9781422280416

Chapter 1 What are Fats and Cholesterol? W ords to U nderstand arteries: blood vessels that transport blood from the heart to all parts of the body. calories: units of energy. carbohydrates: starches, sugars, and fibers found in food; a main source of energy for the body. diabetes: a disease in which the body’s ability to produce the hormone insulin is impaired. macronutrients: any substance required in large amounts by living organisms. metabolize: the way the body processes food into energy. obesity: a condition in which excess body fat has amassed to the point where it causes ill-health effects. protein: a nutrient found in meats and other foods that are essential to all living organisms. H ave you ever eaten a quarter-stick of butter? Doesn’t sound very appetizing, does it? Consider this: if you’re an average American teenage male, then the amount of fat you consume every day is equal to that quarter-pound of butter. Teenage girls rejoice—on average, you eat much less.

9