They both can apply to food. In the case of the first definition, it is the amount one eats at a particular eating occasion. As for the second one, food is very enjoyable, so it can be viewed as a fortune. Yet, too much of any food—or combination of foods—without the balance of physical activity can lead to an undesirable fate in terms of the health risks of overweight and obesity. Knowing what constitutes a serving size versus a portion size, being cognizant of what a serving size looks like and determining how many servings are right for you is all very important in achieving both a healthful and satisfying diet. Seems like too much to bite off? Some excellent resources such as the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel can help sort it out.
Back to the Basics
The famous American physician, Charles Mayo, noted: "Adequate food is the cradle of normal resistance, the playground of normal immunity, the workshop of good health, and the lab of long life."
Yet, how do we know what is adequate? Qualitative research conducted by the International Food Information Council suggests that consumers are indeed confused about serving sizes, what they mean and how to use them. According to Mary Abbott Hess, L.H.D., M.S., R.D., "Part of this confusion has to do with the amount of food considered a 'serving' and consumers' perception of standard food 'portions.'" Portion and serving sizes may sound like the same thing but, for many Americans may actually be very different. A "serving" size is a unit of measure based on nutrition needs. A "portion" can be thought of as the amount of a specific food a person eats for meals, snacks or other eating occasions.
To reduce consumer confusion on this topic, the first stop should be the Food Guide Pyramid. The Pyramid was created for people over two years of age by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Copies of the Pyramid can be accessed at http://www.usda.gov/ fcs/cnpp.htm. The Pyramid illustrates how much food a person needs (i.e., servings) from each food group to achieve a balanced diet (see Food Guide Pyramid graphic). It was designed for all people, but obviously, an adolescent is not going to eat the same number of servings as a grown man or woman.
Accordingly, the Pyramid was designed to be flexible, and it suggests a range of servings depending on an individual's caloric needs. This is where some estimating is necessary. The number of servings a person needs depends on age, gender, physical activity level, appetite and weight loss or weight gain goals.
As a general rule of thumb, the average person who is moderately active requires 2,000 calories per day. With that said, you may need more calories if you are very active or less if you are trying to reduce your weight.
As an example, the Pyramid recommends a range of 6-11 servings from the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group and suggests that an average person consuming 2,000 calories eats approximately 8 servings.
Some consumers perceive the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group in the Pyramid as a real challenge. Many consumers believe the suggested 6-11 servings of grains are too much for them to eat on a daily basis. At the crux of this quandary may be that consumers are not familiar with what constitutes a serving size for grains. For instance, a consumer may have noted that 2 slices of bread or 1 cup of cooked pasta equaled a serving, when in fact the Pyramid indicates 1 slice of bread or ½ cup of cooked pasta is a serving. According to USDA food consumption surveys, individuals' typical portion sizes for grain products equaled 1-1/2 to 2 food guide serving units.
Just the Facts
Another tool for consumers is the food label. A food label serving is a specific amount of food that contains the quantity of nutrients listed on the Nutrition Facts panel. The 1990 Nutrition Labeling and Education Act describes a serving size as the amount of food customarily consumed at one occasion.
What is useful about the Nutrition Facts panel is that it helps consumers compare the percent daily value of the nutrients (such as fats, carbohydrates and protein) and calories between similar foods. What it is not meant to do is provide advice on how much of certain foods to eat in order to achieve a healthful diet. The serving sizes are expressed in household measures, such as cups, ounces or pieces to make the food label serving sizes consumer friendly. They reasonably reflect the amount an individual might consume at an eating occasion.
Another specialized nutrition tool deserves mention-the Exchange Lists for Meal Planning. The American Dietetic Association, the American Diabetes Association and the American Public Health Association developed the Exchange Lists in 1950 primarily to help diabetics control their blood glucose levels and their weight. The Exchange Lists provide serving units for specific foods within each food list so that the protein, carbohydrate and fat content are the same for each exchange.
Putting It All Together
With both the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel, the "serving size" is a unit of measure and may not be the actual portion size a person might consume at an eating occasion. These tools should be used in tandem, and for many food items, the serving sizes on the Pyramid and the food label are the same.
For instance, both resources list ½ cup as the recommended serving for canned fruits and vegetables. However, for some foods, the serving sizes differ because these two tools have different purposes. The Pyramid describes serving units for primarily "simple" food items, such as 1 cup raw leafy greens; ½ cup cooked dry beans; 1 cup of milk or yogurt; or 2 tablespoons peanut butter. This method is used so consumers can easily remember what counts as a serving for major food groups and to help them build a healthful diet.
On the other hand, the Nutrition Facts panel serving unit is specific for each product category. The intent is to help consumers compare nutrient information between a number of choices of products that fall in the same food group. The food label servings can also apply both to dishes combining several food groups (such as frozen lasagna) and to "simple" foods like canned vegetables.
Let's Be Sensible
The reality is that most consumers may not have a Food Guide Pyramid or a Nutrition Facts panel at their fingertips at each eating occasion, particularly if they are eating at a restaurant or consuming foods that were not prepared by them.
Yet, there are many tips to keep in mind to be sensible about portion sizes and diet. Two of the more important factors to keep in mind are that a healthful eating plan can and should include all the foods you like and it should include a variety of different foods.
Here are some sensible tips for not "overdoing it" from the Dietary Guidelines Alliance's It's All About You Owner's Manual (see Jan/Feb 2000 Food Insight):
- Order once, enjoy twice. Eat half your steak at the restaurant. Take the rest home to savor tomorrow in a steak salad with juicy-ripe tomatoes or a beef and broccoli stir-fry. At a restaurant, two diners could split the steak entrée and each order a salad or vegetable side dishes.
- Snack from a plate, not from the bag, to stay aware of how much you are eating.
- It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get the signal that your stomach's had enough. Savor foods slowly-you'll enjoy it more, eat less and avoid feeling stuffed.
- Craving a cheeseburger from your favorite restaurant? Skip the bacon and special toppings. Split an order of fries with a friend or exchange it for a crispy salad. Get your vitamin C with refreshing orange juice or boost your calcium with a low-fat shake.
Best yet, learn to recognize what a serving size looks like on a plate, in your hand and in a bowl. To help visualize a tablespoon or other common portion sizes, measure it out and compare its size to a common item like a quarter or deck of playing cards. Soon it will become second nature.
Recognizing appropriate portion sizes is a crucial step in having a healthy lifestyle. Nevertheless, everyone has a tendency to overdo it on occasion. When that happens, balance out your food choices by eating less at the next meal and increasing your physical activity, or plan ahead for a big meal by eating less that day. It's okay to eat larger or smaller portions of foods. Just remember: the total diet balanced over several days is what counts. Sizing it Up
- ½ cup fruit, vegetable, cooked cereal, pasta or rice = a small fist
- 3 ounces cooked meat, poultry or fish = a deck of cards
- 1 tortilla = a small (7 inch) plate
- ½ half bagel = the width of a large coffee lid
- 1 muffin = a large egg
- 1 teaspoon of margarine or butter = a thumb tip
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter = a golf ball
- a small baked potato = a computer mouse
- 1 pancake or waffle = a 4 inch CD
- 1 medium apple or orange = a baseball
- 4 small cookies (like vanilla wafers) = four casino chips
- 1-1/2 ounces of cheese = 6 dice
