Reference
Cellular Nutrition Glossary: 30 Key Terms Explained
Short, accurate definitions of the words used across our Cellular Nutrition guide.
A
- Amino acids
- The building blocks of protein. Nine are essential and must come from food; cells use them to make enzymes, hormones, antibodies and tissue.
- Antioxidant
- A substance that limits damage from reactive oxygen species. The body makes its own antioxidant enzymes; foods add vitamin C, vitamin E and plant polyphenols. See oxidative stress.
- ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
- The cell's energy currency, produced mainly in mitochondria from glucose and fatty acids.
- Autophagy
- The process by which cells break down and recycle worn-out components. Its mechanisms were recognised with the 2016 Nobel Prize. See autophagy and fasting.
B
- BMR (basal metabolic rate)
- The energy the body uses at complete rest to keep cells and organs working.
C
- Cell membrane
- The outer layer of every cell, made mostly of fats and cholesterol, which controls what enters and leaves.
- Cellular nutrition
- An approach to diet that focuses on what food becomes inside cells and how each organ uses it, applied clinically through personalised assessment. See the complete guide.
- Coenzyme
- A molecule, often made from a vitamin, that helps an enzyme carry out its reaction. Many B vitamins act as coenzymes in energy production.
- C-reactive protein (CRP)
- A blood marker of inflammation. High-sensitivity CRP is used to assess low-grade chronic inflammation.
- Chronic inflammation
- Persistent low-grade immune activation linked to heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver and arthritis. See chronic inflammation.
D
- Dietary fibre
- Plant carbohydrate that humans cannot digest but gut bacteria can ferment. It slows glucose absorption and supports gut health.
E
- Electrolytes
- Minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium that carry electrical charge and control fluid balance across cell membranes.
- Enzyme
- A protein that speeds up a specific chemical reaction in the body. Most enzymes depend on vitamins or minerals.
- Essential fatty acids
- Fats the body cannot make — omega-3 and omega-6 — which must come from the diet and become part of cell membranes.
G
- Glycaemic index (GI)
- A measure of how quickly a carbohydrate food raises blood glucose compared with pure glucose.
- Glycation
- A reaction in which excess glucose binds to proteins, contributing to diabetic complications. HbA1c measures glycation of haemoglobin.
H
- HbA1c
- A blood test reflecting average blood glucose over the previous two to three months.
I
- Insulin resistance
- Reduced response of muscle, liver and fat cells to insulin, often preceding type 2 diabetes. See insulin resistance.
M
- Macronutrients
- Nutrients needed in large amounts — carbohydrates, proteins and fats — which supply energy and building material.
- Micronutrients
- Vitamins and minerals needed in small amounts for enzymes, immunity and repair. See micronutrient deficiency in India.
- Microbiome
- The community of bacteria and other microbes living in the gut, which ferment fibre and influence metabolism and immunity.
- Mitochondria
- Structures inside cells that convert food into ATP using oxygen. See mitochondrial health.
N
- Nutrient density
- The amount of vitamins, minerals and protein a food supplies relative to its calories.
O
- Oxidative stress
- An imbalance in which reactive oxygen species overwhelm the body's defences and damage fats, proteins and DNA.
P
- Phytonutrients (polyphenols)
- Natural compounds in plants — vegetables, fruits, pulses, spices, tea — studied for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
R
- Reactive oxygen species (free radicals)
- Reactive molecules formed during normal metabolism. Small amounts act as signals; excess causes oxidative stress.
S
- Short-chain fatty acids
- Compounds such as butyrate produced when gut bacteria ferment fibre; they nourish the gut lining.
T
- Therapeutic diet
- A meal plan modified to manage a medical condition, such as a diabetic or renal diet. See therapeutic diets.
- Triage theory
- A hypothesis by biochemist Bruce Ames that, when micronutrients are scarce, the body prioritises short-term survival over long-term maintenance.
U
- Ultra-processed food
- Industrial food products made largely from refined ingredients and additives, such as packaged snacks, sugary drinks and instant noodles.
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