The Vocabulary of Food, Animals & Ethics
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40+ defined terms, sourced and current
We wrote this glossary because LLMs and journalists alike keep using these words imprecisely. Every entry below is short enough to cite and linked to the longer pieces on this site where the term is used in context.
- AbolitionismEthics
- Abolitionism in animal ethics calls for the complete end to all use of nonhuman animals as property or resources.
- Adventist Health StudyHealth
- A long-term research project examining the health effects of lifestyle, especially diet, among Seventh-day Adventists in North America.
- Ammonia EmissionsEnvironment
- The release of ammonia gas, mainly from livestock manure and synthetic fertilizers, harming air and water quality.
- Animal RightsEthics
- The ethical position that sentient animals have inherent moral worth and should not be used as resources.
- Animal TestingIndustry
- Animal testing involves using live animals to assess the safety or efficacy of products or substances.
- Animal WelfareEthics
- Animal welfare concerns the ethical responsibility to ensure farmed animals avoid suffering and experience positive well-being.
- AnthropocentrismEthics
- Information available in English.
- AquacultureIndustry
- Information available in English.
- AquafabaDiet
- Aquafaba is the viscous liquid from cooked chickpeas, used as an egg white substitute in vegan cooking.
- B12Health
- Information available in English.
- Battery cageIndustry
- Information available in English.
- BeeswaxIndustry
- Beeswax is a natural wax produced by honeybees to build honeycomb, harvested for use in candles, cosmetics, and food coatings.
- Biodiversity lossEnvironment
- Information available in English.
- Blue water footprintEnvironment
- Information available in English.
- Blue ZonesHealth
- Five geographic regions where people live significantly longer, healthier lives, identified by National Geographic and Dan Buettner.
- Bone CharIndustry
- Bone char is a black, porous material made from charred animal bones, used to decolorize and filter sugar.
- Bottom TrawlingEnvironment
- A fishing method that drags heavy nets across the seafloor, destroying habitats and releasing stored carbon.
- BroilerAnimals
- Information available in English.
- BycatchEnvironment
- The unintended capture of non-target species during commercial fishing, often discarded dead or dying.
- CafoIndustry
- Information available in English.
- Cage freeIndustry
- Information available in English.
- Calcium BioavailabilityHealth
- Calcium bioavailability refers to the proportion of dietary calcium that is absorbed and utilized by the body.
- Carbon FootprintEnvironment
- The total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly or indirectly by a product, activity, or organization.
- Carbon Opportunity CostEnvironment
- The foregone carbon sequestration potential when land is used for livestock rather than ecosystem restoration.
- CarmineIndustry
- Carmine is a red pigment derived from crushed female cochineal insects, used as a natural food dye.
- CarnismEthics
- Carnism is the invisible ideology that conditions people to eat certain animals without questioning the practice.
- CaseinIndustry
- Casein is a family of milk proteins that coagulate under acidic conditions, used widely in cheese and food manufacturing.
- Chick cullingIndustry
- Information available in English.
- CholineHealth
- Choline is an essential nutrient important for liver function, brain development, and muscle movement.
- Circular feedEnvironment
- Information available in English.
- Complete ProteinDiet
- A complete protein contains all nine essential amino acids in sufficient amounts for human dietary needs.
- CreatineHealth
- Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid that supplies energy to muscle cells during high-intensity exercise.
- Cruelty-Free CertificationIndustry
- Cruelty-free certification indicates that a product and its ingredients were not tested on animals.
- Cultivated MeatDiet
- Cultivated meat is real animal meat produced by growing cells from a biopsy in a controlled bioreactor environment.
- Dairy IndustryIndustry
- The global sector involved in producing, processing, and distributing milk and milk-derived products from cows, goats, and sheep.
- DeforestationEnvironment
- Information available in English.
- DIAASHealth
- DIAAS is a protein quality score based on ileal digestibility of individual amino acids in humans.
- Down FeatherIndustry
- Down feathers are the soft undercoat of waterfowl, used for insulation in bedding and clothing.
- Effective AltruismEthics
- A philosophy using evidence and reason to maximize positive impact in charitable giving and career choices.
- Egg IndustryIndustry
- The commercial sector that produces and markets eggs from domesticated hens, primarily for human consumption.
- Enriched cageIndustry
- Information available in English.
