Download Adenosine Triphosphate-ATP: The main molecule used by cells for

Adenosine Triphosphate-ATP: The main molecule used by cells for energy. It is produced very efficiently
by the process of cellular respiration in the mitochondria if there is sufficient oxygen or inefficiently but rapidly
by process of glycolysis in the cytoplasm of the cell if oxygen is low or if blood sugar is high.
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA): A short chain omega-3 fatty acid that is essential in our diets and is found in
small amounts in green leaves and is concentrated by animals that eat grass and is also found in a few plant seed
oils such as flax, camelina and salba. Our bodies can convert ALA into longer, more biologically active omega-3
fatty acids, but this process is inhibited by high levels of linoleic acid (LA) that is very coming in modern diets.
Anti-inflammatory: A substance that has the effect of preventing or reducing inflammation.
Carbohydrate: A type of molecule commonly referred to as a sugar or starch and composed of carbon,
hydrogen, and oxygen bonded together in particular ways. The simplest carbohydrate is glucose, C6H12O6, which
is blood sugar. C6H12O6 is made by plants from six atoms of carbon and six molecules of water, H2O.
Carboxyl group: A common component of molecules that is composed of one carbon, two oxygens, and one
hydrogen atom bonded together. Carboxyl groups are acidic and make up the “heads” of fatty acids. The
carboxyl end is commonly referred to as the alpha end of the fatty acid molecule.
Cellular respiration: Vital cellular process through a complex, multi stage process oxygen “burns” fats,
glucose, or amino acids (at body temperature of course) which produces converted into Adenosine Triphosphate
(ATP). This process occurs in the mitochondria of animal and plant cells and in the outer membrane of bacteria.
Covalent bond: A type of chemical bond formed by sharing two electrons (one pair of electons) between
atoms.
Double covalent bond: A type of covalent bond in which two atoms are sharing four electrons (two pairs of
electrons.
Enzyme: A type of protein that speeds up (catalyzes) chemical reactions. There are thousands of different
enzymes catalyze thousands of different reactions in our bodies.
Essential fatty acid: Fatty acids that cannot be manufactured by the body and can only be supplied through
diet. ALA, alpha-linolenic acid is the essential omega-3 and LA, linoleic acid is the essential omega-6 fatty acid.
It appears that the optimum ratio of LA and ALA is close to one, but typical modern diets are in the range of 1520 to one.
Ester: A molecule formed by the reaction between an acid and an alcohol which gives off one molecule of
water in the formation process.
Fat: Most commonly molecules composed of glycerol linked by ester bonds to one, two or three fatty acid tails.
Fatty acid: A molecule consisting of a carboxyl group bonded to a hydrocarbon chain. Fatty acids are
commonly bonded to a glycerol to make up fats or phospholipids.
Glycerol: A type of alcohol that is the molecule that commonly binds to the alpha end, or head of a fatty acid
molecule.
Inflammation: The reaction of the immune system to injury and/or infection, may be detected by swelling,
redness, heat, and/or pain. The process includes increased blood flow with an influx of white blood cells to the
area and other substances that assist in killing bacteria and fungi and help to heal the body.
Inflammatory: A substance that has the effect of causing or increasing inflammation in the body.
Linolenic acid: A short chain omega-6 fatty acid that is essential in our diets and is found in most plant seed
oils and nuts such as corn, soy, sunflower. Our bodies can convert LA into longer, more biologically active
omega-6 fatty acids.
Lipid: A group of organic molecules are insoluble in water and soluble in oily solvents. They include fatty acids,
fats, oils, and waxes. They are very important nutrients that form a major component of cell membranes, are
formed into highly active hormones, and are a source of stored energy.
Omega 3 fatty acid: An unsaturated fatty acid whose carbon chain has its first double bond three carbons from
the omega end of the molecule. The shortest common omega-3 fatty acid is called alpha-linolenic acid,
sometimes written as α-linolenic acid or ALA and can be made longer and more unsaturated in our bodies to
form highly bioactive substances.
Omega 6 fatty acid: An unsaturated fatty acid whose carbon chain has its first double bond six carbons from
the omega end of the molecule. The shortest common omega-6 fatty acid called linolenic acid and can be made
longer and more unsaturated in our bodies to make highly bioactive substances.
Protein: A large, complex, multi-purpose molecule composed of long chains of amino acids. There are twenty
different types of amino acids and different proteins have distinctive sequences of amino acids that are coded in
the genes.
Saturated fatty acid: A fatty acid in which all the carbons that make up the fatty acid tail are bonded together
with carbon-carbon single bonds.
Single covalent bond: A type of covalent bond in which two electrons are shared between to atoms.
Unsaturated fatty acid: A fatty acid in which one or more of the carbons that make up the fatty acid tail are
bonded together with a double bond. Polyunsaturated fatty acids contain two or more double bonds (up to six
double bonds).