Portion sizes

A portion or a serving of food means different things to different people, as it could depend on mood, food type, environment, etc. How many of us have purchased a small tub of Hagen Daz ice cream and on a ‘good day’, managed to keep intake to a few teaspoons, but on a difficult day consumed the entire tub. In terms of healthy eating, portions are defined within national recommendations, managed by the health authorities.

Recommended portions take into consideration values such as sex, age (children as opposed to adults), and nutrient content in a healthy population. Some food manufacturers also state recommended servings/portion sizes on their packaging, but all provide nutritional information based on a 100 g quantity, which is not the same as a serving/portion. Countries like the USA also have exchange lists which can be used to quantify portions in a food group.

National dietary recommendations state the number of servings for each food group, e.g., a serving of fish twice weekly, with at least one being an oily fish. The serving size will tell you the quantity, and this is where it usually becomes confusing for individuals. What quantity should one consume? The fruit and vegetables group, together, have a recommended intake of at least 5 servings a day, but only one should be in the form of pure juice. This is misunderstood to mean - a glass of juice (about 200- 250 ml), however a portion of juice is not a glass of juice but half a glass (about 100 -125 ml) in the case of orange juice, 1/4 of a glass for grape juice, and about 1/3 of a glass for apple juice.

Clear information needs to be given to the public about portion sizes, as there is a lack of understanding in this area. Here are a few tips to help with portion sizes:

·       Raw fruit and vegetable portions are about 80g each, watermelon slice, the size of the v-shaped space between thumb and middle finger.

·       Dried fruit or nuts in a closed palm is equal to a portion.

·       A portion of cooked meat resembles a deck of cards, white fish is the palm of your hand (with fingers), and oily fish, palm of hand (no fingers).

·       Cereal portions are usually stated on the package.

·       A portion of cooked rice or grains is usually 1/3 cup, ½ cup for pasta. In a meal this is usually 2 servings resembling a fist (2/3 c rice or 1 c pasta).

·       A portion of legumes is about 4 tbsp.

·       A medium sized slice of bread or about 30 g of a french baguette/sourdough bread is a portion.

Information on portion sizes and number of daily portions for your country will be available from your national health authority, health associations or health professionals.