« Going Green....and Red and Orange. | Main | Snack Attack »
July 02, 2008
Portion vs. Serving
A portion is the amount of food you choose to eat and a serving is the standard unit of measure. The portion you choose may often contain more than the established serving size which ultimately means you can consume more calories. The Nutrition Facts label will help guide your understanding of the “appropriate” amount of a particular food.
It is very easy to overdo portions and eat more than you need, especially when you are dining out or experiencing a special occasion with family and friends. It is important to recognize these occasions by balancing a day where you may overeat with increased physical activity or simply eat less at the next meal. Most importantly, you must remember
that your total diet and exercise regime balanced over several days is what counts.
How can you watch your portion size?
• Place food on smaller plates which gives the eye appeal of more food.
• Be sure that you incorporate fresh or frozen vegetables for every lunch and dinner meal. Vegetables are delicious, packed with nutrition, often low in calories and provide a lot of bulk and fiber.
• Select frozen prepared meals that have “portion control” built right in.
• Select single-serve portions for snacks and desserts. Always use the food label to be sure you are accurately selecting your portion.
• If you select a food from a large container or bag, serve yourself one portion and put the rest away.
• Eat slowly and enjoy your meals. Research has shown it takes approximately 20 minutes for your stomach to signal that it is full.
• Keep snacking to a minimum. If you choose snacks, try to select fresh fruits or vegetables.
Posted by Lisa at July 2, 2008 08:01 PM
Trackback Pings
To send a trackback, use this url. If you know anything about this subject, please post a comment.