Many people assume as a personal failure the fact that they find it difficult to follow a healthy diet. What we sometimes forget, however, is that many of the most widely available and affordable foods are made with craving rather than nutrition in mind. They’re also the ones typically sold in oversized portions, says Lisa Young, Ph.D., registered dietitian and nutritionist, assistant professor of nutrition at New York University.
Studies have shown that People tend to eat larger portions of unhealthy foods — think of appetizers, desserts, and restaurant meals — and smaller portions of healthier ones, like whole grains and vegetables.
This has implications for weight, of course, especially for older adults. Metabolism slows with age, and consequently, caloric needs decrease. This can lead to weight gain if you continue to eat the same portion sizes as 10 years ago.
But the importance of calculating the appropriate portion size goes further. Large servings of processed foods can also increase your intake of sodium, added sugars and saturated fat, nutrients that can increase your risk of heart disease and other health problems when consumed in excess. And when you eat too many of them, you leave little room in your diet for foods that can fill you up on fewer calories and are good for your health. “When we eat more processed foods, we’re missing out on fruits and vegetables that would give us more vitamins and fiber,” says Sandra Arevalo, a registered dietitian nutritionist, director of patient and community education at Montefiore Nyack Hospital in New York.
This gigantic challenge to balanced nutrition shows few signs of improving in the short term, despite the efforts of public health authorities. For nearly two decades, Young and his New York University colleague, Dr. Marion Nestle, have been tracking the size of food packages such as candy bars, soda and fast food that are sold in single servings. . Their 2021 report published in the American Journal of Public Health found that grocery companies and fast food chains are selling “single-serving” foods in amounts up to five times larger than those that were first introduced. For example, the first McDonald’s hamburgers were 1.6 ounces. The chain now offers burgers in sizes ranging from 1.6 to 8 ounces. “We often eat with our eyes and not our stomachs,” says Young. “The body’s inner hunger is being overwhelmed by large portions.”
What is a portion?
It may seem like an obvious question, but a recent survey by the International Food Information Council found that only 45% of Americans define it correctly: the amount of food that is chosen or give to eat at a certain time. About a third of those surveyed confuse serving size with serving size. A serving is a standardized measure of food, established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which you can find on nutritional information labels.
This distinction is important because although serving sizes are based on typical consumption, people may need less, or more. The serving size is not a recommendation, but rather is intended to convey information, says Young. People may also think they are getting the number of calories and other nutrients in the serving size listed on the label, when in fact they may be getting more. For example, a serving of ice cream is set to ⅔ cup. If that serving has 200 calories and 19 grams of added sugars but you eat one cup, you will be ingesting about 500 calories and 29 grams of added sugars.
Why do we eat more than we think
It may seem like an obvious question, but a recent survey by the International Food Information Council found that only the 45% of Americans correctly define it: the amount of food that is chosen or given to eat at a certain time. About a third of those surveyed confuse serving size with serving size. A serving is a standardized measure of food, established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which you can find on nutritional information labels.
This distinction is important because although serving sizes are based on typical consumption, people may need less, or more. The serving size is not a recommendation, but rather is intended to convey information, says Young. People may also think they are getting the number of calories and other nutrients in the serving size listed on the label, when in fact they may be getting more. For example, a serving of ice cream is set to ⅔ cup. If that serving has 200 calories and 19 grams of added sugars but you eat one cup, you will be ingesting about 500 calories and 29 grams of added sugars.
Customize your meals
So, if signals from the unconscious influence the decision of what to eat and how much we eat, what can we do to counteract them? Tuning into your hunger and your body’s nutritional needs can be a great starting point. “When you focus on the present and pay attention to food, you tend to eat less,” says Young.
The “right size” of a portion varies depending on age, activity level physical and other factors. However, it would be helpful if you thought about how a portion would fit into your overall needs. For an average adult, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend about 5½ ounces of protein, 3 cups of low-fat or nonfat dairy, about 2 tablespoons of oil, 6 ounces of cereal, 2½ cups of vegetables, and 2 cups of fruit per day. Keep your intake of added sugars to 200 calories or less per day, and if you choose to eat candy, cookies, desserts, and other foods with little nutritional value, limit yourself to small portions. (For more precise guidance on what portion sizes are right for you, check out the Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate, where you can enter your details and get recommendations to fit your needs.)
One An easy way to match portions to dietary guidelines is to use the split-plate strategy. At meals, at least half your plate should be fruits and vegetables, which are low in calories and high in nutrients. One-fourth should be non-fat protein, and one-fourth grain or starchy vegetables like potatoes.
Another tactic is not to exceed the serving size listed on the package when snacks and processed desserts are consumed. If the amount seems too small to satisfy you, instead of doubling the serving, combine it with a healthier food. “If you eat processed products along with a salad and a protein or grain, it’s easier to control portions and eat a variety of nutrients,” says Arévalo. For example:
• If you want tortilla chips, eat one serving (which is one ounce, or between 10 and 15 chips) with ¼ cup of salsa or pico de gallo, which counts as a vegetable. Another option is to serve yourself a handful of cherry tomatoes along with a serving of crackers.
• Do you have a craving for chocolate ice cream? Complete a serving with ½ cup of berries or top with ¼ cup of nuts.
• Change the order in your bowl. Instead of a big bowl of cereal with a few berries and a splash of milk, reverse the order. Serve yourself ¼ cup of cereal and larger servings of fruit and milk or yogurt (to provide filling protein).
• Instead of a row of cookies, have two crumbled cookies on top of yogurt low fat.
Buying single-serving packaged snacks can also be helpful, but they can be expensive and lead to more waste when it comes to packaging. Buy regular packets of chips, cookies and crackers, and portion them into individual servings using reusable containers so they’re ready (and stored) when you feel like snacking. The same strategy applies to “economy size” or “jumbo” bags that are purchased to save money. Breaking it up into smaller portions can also help make the big package profitable, as it will likely decrease how quickly your family finishes it off. “While we could eat multiple servings from a large bag of chips, it wouldn’t be as easy to open multiple small bags,” says Young.
Editor’s Note: This article was also published in the April issue of 2022 of Consumer Reports On Health.
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2022, Consumer Reports, Inc.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with the advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works with consumers to create a fair, safe, and healthy world. CR does not endorse products or services and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2022, Consumer Reports, Inc.