January 15, 2008
Portion Control
As we enter into a New Year, many people consider making New Year's resolutions. Some resolutions may even revolve around eating less or just plain eating better.
Did you know that Americans are the heaviest people living in developed countries, with over 66 percent of Americans being overweight? Even just consuming an extra 100 calories a day for a year, without using them up, can lead to a weight gain of 10 pounds, and with each decade that we age, we need 100 fewer calories per day. (Ten calories a day of unexpended energy puts on an extra pound a year.)
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, or NHLBI, has determined the difference between a "portion," the amount of food you choose to eat (or that a restaurant or food packager thinks you should eat), and a "serving," the recommended amount of food to be eaten. One serving of meat, fish or poultry is 3 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards. For example, most restaurants provide about 8 ounces of meat with a meal, a portion that is nearly three servings.
Give Your Plate a Makeover
Being smart about portions isn't just a matter of calories. Changing the proportion of meat to vegetables on your plate also reduces your intake of saturated fat and increases your consumption of healthy nutrients. A quick way to make sure you are eating a variety of healthful foods at each meal is to "Rate Your Plate." Draw an imaginary line through the center of your plate. Further divide one section of the plate into halves.
About one-fourth of your plate should be filled with grains or starchy foods such as rice, pasta, potatoes, corn, or peas.
Another fourth should be protein foods, like meat, fish, or poultry.
You can fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and cauliflower.
Add a glass of non-fat milk and a small roll or piece of fruit and you are ready to eat a well-balanced meal of healthy portions.
Learn how to check serving sizes
Start with measuring your food at home using measuring spoons and cups. You'll get to know the correct serving sizes and then you can figure out how much to have when you're eating away from home.
When eating out, try splitting a large entrée or taking home a "to-go" box. Ask for a take-home container before you start eating and wrap up half your meal for later as soon as it's served. At home, consider using smaller plates and bowls. Some people perceive they are eating more when food is served on a smaller dish. There's no need to stop eating any foods-just watch those serving sizes!
With these tips, hopefully you will succeed with your new year's resolution, or at least understand and make more informed decisions when it comes to portion sizes.
(Sources: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; American Diabetes Association)
So what does "1 Serving" really look like?
Grain Products
1 cup of cereal flakes | = | Fist |
1 pancake | = | compact disc |
½ cup of cooked rice, pasta or potato | = | ½ baseball |
1 slice of bread | = | cassette tape |
1 piece of cornbread | = | bar of soap |
Vegetables and Fruit
1 cup of salad greens | = | baseball |
1 baked potato | = | fist |
1 medium fruit | = | baseball |
½ cup fresh fruit | = | ½ baseball |
¼ cup of raisins | = | large egg |
Dairy and Cheese
1½ oz. Cheese | = | 4 stacked dice or 2 cheese slices |
½ cup of ice cream | = | ½ baseball |
Meat and Alternatives
3 oz. Meat, fish or poultry | = | deck of cards |
3 oz. Grilled/baked fish | = | checkbook |
2 Tbsp. Peanut butter | = | ping pong ball |
Fats
1 tsp. Margarine or spreads | = | 1 dice |
