Portion Control

developed by Karen MasonUniversity of Kentucky Dietetic Intern

Portion Patrol

• What is a healthy diet?

• Proper serving sizes

• Portion sizes today

• Tips for controlling portions

Why should I eat healthy?

• A healthy diet can reduce the risk for many chronic diseases, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol.

• Foods provide 50+ nutrients we need for growth, repair, and maintenance of good health

• Psychological reasons??

Food Guide Pyramid

What are proper serving sizes?

• Grains Group 1 slice of bread About 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal ½ cup cooked cereal, rice, or pasta

• Vegetable and Fruit Groups 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables ½ cup of cooked vegetables ¾ cup of fruit juice 1 medium apple, banana, orange, or pear

What are proper serving sizes?

• Milk Group 1 cup of milk or yogurt 1½ ounces of cheese 2 ounces of processed cheese

• Meat and Beans Group 2-3 ounces of cooked meat, poultry, or fish ½ cup of cooked dry beans 1/3 cup of nuts 1 egg

Purpose of serving sizes?

• Common language

• Easy way of expressing nutritional information, like calories, fat, cholesterol, protein, vitamins, and minerals

Serving sizes differ from portion sizes

• Serving sizes are standardized, but portions differ for everyone

• More active people require larger portions

• People needing to lose weight need smaller portions

Are we eating too much?

• 61% of Americans are either overweight or obese

• Table-service restaurants now serve from 12-inch plates rather than the standard 10-in plates

• Americans eat 148 more calories per day compared to 10 years ago, and the % of fat/diet is down from 40% to 33%

• 62% of Americans are unaware the portion sizes have increased in the last 10 years

Beware of Larger Sizes (comparison of portion sizes 10 years ago)

Food Then Now

French fries 2 oz >4 oz

Deli bagel 2 oz 4-7 oz

Muffin 2 oz 6-8 oz

Soda 6 ½ oz 12-20 oz

Chips ½ - 1 oz 2-4 oz

Candy bar 1 ½ oz 2-4 oz

Would you like to super size?

• “value meals”, “combo meals”, and “super sizing” are used for profit by the food companies

• When people are served more food, they eat more food

• For a small price, you get more calories and saturated fat

Bigger is rarely better when it comes to food

Small Medium Large Super

$1.03 $1.50 $1.67 $1.90

210 cal 450 cal 540 cal 610 cal

Now that’s a value!

McDonald’s Quarter McDonald’s Quarter 530 calories530 calories

Pounder w/CheesePounder w/Cheese 13 g saturated fat13 g saturated fat

Quarter Pounder w/CheeseQuarter Pounder w/Cheese 1190 calories1190 calories

Extra Value MealExtra Value Meal 17 g saturated fat17 g saturated fat

Wendy’s Classic Double 760 calories

w/Cheese 19 g saturated fat

Classic Double w/Cheese 1360 calories

Combo Meal 26 g saturated fat

$1.41

$1.57

Do you know the serving sizes for common foods?

• Pasta

• Green salad

• Beans

• Mashed potatoes

• In the American Institute for Cancer Research survey, only 1% of respondents correctly answered all 8 serving-size questions.

1/2 cup

1 cup

1/2 cup

1/2 cup

Do you know how many servings you ate for dinner?

Food Portion

Spaghetti 2 cups

Garlic bread 2 slices

Tomato sauce 1 cup

Meatballs 6 oz

Serving size # Servings

½ cup 4

1 slice 2

½ cup 2

2-3 oz 2-3

Tips for Controlling Portions

• At home:Measure out single servings to know what

they look likeAvoid serving food “family style” and do no

go back for secondsTry using a smaller plate for you mealNever eat out of a bag or a carton

Tips for Controlling Portions

• Eating out:Ask for half or smaller portionsAsk for salad dressing to be served “on the

side” Order from the menu rather than the “all-

you-can-eat” buffetKnow how much is an appropriate portion

and set the rest aside to take home If you order dessert, share

Take control of your diet

To do:

• Choose a variety of foods

• Know your serving sizes

• Meal planning

• Add high fiber foods to your diet

To avoid:

• Thinking “low-fat” means low calorie

• Thinking there are “good” or “bad” foods