“Calorie” — a unit of thermal energy equal to 4.184 joules, used to quantify the energy content of food.

“Bioavailable” — the portion of a nutrient (or other chemical) that can be absorbed, transported, and utilized physiologically.

“Autoimmune disease” — autoimmune diseases occur when the body tissues are mistakenly attacked by its own immune system. The immune system is a complex organization of cells and antibodies designed normally to destroy pathogens, particularly viruses and bacteria that cause infections. Individuals with autoimmune diseases have antibodies in their blood which target their own body […]

“Antioxidant” — an enzyme or other organic molecule that can counteract the damaging effects of oxygen in tissues. Although the term technically applies to molecules reacting with oxygen, it is often applied to molecules that protect from any free radical (molecule with an unpaired electron). The term antioxidant is used to describe a dietary component […]

“Antigen” — a substance that when introduced into the body stimulates the production of an antibody. Antigens include toxins, bacteria, foreign blood cells, and the cells of transplanted organs.