Nutrition Vocabulary Quiz
12 multiple-choice questions on food groups, nutrients, dietary terms and healthy eating vocabulary. B1 level. Great for everyday English and IELTS preparation.
Keep building your nutrition vocabulary.
Nutrition Vocabulary — FAQ
Nutrients are substances found in food that the body needs to function, grow and stay healthy — including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. Calories are a unit of energy that measure how much energy a food provides when digested. Nutrients describe what a food contains; calories describe how much energy that food gives you.
The main food groups are: carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes), proteins (meat, fish, eggs, beans, tofu), dairy (milk, cheese, yoghurt), fruits and vegetables, and fats and oils. Some models include a separate legumes group (beans, lentils, chickpeas). Eating a variety of foods from each group helps ensure a balanced diet.
Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature and found mainly in animal products such as butter, cheese and red meat. High intake is linked to increased cholesterol. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and found in olive oil, nuts, avocados and oily fish. They are generally considered healthier, as they can help reduce bad cholesterol and support heart health.
Dietary fibre (spelled 'fiber' in American English) is a type of carbohydrate found in plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes that the body cannot fully digest. It keeps the digestive system healthy, prevents constipation, helps control blood sugar levels, and can lower cholesterol. Most adults should aim for around 30g of fibre per day.
A vegetarian diet excludes meat and fish but may still include animal products such as dairy and eggs. A vegan diet excludes all animal products — no meat, fish, dairy, eggs or honey. People who avoid meat but still eat fish are sometimes called 'pescatarian'. Veganism is often motivated by ethical concerns about animal welfare as well as environmental and health reasons.
When a food is described as 'fortified', nutrients have been added that were not originally present, or existing nutrients have been increased. Common examples include fortified breakfast cereals (with iron and B vitamins), fortified plant milks (with calcium and vitamin D) and fortified bread. Fortification helps people meet nutritional needs that may be lacking in certain diets.
Whole grains contain all three parts of the grain kernel: the bran (outer layer), germ (inner part) and endosperm (middle part). They are higher in fibre, vitamins and minerals. Examples include brown rice, wholemeal bread and oats. Refined grains have had the bran and germ removed, leaving mainly the starchy endosperm — making them less nutritious. White bread, white rice and regular pasta are refined grains.
Macronutrients are the main nutrients the body needs in large amounts for energy: carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Micronutrients are nutrients needed in smaller amounts but still essential: vitamins (such as vitamin C, D and B12) and minerals (such as iron, calcium and zinc). A balanced diet provides both macronutrients and micronutrients in the right proportions.
Metabolism refers to all the chemical processes that convert food and drink into energy. Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is how quickly your body burns calories at rest. Factors that affect metabolism include age, body composition, genetics and activity level. Regular exercise, particularly strength training, can help increase metabolic rate over time.
Common collocations with 'diet': balanced diet (variety of foods providing all nutrients), restricted diet (limiting certain foods), plant-based diet (mainly or entirely from plants), low-calorie diet, high-protein diet, Mediterranean diet, go on a diet (start eating less to lose weight), follow a diet, strict diet, and crash diet (a very fast short-term weight-loss plan).