Portion sizes have increased in almost every food group, including meat. According to Meal Planning Made Simple from Mealsmatter.org, hamburger patties have gone from 1.6 oz. in the 1950s to 8 oz. in many restaurants. With portion sizes on the rise, how are you supposed to know the correct portions? How much meat to eat is particularly confusing since many diets seem to advocate eating larger amounts of meat versus carbs.
Why is Meat important?
Meat is a major source of protein. Protein is needed to build and maintain body tissue; it is also needed in hormone and enzyme synthesis. Protein also supplies energy when carbohydrates and lipids are not available in the body. Since protein is crucial for your body's function, getting the appropriate amount --neither too much nor too little -- is important for body function and weight control.
Meat Portion Sizes and Weight Loss
Just as with most foods, consuming too much protein could lead to weight gain. Protein itself only has 4 calories per gram; however, these can add up, and many meats are high in fat as well. Fat has 9 calories per gram. Eating the correct portions of the lower fat meats is going to help with slimming down. Lower fat versions of meat like grilled chicken and 98% fat-free ground beef or ground turkey can greatly reduce the calories.
How Much Meat Should You Eat?
Although the amount of meat a person should eat varies depending on height, weight, sex, physical activity, and health conditions, you can follow a few guidelines to more closely estimate how much meat you should eat. A healthy adult should eat around 0.8 to 1.0 g of protein per kg of body weight per day. Therefore, a woman weighing 135 lbs. (61.4 kg) should eat approximately 49 to 61.4 g of protein a day.
A Portion of Meat vs a Serving of Meat
A serving of meat is different than a potion of meat. A serving of meat, including red meats, fish, chicken, eggs, poultry, or pork, is 3 to 4 oz. A portion is how many servings you should have at a meal. A 5'7" woman would need a different amount of servings than a 6' man. For example, a 30-year-old 5'7" active woman may need approximately 6 oz. or 2 servings of meat spread over the course of a day. Six ounces may seem like a large quantity, but remember a serving is only 3 to 4 ounces, which is about the size of a deck of cards or the size of the palm of your hand. Another trick you can use to estimate if you are getting an appropriate serving is to use the portion plate method. A portion of meat should fill 1/4 of a plate.
References
- Meals Matter Meal Planning Made Simple; Portion Distortion: Serving Sizes are Growing; 2011.
- MeatPoultryNutrition.org; Protein and Health: Your Body Depends on It; 2011.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture; Food Groups: Protein Foods; February 2011.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture; Food Groups: Daily Food Plans; February 2011
Member Comments