| Although many people may not be aware of
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| | (Source:
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| it, there is a difference between
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| | Of course we know that the large increase
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| 'portion' size and 'serving' size in
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| | in portions has contributed to a
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| relation to food. These terms can be
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| | dramatic increase in the number of
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| somewhat confusing, but they are not
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| | overweight and obese Americans. They
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| synonymous.
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| | have become victims of 'portion
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| Basically, a portion is whatever you
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| | distortion.'
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| choose to make it. It can be thought of
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| | The average consumer would balk and
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| as any amount of a specific food you as
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| | complain if he didn't get a platter
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| an individual choose to eat at a
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| | overflowing with food when he went out to
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| sitting. For instance, a portion of raw
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| | eat. We have grown accustomed to large
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| almonds for me is typically a handful, or
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| | portion sizes from restaurants and
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| more. For someone else it may be a
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| | diners, and even in our own homes.
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| specific number such as 10 to 15. Both
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| | When I was growing up my mother had a
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| are equally 'portions.'
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| | saying when we wanted something and
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| A serving is not quite so arbitrary. It
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| | could not finish eating it. She would say
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| is a specific unit of measure
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| | that our eyes were bigger than our
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| recommended by the manufacturer for a
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| | stomachs. Many people today in affluent
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| specific food product. Serving sizes
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| | America where food is so abundant are
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| are listed on the 'Nutrition Facts' label
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| | guilty of this complex. Our eyes are
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| of packaged foods. A usual serving size
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| | bigger than our stomachs.
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| of bread would be 1 slice; for rice it
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| | We are effectively overeating. This is
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| may be ½ cup.
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| | evidenced by not only our bulging
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| The serving size for the 1 pint container
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| | bellies, but the increasing incidence of
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| of Breyer's All-Natural Ice Cream is ½
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| | chronic diseases such as diabetes, high
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| cup. That container has 4 servings. If I
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| | blood pressure, cancer, etc.
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| choose to eat the entire container in
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| | How can we turn this around? We can begin
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| one sitting it would be a portion. That
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| | with portion sizes. Make a conscious
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| portion consists of 4 servings.
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| | effort to eat less. This becomes easy if
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| Serving sizes have increased tremendously
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| | we replace refined carbohydrates such
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| in the past 50 years. This has
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| | as white rice, white bread, and white
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| triggered an almost parallel increase in
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| | potatoes with whole grain brown rice,
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| portion sizes. The average size of a
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| | whole grain bread and sweet potatoes.
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| cooked hamburger in 1957 was 1 ounce.
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| | Whole grains such as these are full of
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| That increased to 6 ounces in 1997. In
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| | fiber. Fiber fills you up quickly. You
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| 1957 1 large soda was 8 fluid ounces;
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| | can only eat so much.
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| in 1997 the consumer could buy up to 64
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| | Meat portions have soared off the charts
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| ounces! Theater popcorn in 1957 was 3
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| | in the last 30 years or so. The correct
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| cups; in 1997 that increased to 16 cups!
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| | portion size for meats should be the size
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| McDonald's fast food chains had one size
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| | of your palm (minus the fingers of
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| french fries in the mid-1950s. Today
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| | course.) The majority of the plate
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| that size is a 'small' and is part of a
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| | should be reserved for vegetables and
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| kiddie meal. The following table
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| | whole grains (brown rice for instance.)
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| contains typical foods comparing their
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| | Just making this one change in your
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| sizes circa 1950 with 2003:
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| | eating habits will remove the extra
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| Food 1950s
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| | body fat you may be carrying. It will
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| 2003french fries 2.4 oz.
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| | also dramatically improve your overall
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| up to 7.1 oz. fountain soda
| |
| | health.
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| 7 oz. 12 to 64 oz.
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| | Sign up for free weekly health, nutrition
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| hamburger patty 1.6 oz.
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| | and exercise news, tips and advice.
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| up to 8 oz. hamburger, sandwich 3.9
| |
| | America, along with almost every other
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| oz. 4.4 to 12.6 oz. muffin
| |
| | nation on the face of the earth, is
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| 3 oz. 6.5
| |
| | overweight. You can take steps to improve
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| oz. pasta serving 1.5 cups
| |
| | your health and quality of life. This
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| 3 cups chocolate bar 1
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| | weekly email (Your Health & Wellness) is
|
| oz. 2.6 to 8 oz.
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| | absolutely free (a $235.00 value.
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