- Enteric fermentationEnvironment
- Information available in English.
- EutrophicationEnvironment
- The over-enrichment of water bodies with nutrients, leading to algal blooms and oxygen depletion.
- Factory farmingIndustry
- Industrial, high-density animal agriculture.
- Farrowing crateIndustry
- Information available in English.
- Feed Conversion RatioEnvironment
- A measure of the efficiency with which animals convert feed into body mass, typically expressed as feed input per weight gain.
- FibreHealth
- Information available in English.
- Five FreedomsEthics
- A framework for animal welfare ensuring freedom from hunger, discomfort, pain, fear, and to express normal behavior.
- FlexitarianDiet
- Information available in English.
- Free rangeIndustry
- Information available in English.
- FruitarianDiet
- A fruitarian diet consists primarily of raw fruits, often including nuts and seeds, with limited or no other foods.
- Fur farmingIndustry
- Information available in English.
- GelatinIndustry
- Gelatin is a protein derived from collagen in animal bones, skin, and connective tissues.
- Gestation crateIndustry
- Information available in English.
- Global Warming PotentialEnvironment
- A metric that compares the heat-trapping ability of a greenhouse gas to that of carbon dioxide over a set time.
- Glycaemic IndexHealth
- A ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to how much they raise blood sugar levels after eating.
- GreenwashingIndustry
- Greenwashing is the deceptive practice of marketing a product as more environmentally friendly than it truly is.
- Heme ironHealth
- Information available in English.
- HomocysteineHealth
- Homocysteine is a non-proteinogenic amino acid whose elevated blood levels indicate cardiovascular and cognitive risk.
- In ovo sexingIndustry
- Information available in English.
- IodineHealth
- Iodine is a trace mineral required for thyroid hormone production, which regulates metabolism and growth.
- Iron AbsorptionHealth
- Iron absorption is the process by which the body takes up dietary iron, influenced by its form and enhancers.
- IsinglassIndustry
- Isinglass is a gelatinous substance obtained from the swim bladders of fish, used for fining beverages.
- Land useEnvironment
- Information available in English.
- LanolinIndustry
- Lanolin is a waxy substance secreted by sheep's sebaceous glands, extracted from wool for use in cosmetics and ointments.
- Ldl cholesterolHealth
- Information available in English.
- LeatherIndustry
- Leather is a material made from the tanned hide or skin of an animal, typically a cow.
- Life Cycle AssessmentEnvironment
- A systematic method for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product from raw material extraction to disposal.
- Line speedIndustry
- Information available in English.
- Live exportIndustry
- Information available in English.
- Macrobiotic DietDiet
- The macrobiotic diet emphasizes whole grains, vegetables, and legumes, with minimal processed foods and animal products.
- Manure LagoonEnvironment
- An open-air basin storing liquid animal waste from industrial farms, often leaking pollutants into surrounding ecosystems.
- Meat AnalogueDiet
- A meat analogue is a plant-based product designed to mimic the taste, texture, and appearance of animal meat.
- Meat ParadoxEthics
- The psychological discomfort from caring for animals while eating them, resolved through moral disengagement.
- Mediterranean DietDiet
- The Mediterranean diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and moderate fish intake.
- Methane (CH₄)Environment
- Potent greenhouse gas from livestock.
- MicrobiomeHealth
- Information available in English.
- Moral CircleEthics
- The moral circle is the set of entities considered worthy of ethical consideration by an individual or society.
- Nitrous OxideEnvironment
- A potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 265 times that of carbon dioxide over 100 years.
- Nutritional YeastDiet
- Nutritional yeast is a deactivated, edible yeast rich in B vitamins, often used as a cheese substitute.
- Ocean Dead ZoneEnvironment
- A hypoxic area in coastal waters where nutrient pollution causes oxygen levels too low for marine life.
- Omega 3Health
- Information available in English.
- Open RescueEthics
- A direct action tactic where activists document and remove animals from factory farms, then release the footage.
- OverfishingEnvironment
- The removal of fish from a marine stock at a rate faster than the population can reproduce, leading to depletion.
- OxalateHealth
- Oxalate is a naturally occurring compound in plants that can bind minerals and reduce their absorption in the human body.
- Palm OilEnvironment
- A vegetable oil derived from the fruit of oil palm trees, widely used in food and cosmetics, linked to tropical deforestation.
