to see without a microscope, such as bacteria, moulds, and yeasts. Some cause food to spoil or cause illness, while others are useful in food production.

The transfer of harmful microorganisms from one food or surface to another. It often happens when raw meat touches ready-to-eat food or a shared chopping board.

The practices that keep food clean and safe from contamination during storage, preparation, and serving. It includes hand washing, clean surfaces, and correct storage temperatures.

The temperature range, roughly between 5 and 60 degrees Celsius, in which bacteria multiply fastest. Food should be kept out of this range to prevent illness.

A substance or method used to slow or stop food spoiling. Common preservatives include salt, sugar, vinegar, and smoke, as well as approved chemical additives.

The breakdown of sugars by microorganisms such as yeast or bacteria, changing the flavour and texture of food. It is used to make bread, yoghurt, and some drinks.

The reduction of vitamins and minerals in food during storage, preparation, or cooking. It can be limited by short cooking times, less water, and leaving skins on vegetables.

A plan showing the foods to be served at each meal over a set period. It considers nutrition, cost, available foods, and the needs and preferences of those eating.

The amount of a particular food served to one person at a meal. Choosing suitable portion sizes helps prevent waste and supports a balanced diet.

Food that is at its best and most plentiful during a particular time of year. Buying it can be cheaper, fresher, and better for the local economy.

The distance food travels from where it is produced to where it is sold or eaten. Fewer food miles generally mean less fuel used and fresher produce.

Having reliable access to enough safe, affordable, and nutritious food for an active and healthy life. It depends on supply, income, and how food is distributed.

A food eaten regularly and in large amounts that forms the main part of the diet. In the Caribbean this is often rice, bread, or ground provisions such as cassava.

Root and tuber crops grown in the ground and used as starchy staples. Examples include cassava, sweet potato, yam, dasheen, and Irish potato.

The handling, storing, and preparing of food so that it does not cause illness. It covers cleanliness, safe temperatures, and preventing contamination at every stage.

A set of instructions listing ingredients and quantities and the steps to make a dish. A good recipe also gives the number of servings and cooking time.

A tested recipe with fixed quantities and method used to produce a consistent dish. It allows costs and portions to be calculated accurately.

Practical work and written investigation completed during the course and assessed as part of the final grade. It usually involves planning, preparing, testing, and evaluating a food task.

A planned test carried out to find out how a food or cooking method behaves. It involves stating an aim, controlling variables, recording results, and drawing conclusions.