How big is a portion?

Portion size has changed over the past 20 years - according to a report from the British Heart Foundation.  For example; ready-meal portions (think lasagne) have increased by 50%.  And it isn't just these dishes that have grown, the humble digestive biscuit has gone up by 17% - so what?  I hear you cry... Well, the skinny on that one is that if you eat just ONE digestive biscuit a day it would add 3,330 calories a year to your diet - compared to the biscuits back in 1993.

You see, we eat too much.  We really don't need the amount of food we tend to eat.  We don't need a super sized meal from McDonald's or any where else for that matter.

CONFUSION:

Trying to eat properly is just plain confusing.  We are given guideline such as: 5-8 portions of fruit and vegetables every day, 2 portions of oily fish per week, and then there is the food plate where half should be vegetables (great) a quarter animal protein and the other quarter carbs (not so great), they don't specify the plate SIZE either, or the infernal food pyramids that just don't make any sense at all.

Fruit and vegetable portions are detailed at 80g per portion - but, do you know what 80g of cauliflower or broccoli look like?  And what about leafy vegetables such as spinach that when cooked reduce in size drastically but weigh more from acquired water?  You'd have to spend a lot of your meal planning time weighing your food and, let's face it, who has the time for that?


THE SOLUTION:

So, here's a "handy" solution to your portion size woes.  Use your hands as a guide.  They go with
you every where you go, so a much more practical solution to lugging the kitchen scales around with you.  Also, hand size is in proportion to body size; so a petite person's hands indicate the correct amount of food for that person, as do the larger hands of larger people who will need more food.  This even works for children.

So, here we go:

BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER, etc.: the size of your clenched fist, but these really shouldn't be limited, getting 5-8 a day isn't easy so you could have 2 or more at one meal.  Aim for HALF of your plate filled with vegetables.

LEAFY GREENS such as spinach: 2 double handfuls - raw, this is almost a whole bag.

SMALL FRUITS such as raspberries, blueberries, etc.: two cupped palms.  Larger fruits such as apples and oranges should fit snuggly into your hand.

MEAT - beef, chicken, lamb, pork, etc.. should be the size of your PALM - so, your hand minus the fingers, and as thick as your palm too.

OILY FISH such as salmon.: like meat, the palm of your hand.  Heart-healthy fish packed full of Omega 3 fatty acids are essential at least once a week if not twice.

WHITE FISH such as cod, haddock, hake, etc.: your whole hand, including the fingers.

PASTA - uncooked: the size of your clenched fist.  It may not seem like much but it doubles in weight once cooked and refined white flour foods aren't really that nutritious anyway.  The best way to eat pasta is with lots of fresh vegetables.

POTATO, CARROTS, PARSNIPS, etc.: starchy vegetables, just the size of your clenched fist.  These are better for you than refined carbs but they are still high in sugar and should be considered as carbohydrates and as such should be limited if you are trying to lose weight.

NUTS:  one palm full.  You don't need more than this to reap their healthful goodness.  Did you know that just THREE brazil nuts give the same anti depressant brain boost as 1 dose of Prozac?

FATS such as butter, peanut butter, oil, etc.:  Thumb tip (from the first knuckle to the finger tip) or a
teaspoon, 2-3 times a day.

CHOCOLATE: the length and width of your index finger.

CHEESE: Length and depth of two thumbs.

All these should be calculated raw as in before cooking.  I hope this helps keep your portion control in check.  Remember, if you want to lose weight, try using a smaller plate.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com