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A B C
D E F G H I J K
L M N O P
Q R S T U V
W X Y Z
Additives
Additives are chemical compounds that we would not normally eat, but which
change the properties of food. They are used in manufacturing processed
foods. Additives can make food last longer, or change its taste, smell,
colour or texture. Additives such as preservatives
can undoubtedly save lives, by stopping dangerous bacteria from growing
in our food, but most additives are used for purely cosmetic purposes,
making processed foods look and taste better than they otherwise would.
See also E numbers and flavourings.
Allergy
A food allergy is a reaction that some people have to eating certain foods.
It involves their own body's defence system (the immune system) responding
to a food that the body mistakenly feels is harmful.
When the food is eaten, the
immune system releases chemicals to protect the body. These chemicals
trigger allergic symptoms that can make it difficult for the person to
breathe, make them come out in spots, or get stomach cramps.
The most common foods to trigger
allergic reactions (accounting for about 90% of all food allergies) are
the following eight food groups: milk, egg, peanut, nuts (walnut, cashew,
etc.), fish, shellfish, soya, wheat. All labels on packaged foods must
now say if the food contains any of the common allergy-causing ingredients.
But you won't get this information with restaurant food or food sold loose.
People suffering from an allergy
to milk have to learn a lot of names for the foods and milk ingredients
that they must avoid. These include ingredients such as: butter, caseinates,
cheese, chocolate, condensed milk, cottage cheese, cream, curds, custard,
evaporated milk, ghee, ice-cream, lactate, lactic acid, lactoferrin, lactoglobulin,
margarine, milk protein, powdered milk, whey and whey powder, and yogurt.
Calories
Food contains energy, which is measured in calories or kcalories (1,000
calories = 1 kcalorie). On average, an adult woman needs 2,000 kcalories
every day and an adult male needs 2,500 kcalories.
A gram of fat
contains 9 kcalories.
A gram of carbohydrate (such as sugar)
contains about 4 kcalories.
A gram of protein contains 4 kcalories.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates is the collective term for both sugars
and starches which, when eaten, provide us with energy. A gram of carbohydrate
contains about 4 kcalories. Simple carbohydrates,
such as sugars, are easy to digest and release their energy quickly. Complex
carbohydrates (found in starchy foods like bread, pasta and potatoes)
take longer to digest and release their energy more slowly. Health experts
agree that we should eat more complex carbohydrates.
Character
licensing
The use of popular fictional characters, such as Bart Simpson or Winnie
the Pooh, to promote foods, drinks and other products. Character licensing
has been criticised because it is often used to market foods that are
high in fat, sugar and salt.
Constipation
Constipation is when you can't go to the loo and feel blocked up. If you
are constipated, try eating more high fibre foods
like fruit, vegetables and cereals, and ensure you drink enough liquid
(drinking a glass of water or other liquid with each meal is a good idea).
Constipation is quite common in children and shouldn't last too long.
If your constipation doesn't clear up after two weeks you should talk
to a doctor who will be able to suggest suitable remedies. Remember -
everyone is different, some people poo three times a day, other people
only poo once every three days.
E
numbers
All food additives, with the exception of flavourings,
must have an E number - showing that they have been approved for use in
Europe. There are hundreds of different additives, each with its own E
number. For example, the preservative Sulphur Dioxide has the number E220.
Fat
Fat is an essential nutrient that provides energy
when eaten. It can be obtained from both animal and plant sources. In
liquid form, it is sometimes called oil. One gram of fat contains 9 kcalories.
We need some fat in our diet, but if we eat too much of the wrong type,
it can be bad for us.
Fibre
Unprocessed plant foods, such as wholegrains, vegetables and fruit,
contain fibre that our bodies do not absorb. But instead of causing stomach
ache, this fibre helps keep our digestive systems working properly. Fibre
provides nutrients to 'friendly' bacteria in our gut and by absorbing
water it makes it easier for our bodies to get rid of waste materials.
