7/29/2019 When You Can't Measure, Estimate Portions

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7/29/2019 When You Can't Measure, Estimate Portions

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When You Can't Measure, Estimate Portions

A n ess ential part of calorie c ounting is ac curately es timating portion sizes. It is notdiffic ult to do when you eat at home, but determining portions when you eat out i s a bitharder.

Research s hows that people of all ages , education levels and body weights erroneouslyunderestimate their food portions by 2 0 to 2 00 percent. The United States Department

of Agriculture (USDA ) finds that adults typically underestimate consumption of grains,sweets and fats, and overestimate fruit, milk products , and servings of meat, poultry,fish, dry beans , eggs, and nuts. When it comes to vegetables , women overestimate andmen underestimate their s ervings.

Training is Key

People can be trained to improve their knack for estimating portions. The key is tobecome familiar with the "estimating aids" and to practic e your skills at home. Theseprops will guide your visual estimations of food measurements: a deck of playing cards,a computer mouse , a tennis ball, half a baseball ball , a ping pong ball, cotton balls , anaudiocasse tte tape, a light bulb, a 9 -volt battery, and a s tandard-size hand. P ractic eby portioning out food and using the prop to estimate the meas urement. Tes t youres timate by measuring the food and comparing the actual meas urement to yourestimates.

Props Used to Estimate Food Portions

The Grain Group1/2 c ooked cup rice ---- tennis ball1 pancake (1 ounce or 5") ---- c ompact disc (C D)1 piec e of cornbread (2 ounces ) ---- bar of soap1 s lice of bread (1 ounce ) --- - audiocas sette tape1 c up of pasta/spaghetti (2 ounces ) ---- a fist1 c up of ce real flakes (1 ounce) ---- a fist

The Vegetable Group1 c up green salad ---- bas eball or a fist1 medium baked potato (1 c up) --- - c omputer mouse or a fist1/2 c up cooked broccoli -- -- light bulb

1/2 c up serving ---- 6 asparagus s pears; 7 or 8 baby carrots; 1 ear of corn on the cob

The Fruit Group1/2 c up of grapes (15 grapes) --- - light bulb1/2 c up of fresh fruit ---- 7 cotton balls1 medium size fruit ---- tennis ball or a fist1 c up of cut-up fruit ---- baseball or a fist1/4 c up raisins - --- large egg

The Milk Group1 1 /2 ounces hard cheese - --- 9-volt battery or your index and middle fingers1 ounce of process ed cheese -- -- your thumb1 c up of ice c ream ---- baseball

The Meat and Beans Group

2 tablespoons peanut butter (= 2 oz. meat) -- -- ping-pong ball1 teaspoon peanut butter (= 1/3 oz. meat) --- - fingertip1 tablespoon peanut butter (= 1 oz. meat) --- - thumb tip3 ounces grilled/baked fish or chicken ---- c heckbook3 ounces cooked meat, fish, poultry ---- your palm, a deck or cards or a c ass ette tape

Dis cretionary Calories

Fats, Sugars and Sodiumteas poon butter, margarine ---- s tamp, the thickness of your finger or knuckle to thumbtiptablespoons regular salad dress ing ping-pong ball

Snack Foods1 ounce of nuts or small candies --- - one handful

7/29/2019 When You Can't Measure, Estimate Portions

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1 ounce of pretzels --- - two handfuls1/2 cup of popcorn ---- one man's handful1/3 c up of popcorn -- -- one woman's handful

Serving Dishes/Utensils1/2 cup --- - cus tard cup or mashed potato sc oop1 1 /2 cups - --- l arge ce real/soup bowl1 1 /2 cups of pasta, noodles -- -- dinner plate, not heaped1/2 c up of pasta, noodles - --- cus tard cup or mashed potato sc oop

Sources

Young, LR, Nes tle, M. V ariations in perceptions of a "medium" food portion:implications for dietary guidance. J A m Diet As soc 19 98 ; 98: 639 - 6 41Schwartz, J, Byrd-Bredbenner, C . The ability of young adults to es timate portionsize and calorie content. Top C lin Nutr 20 06 ; 21: 114 -12 1.Thompson, FE , Midthune, D, Subar, A F, Mc Neel, T , Berrigan, D, Kipnis, V . Dietaryintake estimates in the National Health I nterview Survey, 20 00 : Methodology,results, and interpretation. J A m Diet As soc 20 04 ;10 5: 352 -36 3

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