A glossary of health terminology: F to G

Eating and living healthy doesn't have to be complicated. Here's an easy glossary to refer to of terminology from F to G.

In your quest to eat and live healthy, there might be some words you come across that you may not recognize. Here are a couple — starting with the letter "F" — and the definition for each one.

Fibre: It can come in one of two forms, soluble or insoluble, and is generally beneficial for your body (in different ways). Insoluble fibre is found in the indigestible parts of plants and can help ward off hunger pangs, and is a great way to aid with weight control and easier elimination. Soluble fibre works by keeping your blood sugar under control so levels don't spike dramatically during the day, as well as makes you feel fuller with fewer calories.

Flavonoids: They belong to the antioxidants family and are a type of phytochemical that can decrease your risk of heart disease and cancer. They also possess other superpowers, like being able to act as antibiotics, inhibiting clot formation, making blood vessels and immune cells stronger and slowing down age-related memory loss. Look for flavonoids in foods like tea, fruits, vegetables, grains and even wine.

Free radicals: They're uncharged molecules that are really unstable, highly reactive and short-lived, and can damage your body at the cellular level (such as speeding up aging). You can help prevent the damage free radicals cause by consuming five to eight servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS): This hard-to-pronounce carbohydrate compound is a good thing for your body and can be naturally found in foods like onions, garlic, bananas, artichokes, chicory, asparagus, soybeans and more. They're plant sugars that help boost the amount of "good" bacteria in your body, and reduce the number of toxins caused by "bad"  flora in your colon.

Genistein: It's a hormone-like substance you can find in soy products and because of its nature, can be especially useful in fighting estrogen-related issues in the body (such as fibrocystic breasts and premenstrual syndrome). It can also reduce the risk for hormone-related cancers like prostate cancer and ovarian cancer.

Glucose: Your body needs glucose as a form of energy to fuel itself and its organs - it's actually the body's most important form of energy. It's best to get it in naturally occurring forms, like that found in fruits, but make sure to moderate just how much glucose you get each day. Your body will regulate the amount through hormones like insulin.

Gluten: Gluten, a naturally-occurring protein in barley, wheat, rye, oats and buckwheat, has gotten a bad rap as being unhealthy for a lot of people. While it's true that for those with celiac disease and other demographics can have an intolerance to it, check with your doctor to see the effects gluten can have on you.

Glycogen: This polysaccharide stores energy in your body to be used as glucose later on, and is the main way glucose is stored and converted in the body. As your body's glucose levels start to dip, your body calls on glycogen to refuel itself. Foods like potatoes, fresh fruits and whole-grain foods are excellent ways to build up glycogen levels.

Goitrogens: If you've never heard of goitrogens before, that's perfectly okay. They're a bit of an under-the-radar naturally-occurring chemical compound that disrupts the absorption of iodine and slows thyroid function. It's found in quite a large variety of foods, like cabbage, turnips, mustard greens, gluten, radishes, soy, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, collards and cauliflower.

Deciphering what fancy words mean doesn't have to be complicated or difficult, especially when it relates to your health.