Glossary
Glycerol
[ Glycerol, Glycerin, Glycerine ] A sugar alcohol, commonly known as glycerin or glycerine, which forms the backbone of triglycerides. It has about 60% of the sweetness of sucrose and 4.3 kcal/gram of energy.
Glycogen
[ Glycogen ] A polysaccharide comprising of highly-branched glucose chains, with a similar structure to amylopectin but is more highly branched. Glycogen is the only carbohydrate form of energy storage in animals, found primarily in the liver and muscles.
Glycogenolysis
[ Glycogenolysis ] The breakdown of glycogen into glucose via the enzyme glycogen phosphorylase.
Glycolysis
[ Glycolysis ] The enzymatic oxidation of glucose into ATP and either pyruvic acid or lactic acid. In the presence of oxygen (aerobic), the dominant product of glycolysis is pyruvic acid. When oxygen is unavailable (anaerobic), the dominant product is… Read More »Glycolysis
Glycoside
[ Glycoside ] A chemical compound comprising of a simple sugar other non-sugar molecules called aglycones. Glycosides such as Stevia are used as low-calorie or low-sugar sweeteners. Many glycosides are poisonous or have medicinal properties.
Grapefruit Diet
[ Grapefruit Diet, Grapefruit Fast, Hollywood Diet ] A dietary regimen that includes grapefruit, which is purported to contain a fat-burning enzyme that accelerates weight loss. In combination with other foods, the grapefruit diet is generally considered to be low-carbohydrate… Read More »Grapefruit Diet
Great Oxygenation Event (GOE)
[ Great Oxygenation Event, GOE ] A biological event that precipitated the appearance of free oxygen (O2) in Earth’s atmosphere, about 2.3 billion years ago. Cyanobacteria, the first organisms capable of photosynthesis, appeared 200 million years before the GOE but… Read More »Great Oxygenation Event (GOE)
Hangover
[ Hangover ] The unpleasant effects that follow the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Typical hangover symptoms include headache, dizziness, fatigue and dryness of mouth. While the specific causes of a hangover are not fully understood, alcohol is known to interfere… Read More »Hangover
High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
[ High-Fructose Corn Syrup, HFCS ] Corn syrup which has undergone enzymatic processing to convert a portion of its glucose into fructose. HFCS-55, containing 55% fructose and 42 percent glucose, is the most widely used HFCS in processed foods and… Read More »High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)