BAMAHJJ

sanguebom · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:38 pm Post subject: Portion Control

PORTION DISTORTION

Between 1977 and 1996, food portion sizes increased both inside and outside the home for all categories except pizza.

Over the past 20 years:

• Hamburgers have grown by 23 percent;

• A plate of Mexican food is 27 percent bigger;

• Soft drinks have increased in size by 52 percent;

• Snacks, whether they be potato chips, pretzels or crackers, are 60 percent larger.

• The croissant is bigger and contains about 100 more calories than ones made in France.

• When the bagel was introduced by Jewish bakers from Poland, it weighed 1 1/2 ounces and contained 116 calories. Today's North American bagel is about triple the size and calories. It weighs in around 4 to 4 1/2 ounces and may contain over 300 calories.

• The Mexican quesadilla has doubled in calories and increased in size. In Mexico, a quesadilla is a 5-inch tortilla containing around 540 calories and 32 grams of fat. The American quesadilla is typically 10 inches and Polk calculates that one serving could contain over 1,200 calories and 70 grams of fat.

Large serving sizes can affect OUR size! Sometimes when we try to prevent food from going to waste, we find it going to waist, instead!

Here are a few great tips for sidestepping portion distortion....

1. Just say no! Don’t be a fool for a bargain. Just because the large size costs “just a few cents more,” use your common sense. Eat super sized food regularly and soon you’ll become super sized!

2. Recognize normal-sized portions of food! A three-ounce serving of meat is about the size and thickness of the palm of your hand or a deck of cards. A cup of starch, such as pasta or rice, is the size of a clenched fist. An ounce of cheese equals a pair of dice. A tablespoon of oil or butter looks like the tip of your thumb. (See Fit Tip 2)

3. Share your entrees or take home leftovers! Most restaurants serve at least twice what you need. Eat with a friend. Both of you should order a side salad or soup, and share a single entree. You’ll still get more than enough food to satisfy.

4. Order appetizers for your main course! Most appetizer portions are more than adequate to double as a filling entree. Start with a soup or a salad for a well-balanced meal.

5. At home, plate the entrée and starch in the kitchen; put the salad and vegetables on the table. If anyone wants seconds, salad and vegetables are a good choice.