Understanding healthy portion sizes is a key to Balanced Healthy Eating weight management.
I was shocked when I learned that a serving of starch equals one slice of bread, 3/4 cup of cold cereal or 1/2 cup of cooked pasta!
Tips to help you determine healthy portion sizes
Starches (Includes starchy vegetables such as corn and potatoes; also includes desserts and sweets which are meant to be occasional treats)
1 slice bread
1/2 cup pasta or rice (about size of an ice cream scoop)
1/2 cup cooked grain (bulgur, quinoa, couscous, etc.)
1/2 cup cooked hot cereal
3/4 cup cold cereal
1/2 pita pocket or 1/2 English muffin
1 medium potato (about size of a computer mouse)
1 small sweet potato or yam
1 ear or 1/2 cup corn
Vegetables
1/2 cup cooked or raw chopped vegetable
1 cup raw leafy green vegetable (about 4 lettuce leaves)
6 ounces (3/4 cup) vegetable juice
Fruits
1 medium fruit (apple, orange, peach, or pear) (about the size of a baseball)
1⁄3 cantaloupe, honeydew, or watermelon (about 1 cup cubed)
1/2 grapefruit
1/2 banana
1/2 cup canned or jarred fruit
1 cup fresh berries
3⁄4 cup fruit juice
1⁄4 cup dried fruit
Protein ( Includes meat, fish, poultry, eggs, beans, soybeans, tofu, nuts, and seeds)
1 ounce cooked meat, poultry, or fish
2 egg whites
1 whole egg
1/2 cup cooked beans, peas, or lentils
1/2 cup tofu, tempeh, or soybeans
1 cup soymilk
1⁄3 cup nuts
1⁄4 cup seeds (pumpkin, sunflower)
2 tablespoons peanut butter or other nut butter (about the size of a golfball)
Dairy
1 cup milk
1 cup yogurt
1⁄2 cup cottage cheese
1 1⁄2 ounces cheese (about the size of your index finger)
Fats and Oils
2 teaspoons oil, butter, or mayonnaise
2 tablespoons salad dressing
One-on-one healthy eating coaching, fun cooking classes, and private yoga instruction in Phoenix, Arizona, to help you lead a happier, healthier, more nourished life. Ask me how - today!