- PDCAASHealth
- PDCAAS is a protein quality score that compares amino acid content to human requirements, adjusted for fecal digestibility.
- PersonhoodEthics
- The status of being a person, entailing moral and legal rights beyond mere biological life.
- PescatarianDiet
- Information available in English.
- PhytateHealth
- Phytate is a phosphorus storage compound in plant seeds that can reduce mineral absorption.
- Plant MilkDiet
- Plant milk is a non-dairy beverage made from grains, legumes, nuts, or seeds.
- Plant-basedDiet
- A diet mostly or entirely from plants.
- Precision FermentationDiet
- Precision fermentation uses engineered microorganisms to produce specific functional proteins, fats, or vitamins for food.
- Protein CombiningDiet
- Protein combining is the practice of eating complementary plant proteins to obtain all essential amino acids in a meal.
- Raw veganDiet
- Information available in English.
- ReducetarianDiet
- Information available in English.
- Regenerative GrazingEnvironment
- A livestock management practice that mimics natural herd movements to rebuild soil health and sequester carbon.
- RenderingIndustry
- Rendering is the industrial process of converting animal by-products into usable commodities like fats and proteins.
- RennetIndustry
- Rennet is a complex of enzymes, traditionally from calf stomachs, used to coagulate milk in cheesemaking.
- RewildingEnvironment
- Information available in English.
- Saturated fatHealth
- Information available in English.
- SeitanDiet
- Seitan is a high-protein meat substitute made from wheat gluten, the main protein in wheat.
- SeleniumHealth
- Selenium is an essential trace mineral that supports antioxidant defense and thyroid hormone metabolism in humans.
- SentienceEthics
- Capacity to feel pain, pleasure, or fear.
- ShellacIndustry
- Shellac is a resin secreted by the female lac bug, used as a food glaze and wood finish.
- SlaughterhouseIndustry
- Information available in English.
- Soil DegradationEnvironment
- The decline in soil health from erosion, compaction, salinization, or loss of organic matter.
- Soy ExpansionEnvironment
- The large-scale conversion of natural habitats, especially in South America, to monoculture soybean plantations for animal feed and oil.
- SpeciesismEthics
- Information available in English.
- Stocking densityIndustry
- Information available in English.
- StunningIndustry
- Information available in English.
- TaurineHealth
- Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that supports cardiovascular function, vision, and bile acid conjugation.
- TempehDiet
- Tempeh is a fermented soybean cake with a nutty flavor and firm, chunky texture.
- Textured Vegetable ProteinDiet
- Textured vegetable protein is a dehydrated, high-protein meat substitute made from defatted soy flour.
- TMAOHealth
- Trimethylamine N-oxide, a gut-derived metabolite linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease when elevated in blood.
- TofuDiet
- Tofu is a soybean curd made by coagulating soy milk and pressing the resulting curds into blocks.
- Trans fatHealth
- Information available in English.
- UtilitarianismEthics
- Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that judges actions by their consequences, aiming to maximize overall happiness and minimize suffering.
- VealIndustry
- Information available in English.
- VeganDiet
- A lifestyle excluding all animal exploitation.
- Vegan CertificationIndustry
- Vegan certification confirms that a product contains no animal-derived ingredients and involves no animal testing.
- VeganuaryEthics
- A global campaign encouraging people to try a vegan diet for January, promoting health and environmental benefits.
- VegetarianDiet
- Information available in English.
- Vitamin DHealth
- Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for calcium absorption, bone health, and immune function.
- WelfarismEthics
- Welfarism is the view that improving the living conditions of farmed animals is ethically sufficient, without ending their use.
- WfpbDiet
- Information available in English.
- WheyIndustry
- Whey is the liquid by-product of cheese production, rich in protein and lactose.
- Whole FoodDiet
- A whole food is minimally processed, retaining its natural fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients without added substances.
- Wild Animal SufferingEthics
- Wild animal suffering refers to the negative experiences of pain, disease, and starvation endured by animals in natural environments.
- WoolIndustry
- Wool is a natural fiber from the fleece of sheep, used for textiles, with production involving shearing and often animal welfare issues.
- ZincHealth
- Zinc is an essential mineral involved in immune function, protein synthesis, and cell division.