November 2004How Much? Portions To control calories in your healthy eating plan, pay attention to what and how much food you eat at breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. To do this, you need to be aware of portion sizes and choose the amount that’s right for you. Research suggests that we eat in “units,” such as a sandwich, a plate of food or a slice of pizza—but today’s units come in varying sizes! Of course, the bigger the portion, the more calories you’re eating—and this is where the Nutrition Facts on the label can be a useful tool. Use the label to determine the amount of calories and nutrients per serving so you can keep track of how much you’re eating. Judging serving size is a learned skill. For a quick estimate of portion sizes, here are some helpful reminders: Food Serving Size About the size of… Meat, Poultry, Fish 2 to 3 ounces Deck of cards or palm of your hand Source: American Dietetic Association Knowledge Center Reproduction of this fact sheet is permitted for educational purposes. This is not intended as medical advice which should be obtained directly from your doctor. |
More About Portions If you eat a larger portion, count it as more than one serving. For example, 1/2 cup of cooked pasta counts as one serving in the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group. If you eat 1 cup of pasta, that would be two servings. If you eat a smaller portion, count it as part of a serving. Isn't 6 to 11 servings of breads and cereals a lot? It may sound like a lot, but it's really not. For example, a slice of bread is one serving, so a sandwich for lunch would equal two servings. A small bowl of cereal and one slice of toast for breakfast are two more servings. And it you have a cup of rice or pasta at dinner, that's two more servings. A snack of 3 or 4 small plain crackers adds yet another serving. So now you've had 7 servings. It adds up quicker than you think! Do I need to measure servings? No. Use servings only as a general guide. For mixed foods, do the best you can to estimate the food group servings of the main ingredients. For example, a generous serving of pizza would count in the grain group (crust), the milk group (cheese), and the vegetable group (tomato); a helping of beef stew would count in the meat group and the vegetable group. Both have some fat - fat in the cheese on the pizza and in the gravy form the stew, if it's made from meat drippings. More info: http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/food/food-pyramid/main.htm Source: US Dept. of Health and Human Services This is not intended as medical advice which should be obtained directly from your doctor. |
This is not intended as medical advice which should be obtained directly from your doctor.