Guide to portion size
Portion sizes have grown considerably in recent years — in fact, one study in the US found that some foods had grown to up to five times their original size since the 1970s! Mammoth servings in restaurants, the rise of all-you-can-eat buffets, super-size fast food meals, family packs of crisps in the supermarket and jumbo lattes in coffee chains have all contributed to this phenomenon. To add to the problem, due to lifestyle changes, many people now eat away from home, giving them less control over the amount of food on their plates — research has shown that people are more likely to overeat when given large portions because it’s harder to gauge what is a ‘normal’ or acceptable amount. Larger meal portions can lead to an increase in calorie intake that, over time, can cause weight gain. This in turn can cause health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. So it’s a good move to keep an eye on portion sizes when you can. That isn’t to say you should be eating so little that you end up going hungry — rather more about listening to your body and putting down your fork when you’re full!
Ways to keep portion sizes sensible:
Don’t super-size — fast foods aren’t recommended as part of a healthy diet, but if you do find yourself tempted to tuck into a burger, order the regular or small-sized meal. Large or extra-large meals can be value for money, but they are extremely high in fat and calories, and can contain bad fats; the trans fatty acids.
It’s not just foods that are available in outsized portions: fizzy drinks, milkshakes and sweet, milky coffees are too. These can be high in calories, so again, stick to regular or small sizes.
Try to avoid oversized foods such as giant cookies.
When eating out, don’t feel guilty about leaving food on your plate. Most people have grown up with the notion that they have to clear their plates at every meal. If leaving foods seems wasteful to you, ask for a child’s portion or a half-portion — most restaurants are happy to oblige.
If you find yourself in an all-you-can-eat venue, reach for a small plate, and fill up only once.
When cooking at home, dish-up half the portion you would normally have; if you still feel hungry after dinner, eat the rest. You may surprise yourself though and find that you are already full, in which case you save the rest for lunch the next day. This halves the price of your meal too, saving pennies!
When preparing packaged foods, check labels for ‘number of servings’ in the pack — you may be surprised to find that one pack contains more than one serving. Following suggested serving sizes can help keep portion size down.
Try not to eat out of big bags of snacks such as nuts or confectionary — this will only tempt you to keep picking; dish out a serving in a small bowl instead.
Don’t worry too much about portions when eating nutritious foods such as fruit, veg, pulses and wholegrains — rather, concentrate on cutting down on portions of fatty, sugary foods — these contain the most calories and the least nutrients. For example, one extra-large portion of fries can contain more than 600 calories – around the same amount as 11 carrots plus 11 tablespoons of hummus! The latter would not only provide more nutrients (such as fiber and vitamin A) but also more bulk — it’s doubtful that anyone could eat one portion of fries — however large — and feel as full as they would after eating 11 carrots!
What's the ideal portion size?
The meat or other protein-based part of your meal should be around the size of a deck of cards.
The starchy part of your meal, for example: the rice, potatoes, bread or grains should be around the size of one tennis ball or your balled fist.
If possible, fruits and vegetables should fill around half of your plate.
Fats and oils should be kept to a minimum, for example: less than one tablespoon.
Read more on realbuzz.com...
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