If you are trying to follow the government's recommendations about how much to eat of the different food groups, you need to understand what constitutes a serving size of each type of food. There are tricks that can help you to do this, including making comparisons to common objects. For example, a cup of chopped fruits or vegetables is about the same size as your fist, and an ounce of cheese is about the same size as your thumb. Serving sizes have other uses as well.
Definition
The serving size on nutrition labels is the amount of food for which the nutrition facts have been calculated. The serving size is listed in a standard measurement, such as cups or ounces, and then in grams or another metric amount. Similar items tend to have similar serving sizes. However, this isn't always the case. For example, some breakfast cereals have a serving size of 1/2 cup, while others might have a serving size of 1 cup.
Function
The serving size on the label lets you know the amount of food you need to consume to get the amount of nutrients listed on the nutrition label. You can use this to figure out how healthy, or unhealthy, a particular food is. You can also use the serving size to make sure you are comparing the nutritional information for the same amount of two different products.
Considerations
The serving size listed on nutrition labels is not always the serving size used in the Food Guide Pyramid. The reason is because the labels and the pyramid are used differently, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Nutrition labels are used to compare different foods and allow you to determine the nutrient content of a set amount of a certain food. The food pyramid uses simplified and more uniform serving amounts to recommend diets that provide the nutrients you require each day.
Misconceptions
The amount of food in one package is not necessarily one serving, as even small packages might contain more than one serving. Serving size is also not necessarily consistent with the typical portion size eaten by most people. You might find that you typically consume two or more servings of a particular food at one sitting. In this case, you need to multiply the nutritional information by the amount of servings you actually eat to figure out how much of the various nutrients you are consuming.
Potential
Serving sizes can also help you determine a more appropriate portion size. Portion sizes--the amount you are served at restaurants or serve yourself at home--have been increasing. When most people are served larger portions, they tend to eat more. Learning what the standard serving sizes are can help you better estimate how much food, and how many calories, you are eating.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: What's in a Serving Size?
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Do Increased Portion Sizes Affect How Much We Eat?
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Serving Sizes in the Food Guide Pyramid and on the Nutrition Facts Label: What's Different and Why?
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Make Your Calories Count - Size Up Your Serving and Calories
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