What`s the Right Portion Size?
Monday, November 26th, 2007A “portion” is the amount of food eaten with one meal. There is a difference between a “serving” size and a portion. The serving size is listed on a product`s Nutrition Facts. The serving size and portion don`t always coincide.
The Nutrition Facts are printed on most packaged food and show how many calories, fat, sodium, or carbohydrates are in one serving of food. Sometimes a portion size may include two or three standard servings.
Put the serving size on a plate before eating it. This way, the standard serving can be compared to the actual amount of food you usually eat.
Serving sizes may be associated with everyday objects. For instance, the serving size of a cup of cereals or a baked potato should be as big as a fist. A medium fruit should be of the size of a baseball.
Half a cup of fresh fruits, ice cream, or the same amount of cooked rice, potato, or pasta should be like half of a baseball. The serving size for peanut butter is the size of a ping pong ball while the one for chips is one ounce.
This doesn`t mean portion sizes should be measured all the time. After a while serving size will be easily recognized. Portion size can be controlled by eating slowly and not in front of the TV. Enjoy the taste of the food and realize when it`s time to stop by eating only during meal times.
Portion size may be influenced by irregular meals. If the meals have large intervals between them, or are skipped, people may be tempted to eat more at the next meal. The best solution is to have regular meals.
When eating out, be precautious, stop when feel full, or share the meal. Large beverages and “supersize” sugar-sweetened drinks should be also avoided.
It is essential to choose the right portion size as well as nutritious foods. This way a healthy weight can be maintained.