You may be eating too much. The amount of food is as important to a healthy diet as the nutrient content of each food. Understanding a serving size helps you control calories and ensure nutrition. Surveys taken in the 1970s and 1980s set the standards for today's serving size, according to MayoClinic.com,
Definition
Serving sizes and portions are not the same thing. A serving is a specific amount of food used to compare the amount of nutrition in each food. Portion sizes are the amount of food you put on your plate.
Nutritional Information Sources
MyPyramid and the Nutrition Facts Label are two ways you can learn the nutritional value of the foods you eat. MyPyramid uses colors to depict the five food groups plus fats and oils. The color bands are in various sizes to demonstrate serving sizes in proportion to the other foods on your plate.
Serving Sizes and MyPyramid
MyPyramid considers several factors in determining serving sizes. MyPyramid looks at how much of that food an average person would eat at a meal. A serving size is the amount of food needed to provide the same nutritional value as other foods from the same food group. A serving size must be easy for the typical person to measure, like cups and ounces. MyPyramid also establishes serving sizes based on previous food guidelines.
Nutrition Facts Label
All packaged goods have a Nutrition Facts Label. Scientists base the percentage of recommended daily allowance on a 2,000-calorie diet. The 1990 Nutrition Labeling and Education Act required serving sizes, along with other nutritional information, to be printed on the packages of about 200 categories of food products. Read the Nutrition Facts Label to learn how many servings are in each package to avoid eating too much.
Visual Cues
Control portions by comparing serving sizes to household items. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology says a serving of fruit is the size of a baseball, and a serving of meat would fit in the palm of a woman's hand. Two dominoes represent one serving of cheese. Visual cues may help you keep serving sizes under control.
Servings
The Cleveland Clinic offers some serving size guidelines to help you figure out how much to eat. For example, a single serving of the bread group would be a slice of rye bread or one-half an English muffin. An entire hot dog bun is two servings. A 1/2 cup of peas is one serving of vegetables, as is one medium potato. One banana is a fruit serving, and 1 cup of milk constitutes one dairy serving.
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