Portion Size Mistakes You're Making
By Sara Butler
If you think you’re making good food choices in your healthy diet, then you need to consider portion size. You can eat the healthiest foods on the planet, but if you’re eating too little or too much, then it might not have the desired impact on your health and wellness that you hope it does. Here are some common foods people tend to make portion size mistakes with. Learn them so you can avoid them!
Cereal
Be honest: How often do you whip out the measuring cup and measure how much cereal you’re eating? If you’re not measuring your cereal or looking at the nutrition label for the serving size before eating it, then you’re making a big mistake.
The American Diabetes Association suggests that three-quarters of a cup of any cereal is an appropriate portion. If you pour the cereals straight from the box to the bowl, chances are you’re eating as many as two to three servings at once.
Chicken Breasts
Chickens breasts are a lean source of protein and considered healthy, so does it really matter how much you eat? Yes, it really does. The recommended portion size for chicken breast is three to four ounces, the size of a deck of playing cards. The chicken breast you’re eating could easily be two to three times the recommended portion, tacking on calories you may not have anticipated in your day.
Bread
Even the healthiest bread have a limit when it comes to portion size. Take a look at the serving size on a loaf of bread and you may be surprised to find that one slice of bread constitutes a single serving. That sandwich you’re eating with two slices of bread may be two servings -- and that can add up.
Fruit
Fruit is great for you and an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet. But remember, there are limits to even healthy foods. If you’re watching your sugar intake or counting calories, then you need to keep tabs on how much fruit you eat. For example, did you know one cup of grapes, which is considered a serving of fruit, is just 16 grapes? Fruit can be tricky, so make sure to look up how much you should have and measure it out for your health.
Remember, no matter how healthy you eat, portion size matters!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Queen Creek, Ariz.