Think about how much food you have on your plate. When you know the difference between a serving size and
portion of food, you can make the right choice to good health.
First, don't forget that a serving size is a standard measurement of
food.
Compare a portion of food, which is how much food you place on your plate and actually
eat, The "portion" you spoon onto your plate could actually be several serving sizes.
Here is an easy way to visualize the serving size of foods you decide to put on your plate:
DVD. One "serving" of one slice of bread is about the size of one DVD.
Baseball. A healthy "serving size" when eating a bagel is the
size of a baseball. That's about half a large bagel or one small bagel. A
serving-size side of green peas is 1/2 cup. On the plate, it's the size
of half a baseball.
Enjoy 1/2 cup serving size of steamed broccoli that's the size of half of a baseball.
When making a healthy salad, one serving size is one cup, which is the
size of one baseball. An apple a day... eat an apple about the same size
as one baseball.
Tennis ball. One serving of air-popped or light microwave popcorn
is 3 cups. You want to choose the healthier varieties of popcorn and
enjoy a serving size of three baseballs. 3 cups of cooked pasta is one
serving size, and on your plate, it is the size of a tennis ball.
Computer mouse. Just "one serving" of a baked potato is the size of your computer mouse.
Shot glass. Two tablespoons of cheese is one serving and the size is one of those little shot glasses.
Deck of cards. A serving size of meat measures similar to a deck of playing cards.
If you forget what the best portion size is for one serving... just
remember that many typical portion sizes are about the size of a
baseball. Be sure to use common sense.
Just because a McDonald's
hamburger is about that size doesn't mean it's good for you. If you do
grab a Big Mac, don't beat yourself up. Run off those carbs if you can. Jog on your treadmill. Do a few laps in the backyard swimming pool. Walk the dog. Be creative, but "get moving."
You don't have to pull out a food scale to control the amount of food
you consume. Just use common sense and some handy visuals to help you
know how much to eat.
Portion size is the way a healthy person can eat anything you want.