If you do not eat enough fibre in your diet you can become constipated.
Flavour
If a product is labelled as being 'strawberry flavour' it probably doesn't
contain any real strawberry at all. But if it is labelled as being 'strawberry
flavoured' it should contain at least a little bit of real strawberry.
Flavoured
If a product is labelled as being 'strawberry flavoured' it should
contain at least a little bit of real strawberry. If the label says it
is 'strawberry flavour' it probably doesn't contain any real strawberry
at all.
Flavourings
There are thousands of chemical compounds that can be added to our food
to change its flavour. Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing which
flavourings, or how many of them, have been added to your foods we eat.
If a food contains flavourings, the law says the packet must simply list
'flavouring' in the ingredient list - but that's all. See also flavour,
flavoured and natural flavouring.
Food
Standards Agency Guidelines
The Food Standards Agency has published guidelines so that we can tell
if a food or a drink contains 'a lot' or 'a little' of certain nutrients.
Here are the guidelines:
| How
to judge if your food contains 'a lot' or 'a little' fat, saturated
fat, sugar or salt |
| |
This
is 'a lot'
|
This
is 'a little'
|
| Total fat
per 100g of food: |
20 grams
|
3 grams
|
| Saturated
fat per 100g of food: |
5 grams
|
1 gram
|
| Sugar
per 100g of food: |
10 grams
|
2 grams
|
|
Sodium
per 100g of food:
(and equivalent as salt):
|
0.5 grams
(1.25 grams)
|
0.1 grams
(0.25 grams)
|
Hard
fats
The least healthy fats tend to be hard at room temperature. These are
hydrogenated or saturated
fats. They are the sorts of fats we should eat less
of. The healthier fats are liquid at room temperature, and are called
oils.
Hydrogenated
fat
Food manufacturers can artificially harden fat using
hydrogen. This makes the fat more solid at room temperature, so it can
be used in foods like biscuits and pastries. Unfortunately it also makes
the fat less healthy for us. Hydrogenated fats are best avoided.
kcalories
- see calories
Minerals
These are inorganic elements, including metals and non-metals. Some minerals
(such as calcium) are essential micronutrients and
small amounts are necessary for a healthy
diet.
Natural
flavouring
A natural flavouring is a food additive
produced from a 'natural' source. However, natural flavourings may be
extracted from unexpected sources (such as wood) which you would not normally
eat. Like other flavouring additives, they have no nutritional
value.
Nutrients
and micronutrients
There are three principal nutrients that we need for our bodies to function
and grow properly. These are protein, fat
and carbohydrate. We also need many micronutrients,
such as vitamins and minerals.
Organic
farming
Organic farming is a type of agriculture that uses only natural pesticides,
fertilisers and nutritional supplements. The farmers work hard to keep
the soil as healthy as possible. Artificial fertilisers, pesticides,
growth regulators and genetically modified organisms are avoided. Organic
farming is generally considered to be much kinder to the environment and
to wildlife.
Pester
power
A form of marketing in which young children are targeted with advertising
that encourages them to pester their parents or guardians into buying
specific foods, drinks or other products. It is often used to promote
foods and drinks containing high levels of fat, sugar
or salt.
Pesticides
This is a general term for poisons used in farming to kill or control
organisms that damage crops or cause health risks. Depending on their
use, these poisons have difference names: insecticides (for killing insect
pests), herbicides (for killing weeds) and fungicides (for killing fungus).
Pesticides can harm the environment, often killing plants and animals
other than the ones they are meant to control.
Preservatives
Preservatives are ingredients that are used to delay or prevent food rotting
and undesirable changes in a food's colour, flavour or texture. Sugar
and salt can act as preservatives, and powerful food
additives are also added to processed
foods to make them last for a long time.
