Boosting Workplace Productivity: Nutritious Snack Options for Health and Focus

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Vocabulary

• Antioxidants – Compounds that inhibit oxidation, a chemical reaction that produces free radicals that can damage cells.
• Balanced diet – A diet that gives your body all the nutrients it needs to function correctly.
• Bioavailability – The proportion of a drug or other substance which enters the circulation when introduced into the body and so is able to have an active effect.
• Body Mass Index (BMI) – A measure of body fat based on height and weight.
• Calories – Units of energy, typically used to measure the energy content of foods and beverages.
• Carbohydrates – The sugars, starches and fibers found in fruits, grains, vegetables and milk products.
• Cholesterol – A waxy, fat-like substance that's found in all the cells in your body.
• Detoxification – The metabolic process by which toxins are changed into less toxic or more readily excretable substances.
• Dietary fiber – The indigestible portion of food derived from plants.
• Digestion – The process of breaking down food by mechanical and enzymatic action in the alimentary canal into substances that can be used by the body.
• Electrolytes – Minerals in your body that have an electric charge.
• Fat – One of the three main macronutrients, along with carbohydrate and protein.
• Fitness – The condition of being physically fit and healthy.
• Gluten-free – A diet that strictly excludes gluten, a mixture of proteins found in wheat and related grains.
• Glycemic index – A relative ranking of carbohydrate in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels.
• Healthy eating – The practice of making choices about what and/or how much one eats with the intention of improving or maintaining good health.
• Hydration – The process of causing something to absorb water.
• Immune system – A complex network of cells and proteins that defends the body against infection.
• Lifestyle diseases – Diseases linked with the way people live their life.
• Macronutrients – A type of food (e.g. fat, protein, carbohydrate) required in large amounts in the diet.
• Metabolism – The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.
• Micronutrients – Vitamins and minerals that are essential for body functions.
• Natural Foods – Foods that are minimally processed and do not contain manufactured ingredients.
• Nutrition – The process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth.
• Organic food – Food produced by methods that comply with the standards of organic farming.
• Physical activity – Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.
• Prebiotics – A type of fiber that the human body cannot digest. They serve as food for probiotics.
• Probiotics – Live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system.
• Protein – Essential macronutrients that are important for the body's growth, maintenance, and repair.
• Raw food diet – A diet consisting mainly of uncooked, unprocessed, organic foods.
• Refined grains – Grains that have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ.
• Saturated fat – A type of fat in which the fatty acid chains have all or predominantly single bonds.
• Sodium – A mineral that's crucial for life. It's necessary for many functions in your body.
• Sugar – A sweet crystalline substance obtained from various plants, especially sugar cane and sugar beet.
• Superfoods – Nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being.
• Trans fat – An unhealthy type of fat that's created through a process called hydrogenation.
• Unsaturated fat – A type of fat that is liquid at room temperature.
• Vegan – A person who does not eat or use animal products.
• Vegetarian – A person who does not eat meat, and sometimes other animal products.
• Vitamins – Organic compounds required by an organism as vital nutrients in limited amounts.
• Whole foods – Foods that are not processed and do not contain any artificial substances.
• Whole grains – Grains that include the entire grain — the bran, germ, and endosperm.
• Yoga – A Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation.
• Zumba – An aerobic fitness program featuring movements inspired by various styles of Latin American dance.
• Aerobic Exercise – Physical exercise of low to high intensity that depends primarily on the aerobic energy-generating process.
• Pilates – A system of exercises using special apparatus, designed to improve physical strength, flexibility, and posture, and enhance mental awareness.
• Meditation – A practice where an individual uses a