Diet-Pharma Education

Sucralose - the only zero-calorie sweetener that is produced from sugar. This sweetener is approximately 600 times more sweet than sugar and is calorie-free. Sucralose is highly stable under an extensive range of processing situations. Consequently, it can be utilized practically in any food where sugar is used, including exposure to heat during cooking or baking, without losing any of its sugar-like sweetness. At present, sucralose is authorized in over 25 countries worldwide as suitable for use in foods and beverages. Within the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been requested to authorize the use of sucralose in 15 individual classes of food and beverages.


Nutritionist - a health professional with special qualifications in the field of diet and nutrition and who is competent to help consumers make informed decisions about the foods and beverages they include in their diet. Also referred to as a `dietician`.


Cultural Controls - in crop cultivation, an integrated pest control system, which comprises of modifying the growing environment (such as by annual crop rotation) to reduce the prevalence of plant parasites and pests.


Ulcer - a lesion of the skin; a deep sore. Diabetics might develop ulcers from slight scratches on the feet or legs, on account of cuts that heal slowly, or from the rubbing of shoes that do not fit well. Ulcers may get inflamed and infected.


Water - a vital component of the body. While the human body can cope with a shortage of energy-yielding calories or nutrients from food for months or even over years, an individual cannot survive without water for more than a few days. Research experts place water secondary in importance only to oxygen as crucial for continued life. Apart from providing true refreshment for dry mouths and parched throats, water plays a vital role in each and every one of the bodily systems. It is the vehicle wherein various chemical processes of the body are carried out, aiding in the synthesis of foods to provide nutrients, absorption of nutrients from dietary intake, circulation, and smooth movement of body joints. For instance, in its role as a primary component of blood, water helps in delivering energy-yielding nutrients to body cells and removes waste to the kidneys for excretion.


Alitame - a sweetener made from protein building blocks, called amino acids - (L-aspartic acid (one of the non-essential amino acids), D-alanine, and a new amide (a compound of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon). It offers a taste which is two thousand times more sweet in comparison to the taste of white sugar and can be used in a broad range of products, which include beverages, tabletop sweeteners (to add artificial sweetening to served food), frozen yogurt and similar desserts, and baked goods. Only the aspartic acid component of alitame is metabolized by the body. Therefore, alitame contains 1.4 kilocalories per gram. However, because alitame is such a strong sweetener, it is used in miniscule quantities and hence contributes negligible amounts of calories. It is very stable, can withstand high temperatures in cooking and baking and has the properties that make its use promising in nearly all foods & beverages in which organic or inorganic sweeteners are used today. Right now, the FDA is reviewing a petition to legitimize the use of Alitame in the US food supply. This sweetener has been approved for use in all types of food and beverage items in Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand.


Dental Caries - commonly referred to as tooth decay, dental caries takes place when microbes inside the mouth feed on sugars and secrete organic acids that dissolve tooth enamel. Various conditions affect this process, for example inherited characteristics and the composition and flow of saliva. Any fermentable carbohydrate (starches and sugars) can serve as food for bacteria that reside in plaque on the surface of the teeth and are responsible for tooth decay. The quantity of carbohydrate isn`t as important as how frequently these sugars and starches are ingested and the amount of time they remain inside the mouth. The extensive use of fluoride in oral healthcare products and water sources is credited with the drastic decrease in dental caries, in children as well as adults, over the past twenty years. (Look at `fluoride`.)


Adipose Tissue - a specialized type of tissue in the body that functions as the major storage site for fat.


Natural Toxins - a naturally occurring substance (for instance, produced in some cases by disease-causing microorganisms), which is toxic to some other animate organisms.


Yoga - a program of exercises which help control the body and mind, and attain a sense of wellness. The numerous disciplines of yoga comprise yogic postures (known as `asanas`) to boost muscle tone and agility, breath-control exercises that calm and purify the body, and meditation for relaxation and stress reduction.


Body Fat - the proportion of an individual`s body weight that is composed of fat rather than lean muscle, water, the boney framework, or organs.


Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) - a critical diabetic condition, which demands immediate medical attention. It occurs when diabetes is not adequately controlled and blood sugar levels get dangerously high.


Bulimia Nervosa - an eating disorder characterized by compulsive binging on food (eating large amounts very quickly), with a sense of lack of control during the episode, and self-evaluation unduly influenced by body weight and shape. There are two forms of the condition: purging and non-purging. In the first type, the subject frequently engages in purging by forcing him/herself to throw up the food eaten, or frequently misusing laxatives or diuretics. Alternatively, in the second type, the subject controls weight through strict dieting, going without eating at all for a time, or excessive exercise. This binge eating followed by self-inflicted vomiting, and feelings of guilt, depression, and self-condemnation, is often associated with another eating disorder, anorexia nervosa. In several instances, there is no appreciable loss in weight and the condition might not come to medical attention until the person seeks help.


Antioxidant - free-radical scavengers like beta carotene and vitamins E and C, which safeguard key cell components by inhibiting the oxidation reaction of `free radicals`, which are natural byproducts of cell metabolism. Free radicals are released when oxygen is metabolized or burned by the body. They travel through the body`s cells, disrupting the structure of other molecules, leading to extensive damage of cell membranes. Such cell damage is believed to lead to aging and various medical complications.


Catechins - a kind of flavonoid present in tea, which gives consumers the health advantages of negating the adverse effects of free radicals and perhaps reducing the health risk of cancer.