Processed
food
Processed foods are foods which have been made for us and which are then
sold in shops. Apart from fruit, vegetables, fresh meat and fresh fish,
almost all the food sold in supermarkets will have been processed. Some
processing is fairly simple (e.g. milk is pasteurised before being sold)
but many processed foods contain added fats, sugar
and salt, making them less healthy. Processing often
helps a food to stay fresh longer, but it can also destroy valuable nutrients.
Protein
Protein is an essential nutrient that is often refered
to as the 'building block' of the body. It helps build many parts of the
body, including muscle, bone, skin, and blood. Protein provides 4 kcalories
of energy per gram and is found in foods like meat, fish, poultry, eggs,
dairy products, grains, beans and nuts.
QUID
labelling
Food and drink products must display Quantitive Ingredient Declarations
(QUIDs) in the UK so that consumers can tell how much of a 'characterising'
ingredient is present in a product. The figure is given as a percentage
(%). For example, a steak and kidney pie must list the percentage of steak
and kidney it contains, and a chocolate cake must list the percentage
of chocolate it contains.
Salt
Salt is an essential nutrient because it contains
the element sodium. Sodium is an important component
of our blood, helps to control blood pressure, and helps carry nutrients
into the body's cells. Without sodium our nervous system would be unable
to transmit messages. So eating a little sodium is essential for health.
Salt
is made up of two elements, sodium and chloride. A single gram (g) of
salt
contains 0.4 grams (0.4g) of sodium and 0.6 grams (0.6g) of chloride.
Most of us
need to reduce the amount of sodium we eat, and the best way is to cut
back on salt.
However,
some food labels list the salt content; some list the sodium content;
and
some list nothing at all. So it’s not always easy to tell how much
you’re eating.
Saturated fat
Saturated fats are usually found in animal products,
including fatty meat and dairy products (such as cheese, whole milk, cream
and butter) and are usually solid at room temperature. They are also found
in some vegetable oils, including coconut and palm oils. Food manufacturers
use saturated fats in many products where they want to add extra fat but
don't want it to be too runny. Studies show that too much saturated fat
in a person's diet increases the risk of heart disease, so it's best not
to eat too much saturated fat.
Sodium
Sodium is a mineral, an essential micronutrient.
It helps to maintain our blood volume, regulates the balance of water
in our cells, and keeps our nerves functioning. Although essential for
good health, the consumption of too much sodium is linked to high blood
pressure, stroke and heart disease. We get most
of our sodium from eating salt. Salt is made of sodium
and chloride. If a food label says ‘sodium’, you have to multiply
the number by 2.5 to work out the amount of salt. See also Food
Standards Agency Guidelines.
Stroke
If the blood supply to the brain is suddenly reduced or stopped (e.g.
by a burst blood vessel) damage to the brain can occur. This can lead
to weakness, paralysis, a speech disorder, difficulty with understanding
or death. In fact, a stroke is the third most common cause of death in
the UK. Eating too much salt can cause high blood
pressure, which is a major risk factor for stroke.
Sugar
Sugar is a 'simple carbohydrate'. Sugar can be added
to food and drinks in many different ways. All of the following ingredients
are either pure sugar or very high in sugar, and they are the types of
descriptions for sugary ingredients that you might find on food labels:
Glucose (solids or syrup), Dextrose, Sucrose, Fructrose, Maltose, Concentrated
apple juice, Concentrated grape juice and Honey. Frequent consumption
of sugary foods and drinks is linked to tooth decay.
Tooth
decay
Tooth decay occurs when the bacteria that live on our teeth give out chemicals
that dissolve the tooth's hard, white coating - called enamel. If not
treated properly by a dentist, tooth decay can cause pain and lead to
infections and loss of teeth. The bacteria need sugary foods to grow.
Brushing your teeth regularly helps to keep the bacteria at bay, and cutting
back on sugary snacks and drinks can starve them into submission.
Vitamins
Vitamins are essential micronutrients that the body
needs in small amounts to grow and stay strong. Examples are vitamins
A, C, and E. If we don't get enough vitamins we can become ill.
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