Glossary

gait—The manner or style of walking.

gastronomy—The study and appreciation of good food and good eating, and a culture's culinary customs, style and lore. Any interest or study of culinary pursuits as relates essentially to the kitchen and cookery, and to the higher levels of education, training and achievement of the chef apprentice or professional chef.

general liability insurance—Insurance covering the carrier for bodily injury or property damage resulting from general negligence.

generalizabilit—The extent to which the results of a study are able to be applied to the general population of people that is comparable to the population studied.

genome—The total hereditary material of a cell, containing the entire chromosomal set found in each nucleus of a given species.

glucagon—Hormone responsible for increasing the rate of gluconeogenesis when blood sugar becomes low; Glucagon regulates blood sugar levels with insulin which inhibits glucagon and helps store sugar when blood sugar becomes too high.

gluconeogenesi—The formation of glucose from non-carbohydrate pre-cursors, such as lactate, pyruvate, glycerol, and the carbon skeletons of amino acids.

glucose—A sugar, most commonly in the form of dextroglucose, that occurs naturally, has about half the sweetening power of regular sugar and does not crystallize easily. Glucose comes from grape juice, honey and certain vegetables, among other things. Glucose is the simple sugar utilized in the body for energy and storage of energy in the form of carbohydrates.

glucose—Simple sugar; the form in which all carbohydrates are used as the body's principal energy source; transported in the blood and metabolized in the tissues.

glutamate—Glutamate is an amino acid. It is necessary for metabolism and brain function, and is manufactured by the body. Glutamate is found in virtually every protein food we eat. In food, there is "bound" glutamate and "free" glutamate. Glutamate serves to enhance flavors in foods when it is in its free form and not bound to other amino acids in protein. Some foods have greater quantities of glutamate than others. Foods that are rich in glutamate include tomatoes, mushrooms, parmesan cheese, milk and mackerel.

gluteals—Abbreviation for gluteus maximus, medius and minimus; the hip extensor muscles; also called buttocks or glutes.

glutes—Slang for gluteals; see gluteals.

glycemic index—A rating scale which measures the increase in blood sugar and the rise in insulin levels following the consumption of a given food.

glycerol—A colorless, odorless, syrupy liquid - chemically, an alcohol - that is obtained from fats and oils and used to retain moisture and add sweetness to foods; Glycerol forms the backbone to which fatty acids attach to form triglycerides. Glycerol has been shown to increase water absorption and is sometimes used in small quantities to assist in hydration prior to long endurance events.

glycogen—The storage form of carbohydrate in the muscles and the blood, composed of chains of glucose molecules.

glycogenolysis—The breakdown of glycogen in order to generate glucose which can enter glycolysis and generate ATP for energy.

glycolysis—The breakdown of glucose to generate ATP anaerobically and to generate pyruvate that can further go on to generate additional ATP through aerobic pathways or be converted to lactate (under anaerobic conditions) to allow the continuation of glycolysis.

glycolysis—The process by which glucose is broken down to form pyruvate; Pyruvate is then converted to either lactic acid when oxygen is not present in sufficient quantities, or to acetyl CoA which breaks down to generate additional ATP through the Kreb’s cycle and Electron Transport System.

Golgi tendon organ (GTO)—Sensory organ (proprioceptors) within a tendon that, when stimulated, causes an inhibition of the entire muscle group to protect against damage from stretching the muscle.

graded exercise test (GXT)—A treadmill or cycle-ergometer test that measures or estimates maximum aerobic capacity by gradually increasing the intensity until a person has reached a maximal level or voluntary exhaustion.

grains—Grains are the seeds or fruits of various food plants including cereal grasses. The examples of wheat, corn, oats, barley, rye and rice provide a partial list. Grain foods include foods such as bread, cereals, rice and pasta.

gram (g)—Approximately 1/5 of a level teaspoon.

grand mal seizure—Major motor seizure characterized by violent and uncontrollable muscle contractions.

GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe)—GRAS is the regulatory status of food ingredients not evaluated by the FDA prescribed testing procedure. It also includes common food ingredients that were already in use when the 1959 Food Additives Amendment to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act was enacted.

growth hormone (GH)—A hormone that regulates cell division and protein synthesis necessary for normal growth; The growth hormone exerts a direct effect on protein, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and controls the rate of skeletal, connective (collagenous) tissue and visceral growth.