Terms and Definitions

 Fruit:  Ripened ovaries of a seed-bearing plant  Contains the seeds  Occurs in a wide variety of forms  Nutrition:  Process of nourishing or being nourished  Especially the process by which a living animal or plant assimilates food and uses it for growth and for replacement of tissues

 Calorie:  A unit of measure of the amount of energy released when the body breaks down the food  Fruits are low in calories  Ranges from calories/serving

 Low fruit consumption, especially among low income families and men aged  Only 10% of calories comes from fruits and vegetables.

 The amount of fruit you need to eat depends on age, sex, and level of physical activity.  Recommended daily amounts are usually between 1 and 2 cups.

 1 cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice, or ½ cup of dried fruit can be considered as 1 cup from the fruit group. The following specific amounts count as 1 cup of fruit :  1 small apple  1 cup applesauce  32 seedless grapes  1 large orange  8 large strawberries  1 small wedge of watermelon

 Macronutrient:  Nutrients needed in proportionally high amounts from the diet. There are three main categories Proteins Carbohydrates Fats

 Consists of the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen  Fills numerous roles including transportation and storage of energy for later use by the body  1 gram= 4kcal  Carbohydrate content ranges from trace amounts to 15 grams in fruit  Includes sugars, starches, and fiber

 Monosaccharide's  Glucose, galactose, and fructose  Fruit consists mainly of the simple sugars glucose and fructose  90% of the calories in fruit comes from carbohydrates, especially mono and disaccharides

 Disaccharides  Includes sucrose, maltose, and lactose  Composed of two monosaccharide's  Composition of disaccharides differs between fruits in trace amounts.  Monosaccharide's and disaccharides are considered simple carbohydrates.

 Oligosaccharides & Polysaccharides  Known as complex carbohydrates  There are two common types: starch and fiber

 Starch:  A complex carbohydrate that is the chief storage form of carbohydrates in plants  Fruits consists of zero to trace amounts of starch

 Dietary fiber:  A group of materials found in both plants and animals. Includes soluble and insoluble fiber  Soluble fiber  Indigestible portion of plant foods. Helps lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels in diabetics  Insoluble fiber:  Indigestible portion of plant foods. Aids in digestion and prevents constipation  Dietary fiber may range anywhere from 0.5 grams/serving to10 grams/serving depending on the fruit consumed.

 Made up of amino acids  Up to twenty amino acids are used in the human body  Eight of these are considered to be essential amino acids  Essential:  the body is unable to produce these compounds by itself, thus they have to be supplied in its diet

 Have many functions including:  Transportation and storage of molecules  Growth, maintenance, and repair of tissues  Antibodies and hormones  Small amounts of protein in fruit  Protein composition in fruit ranges from trace to three grams  1 gram= 4 kcal

 Made up of fatty acids some of which are essential fatty acids.  The most concentrated source of energy in foods.  Low fat % in fruit

 Functions of fats includes:  Major source of energy  1 gram=9 kcal  Transporters of vitamins A, D, E, K, and other substances.  Protection and insulation of vital organs

 Unsaturated fats:  Omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids  Considered to be the “beneficial” fats.  Functions include:  Brain function and bodily growth  Anti-atherogenic

 Saturated fats and trans-fats  Are less healthy because:  Usually contain high amounts of cholesterol  Promote the production of LDLs  LDL= low-density lipoprotein= “bad” cholesterol  Increase risk for heart disease

 Micronutrients:  Nutrients needed in proportionally small amounts in the diet  Micronutrients include:  Vitamins  There are two main categories water soluble and fat soluble vitamins  Minerals

 Vitamin:  An organic compound needed as a nutrient in small amounts in the human body  Water soluble:  Dissolve in water; not stored in the body  Fat soluble:  Dissolve in fat; stored in liver  Fruit is packed with a variety of them

 Vitamin A:  fat soluble vitamin  Precursor beta- carotene  Functions includes:  vision=beta- carotene  Skin health  Immune function  Many more

 Vitamin B-complex:  Water soluble vitamins  Consists of several different vitamins including:  Thiamin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, biotin, riboflavin, B6, and B12  Functions include:  Promote increased metabolism of all three macronutrients  Prevention of neural tube defects  Maintenance of skin, hair, eyes, and liver

 Vitamin C: Water soluble vitamin  Antioxidant  Functions include:  Promote a healthy immune system  Minimizes effects of free radical and carcinogens

 Vitamin E:  Fat soluble vitamin  Antioxidant  Functions include:  Prevents oxidation of proteins, fats, and vitamin A  Protects red blood cells

 Minerals:  Are chemical elements required by living organisms, other than the four elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen  Needed in very small amounts  Most Fruits contain several different minerals

 Potassium:  Systemic electrolyte  Needed for co-regulation of ATP with sodium  Calcium:  Needed for muscle, heart, and digestive health  Bone growth and red blood cell synthesis  Phosphorus:  Important for cell structure  Component of bone growth and energy processing

 Magnesium  Component of ATP and bone synthesis  Selenium  Essential cofactor for antioxidant activity  Helps regulate thyroid function  Iron  Needed for hemoglobin and myoglobin production  Adequate intake prevents iron deficiency

 Sodium:  Systemic electrolyte  Essential for co-regulating ATP with potassium  Zinc  Acts as an antioxidant  Helps maintain function of the reproductive and digestive systems  Copper  Important for healthy connective tissue  Co-regulates the transportation and storage of molecules with proteins

 Antioxidants:  Substances found in food that protect bodily cells from the damage caused by free radicals  Phytochemicals:  Bioactive chemical compounds found mainly in plants.  Same benefits as antioxidants