Portion Sizes
How many of you remember how big a small serving of movie theatre popcorn used to be? Was it as large as it is today? How about the average serving of french fries in your favorite restaurant?
As most of us already know, the average portion size of foods in our favorite restaurants is growing at an enormous rate, providing more calories than ever before. Consequently, our idea of portion sizes gets distorted, and we think that we need to consume more food than we actually do. These increased portion sizes are forcing us to create another notch in our belt loops, and they are adding to our current obesity epidemic as well as increasing the risk for related complications like diabetes and heart disease. In the spirit of this year’s National Nutrition Month theme, “It’s a matter of fact,” let’s get the facts on portion sizes and see how your plate adds up.
It’s easier to recognize proper portion size if you can compare the food to something you know. For example:
Recommended Portion Size (as indicated by MyPyramid.gov)
- 3 oz. meat – about the size of a deck of cards: the recommended portion for a meal
- ½ cup pasta – about the size of a tennis ball
- 1 oz bagel – about the size of a hockey puck
- 2.4 oz French fries, approximately 20 shoestring fries
Average Restaurant Portion Size
- 14 oz. meat – approximately 5 times the recommended amount
- Approximately 3 cups pasta – 6 times the recommended amount
- 4 oz bagel – 4 times the recommended amount
- 6.9 oz french fries, approximately 50 shoestring fries
Here are a few more examples that may come in handy:
- 1oz. cheese – size of 4 dice
- 2 Tbs. peanut butter – size of a ping pong ball
- Medium apple or orange – about the size of a tennis ball
- 1 cup chopped raw vegetables or fruit – size of a baseball
- 1/4 cup dried fruit – a small handful
With an increasing awareness of distorted portion sizes, it is more important than ever to know how to maximize nutrient intake while decreasing portions. It is also important to know how many servings of each food group are required per meal and what these amounts would look like on a standard plate.
According to “The Portion Plate (TM)”, a special plate designed by beBetter Networks, which coincides with dietary recommendations from MyPyramid.gov, half of the standard plate should be composed of fruits and vegetables. Accordingly, one cup of fruits or vegetables is about the size of a baseball. Likewise, a medium potato is about the size of a computer mouse.
Another quarter of the standard plate should be composed of whole grains, like whole wheat pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, etc. Finally, the last quarter or less of the plate should be composed of a lean meat or protein. This serving of protein should be about three ounces, or the size of a deck of cards. Finally, fats, oils, and sweets should be used sparingly.
With all of the fad diets and false nutrition claims on the market today, it is essential to stick to the facts and base our decisions about what we are going to eat on solid evidence. The truth is that portion sizes have ballooned and are double what they used to be. Consequently, our waist lines are doubling as well. To lose weight and become healthier overall, we must stick to a well-balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. More importantly, we must remember that health is more than just a fad, it’s a matter of fact.
Gretchen Gilman and Beth Chiodo, Philadelphia Dietetic Association
For more information on healthy eating, visit our Nutrition page.
