For: April 2003
Issue
To:
By: Linda K.
Bowman, Ext. Agt. IV - Family & Consumer Sciences
Telephone:
850/623-3868 or 939-1259, ext. 1360
Watch Out
for Portion Distortion
A "Journal of
the American Medical Association" article (Jan. 22, 2003) reported that
with the exception of pizza, food portion sizes consumed in the United States
for persons 2 years or older increased for all categories studied: home,
restaurant and fast food locations. The survey covered 1977 to 1996 and looked
at these items: salty snacks, desserts, soft drinks, fruit drinks, french fries, hamburgers,
cheeseburgers, pizzas and Mexican food. Portion sizes tended to be largest at
fast food places and smallest at restaurants.
Lean young men ate more when offered larger portions in
research by Dr. Barbara Rolls, Pennsylvania State University nutrition
professor and author of "Volumetrics: Feel Full
on Fewer Calories." Young men ate 10 ounces of a 16 ounce portion of macaroni.
When they were offered 25 ounces, they ate 15 ounces, a 50 percent increase!
TIPS FOR CONTROLLING
PORTION SIZES
People who attend my nutrition courses are amazed when I
show them the food models that represent normal portion sizes. It doesn’t take
them long to realize most of us eat more than we realize.
Here are some commonly cited images to help you visualize
approximate portion sizes, whether at home or eating out. Hand-size
illustrations are just guidelines -- we don't get to choose the largest hand in
the group when dishing up ice cream!
* 3 ounces of meat = a
deck of cards or the palm of your hand
* 1/2 cup of cereal, rice,
pasta or ice cream = 1/2
baseball
* 1 1/2 ounces of natural
cheese = a 9-volt battery or 3 dominoes
* 1 teaspoon butter,
margarine, mayonnaise or oil = a thumb tip (the top joint)
* 1 ounce nuts = one
handful (not heaping!)
* 1 tablespoon of salad
dressing or peanut butter = 1/2 ping-pong ball
RESTAURANT PORTION CONTROL
TIPS
If restaurant main dish portions are larger than you
want, share them with a friend or order an appetizer or side dish instead. Some
restaurants will let you order off the lunch menu for dinner. Also senior menus
usually feature smaller portion sizes. If you'll be able to
refrigerate leftovers within TWO hours of being served -- take extra food home
for a later meal. Eat within TWO days for best safety and quality.
FAST FOOD PORTION CONTROL
TIPS
Be size-wise and
order smaller burgers, fries and drinks. Watch out for salad dressings since
most packets have 300-400 calories. If we super-size our food, we may
super-size ourselves, as well too!
If you have a
question, call
Extension Service programs are open to all people
without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap or national origin. The use of trade names in this article is
solely for the purpose of providing specific information. It is not a guarantee, warranty, or
endorsement of the product name(s) and does not signify that they are approved
to the exclusion of others.