Appendix B
Vocabulary
Here are some terms and words that the students will be required to be familiar with. This will help them when they are reading labels to know what they are looking at and what to look for. The vocabulary will come from the state department's handbook: Connecticut Nutrition Standards for Food in Schools, published in January 2008.
Added Sugars: Sugars and syrups added to foods in processing or preparation, as opposed to the naturally occurring sugars found in foods like fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy products. Names for added sugars include brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, fruit juice concentrates, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, sucrose, sugar and syrup.
Dietary Fiber: Non-digestible carbohydrates and lignin (a non-carbohydrate substance bound to fiber) that are naturally occurring in plants, e.g., gums, cellulose, fiber in oats, and wheat bran. Fiber improves gastrointestinal health and reduces risk of some diseases, such as heart disease.
Whole Grains: Grains that consist of the entire kernel, including the starchy endosperm, the fiber-rich bran, and the germ. All grains start out as whole grains, but many are processed to remove the bran and germ, which also removes many of the nutrients. Whole grains are nutrient rich, containing vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. Examples include whole wheat, whole oats/oatmeal, whole grain cornmeal, popcorn, brown rice, whole rye, whole-grain barley, wild rice, buckwheat, triticale, bulgur (cracked wheat), millet, quinoa, and sorghum.
Saturated Fat: A type of fat that raises blood cholesterol, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Major sources of saturated fats include animal products (e.g., cheese, beef, milk, oils, snack foods, butter and lard) and tropical vegetable oils (palm, palm kernel and coconut).
Trans Fats: Trans fats are the result of "hydrogenation," a process where vegetable oils are made into a more solid (saturated) fat. Trans fats are used in food products to increase shelf life and enhance texture. Like saturated fat, trans fat raises blood cholesterol, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The majority of trans fats in the American diet (80 percent) come from processed foods made with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, such as cakes, cookies, crackers, snack chips, fried foods and margarine. Trans fats also occur naturally in low amounts in some foods of animal origin (e.g., dairy products, beef and lamb).
Comments: