Low Carb Glossary 

Here are some other terms to help explain the science and health issues behind low-carbohydrate dietary planning solutions. Note these are only basic definitions and can be explored at your leisure through other resources to further define their roles in the body’s health system.

CALORIE

A calorie is a measure of heat. Calorie also refers to a measure of the amount of energy a body gets from food. In a nutshell, the more calories in food, the more energy is required for the body to use up the nutrients.

CARBOHYDRATE

A carbohydrate is one of three major nutrients that provide the body with energy. Carbohydrates are made up of either single sugars or bound strings of sugar. Examples of single sugars (simple carbohydrates) are sucrose or table sugar, fructose or fruit sugar and lactose or dairy sugar. Bound strings of sugar or complex carbohydrates that are found in plants are often called starches. Examples of digestible kinds of complex carbs are wheat flour or potato starch. A non-digestible example is cellulose from celery. Carbs are converted by the body into sugar and used for energy. Unused carbs are stored in the body as fat.

FAT

A Fat is one of the three major nutrient groups that provide energy to the body. Fat is derived from animal or plant oil sources. It is broken down by the body into simpler fats and are burned or stored in the body.

FRUCTOSE

Fructose is sugar derived from plants, especially corn, that is used to sweeten commercial food products like sodas and other prepared foods. First gained widespread popularity in the 1970s and is usually listed in ingredients as "high-fructose corn syrup".

GLUCOSE

Glucose is referred to as blood sugar. All carbohydrates whether simple or complex are converted by the body into sugar and the sugar within the body’s bloodstream is of this form. The level of glucose in the blood is the main stimulus for insulin secretion.

GLUCAGON

Glucagon is a hormone produced by the pancreas that encourages fat cells to convert their stores to glucose and release them for energy use. Glucagon must be released for the body to release and break down body fat. The pancreas cannot efficiently release both glucagon and insulin and will not release glucagon if blood sugar and insulin levels are high.

GLYCOGEN

Glycogen is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals and occurs primarily in the liver and muscle tissue. It is readily converted to glucose as needed by the body to satisfy its energy needs. Also called animal starch.

GLYCEMIC INDEX

The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly individual foods will raise your body’s blood sugar level.

INSULIN

Insulin is one of two main hormones produced by the pancreas and the body’s major metabolic hormone. When the blood’s glucose increases, insulin is released by the pancreas to help transfer glucose into the cells for energy. Insulin also helps convert extra glucose to storage in fatty tissue, and helps promote amino acids which are turned into protein and stored in muscle. In the liver, it aids in extra glucose being stored as glycogen. Insulin can raise cholesterol levels and cause retention of fluids and salt and it gets in the way of breaking down stored fat. A lack of adequate insulin or lack of sufficient sensitivity to insulin’s effects in the body can lead to diabetes.

INSULIN RESISTANCE

Insulin resistance is a state reached when the body does not properly respond to and process the insulin it releases. Insulin resistance causes the pancreas to overproduce insulin. According to Drs. Michael and Mary Eades of Protein Power, insulin resistance causes high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, coronary artery disease (heart disease), obesity, Type II diabetes and a host of other diseases and disorders.

KETONES

When the body breaks down fat for energy due to the lack of sufficient glucose for energy needs combined with the liver’s depletion of glycogen, ketones is a type of chemical result. Excess ketones cause bad breath and show up in urine during strip testing.

KETOSIS

Ketosis is the body’s process of burning stored fat for energy when glucose is not readily available. A survival mechanism used during times of famine. Generally thought not to be a good long-term state for the body to operate in. When ketosis takes place in someone who is the victim of famine, or who is not eating food for whatever reason, it can cause serious illness and eventually death.

PROTEIN

Protein is one of the three major nutrient groups that provide energy to the body. Protein is derived from animal and soy products and from some plant products like legumes (beans, peanuts and peas). Converted to amino acids by the body during digestion and stored in muscle cells as protein.

SUCROSE

Another name for sucrose is table sugar; it is derived from sugar cane plants.

STARCH

Starch is a type of sugar found in potatoes, white rice, breads, bagels and other foods.

TRANS FAT

Trans fat is a type of processed fat that does not occur in nature (also called hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fat/oil). Used in baked goods like doughnuts, breads, crackers, potato chips, cookies and many other processed food products like margarine and salad dressings.