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| A-Z NUTRITION GLOSSARY: |
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Theobromine
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| Theobromine is an alkaloid compound with a molecular structure similar to caffeine. Theobromine has a mild stimulating effect on humans, and is found in certain foods, such as cocoa and chocolate. Theobromine can be lethal to some animals, including dogs and horses, which metabolize theobromine much more slowly than humans. |
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Theronine
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| Threonine is one of the 20 natural amino acids. Nutritionally, in humans, threonine is an essential amino acid. Foods high in threonine are cottage cheese, poultry, fish, meat, lentils, and sesame seeds. |
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Thiamin
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Thiamin or Vitamin B1, a water-soluble vitamin, helps the body release energy from carbohydrates during metabolism. So a person who expends more energy and have a higher intake of calories need more thiamin than those who eat fewer calories. Thiamin also plays a vital role in the normal functioning of the nervous system. |
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Tocopherol
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| Tocopherol, Alpha Tocopherol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl (Acetate, Succinate) or Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects cell membranes and other fat-soluble parts of the body, such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL; “bad” cholesterol) cholesterol, from damage. |
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Tryptophan
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Tryptophan is an amino acid and essential in human nutrition. It is one of the 20 amino acids encoded by the genetic code (as codon UGG). For many organisms tryptophan is an essential amino acid. This means that it cannot be synthesized by the organism and therefore must be part of its diet. Amino acids function as building blocks in protein biosynthesis. Tryptophan is a precursor for serotonin (a neurotransmitter), melatonin (a neurohormone), and niacin.
The functional group of tryptophan is indole; see that article for more on its chemical properties. 5-HTP, a metabolite of tryptophan, has been suggested as an aid for epilepsy and depression though clinical trials are inconclusive and lacking. Tryptophan, found as a component of dietary protein, is particularly plentiful in chocolate, oats, bananas, dried dates, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, red meat, eggs, fish, poultry, sesame, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, spirulina and peanuts. It is found in turkey at a level typical of poultry in general. |
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