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