During the last week of National Nutrition Month, here is some advice on portion sizes from SJRMC's Whitney Hackman, RD.
Portion sizes have been growing in this country right along with obesity rates, heart disease and diabetes. Restaurants portions are almost twice the size they were in the 1960’s and our waistlines are reflecting the increase!
Research has shown that portion control is an important component in healthy weight maintenance, but it can be frustrating if you plan on stepping outside of your house without your measuring cups and a scale at any point in your life. Here are some comparisons to help keep your portion sizes in line!
- 1 ounce of cheese (1 serving) is the same size as four dice or a 9-volt battery
- 1 meat serving (about 3 ounces) is similar to a standard deck of cards
- 3 ounces or 1 serving of fish will look similar to a checkbook
- A serving of peanut butter or mayonnaise is equal to a ping-pong ball
- A serving of ice cream or mashed potatoes is ½ cup, which will look about the same size as a tennis ball
- One serving of an apple or orange should look like a woman’s fist
- A baked potato should look comparable to a computer mouse
- A serving of nuts is comparable to a medium-sized egg
- The diameter of a pancake should be the same as a CD
- A serving of chocolate looks like a standard packet of dental floss
We are faced with oversized portions everyday and it’s a tough battle! Hopefully these visuals give you a good idea of what you should be comparing your meals to!
No comments:
Post a Comment