Catherine Saxelby's Foodwatch | Glossary

Oily or waxy substances made up of fatty acids and glycerol. Generally overconsumed by affluent societies and contribute to overweight, heart disease and certain cancers. Fats are high in kilojoules, supplying 37 per gram.

Can be saturated, mono-unsaturated or polyunsaturated, depending upon their chemical structure.

(roughage or bulk). Includes cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin and gums, each of which has a different action in the body. Fibre creates bulky faeces, relieves constipation and can help reduce the incidence of diverticulitis, bowel cancer and haemorrhoids. Some types of fibre delay food absorption and lower cholesterol.

Oils extracted from oily fish which are high in omega-3 fats.

A large group of natural plant compounds under study for their action as antioxidants. They are found in all vegetables and fruit. Richest sources are tea, wine, grapes, apples, onions and berries.

(folic acid). A B vitamin needed for the synthesis of genetic material, red blood cells and protein metabolism. Extra folate is now recommended before conception to prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida in babies.

Any unstable molecule that reacts with and damages other molecules. Formed in the body and left behind by smog, smoking, pollution and UV radiation.

A simple sugar (or monosaccharide) found mostly in fruit and honey. It is a constituent of sucrose or table sugar.