Portion Distortion

Eating smaller portions of food is one of the easiest ways to cut back on calories – but it can also be one of the most challenging, especially with the current trend of super-sizing. Oversized portions, all-you-can-eat-buffets, and extra-large “single servings” of chips, candy bars, and other snack foods are all contributing to an overeating epedimic. Even if you’re not attempting to lose weight, you should be aware of portion sizes. Research has shown that Americans often overestimate the portion sizes for several foods and underestimate how many calories they consume each day by as much as 25%! ...........


Try pouring out your usual portion of pasta or cereal and measuring it. Now, compare it to the portion size written on the label. Chances are, you’re eating two, three, or four times the amount on the label.

The best way to determine the amount of food in a serving is to look at the food label and measure it out. For example, fill a measuring cup with a correctly sized portion of vegetables and then empty it onto a plate. This will help you learn what a serving size looks like and soon you will be able to “eyeball” the amount of food and know whether there is too much or too little.

To help you better visualize the amount in a correct serving size, compare a serving size to an object you recognize. Quit memorizing lists of ounces, cups, and tablespoons and start comparing your servings sizes to familiar objects. For example, a single serving of fruits and vegetables is about the size of your fist. Here are some more specific examples:

A single servings of _______ is about the size of _______.
An apple . . . a baseball
A potato . . . a computer mouse
A bagel . . . a hockey puck
A pancake . . . a CD

According to the USDA, 1 serving equals:

GRAINS
1 slice of bread
1/2 hamburger roll, bagel, English muffin
½ cup of cooked rice or pasta
3-4 small crackers
1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal
2 pancakes, 4” in diameter
2 medium-sized cookies

FRUITS
½ cup cooked or raw fruits
¾ cup of fruit juice
1 medium apple, banana, orange
½ grapefruit or mango
½ cup of berries

VEGETABLES
½ cup cooked or raw vegetables
¾ cup of vegetable juice
½ cup of mashed potatoes
4 leaves of lettuce
1 small baked potato

DAIRY
1-1/2 cups of ice cream
1 cup of yogurt or milk

PROTEIN
2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish
¼ pound of hamburger
1 egg
½ cup cooked dry beans
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
1/3 cup of nuts