If you want to eat right, the first thing you have to know is how much you’re eating. And in these days of super-sizing, most of us have no idea.
For example, when you drink a can of soda that has 150 calories per serving, how many calories have you consumed? The answer is 225, because a serving of fluids is eight ounces, but the can of soda is 12 ounces.
What about that sirloin steak you ordered the other night? When you look up the calories, keep in mind that a ‘serving’ of steak is 3 ounces – so your 8- or 12-ounce steak was really three or four servings.
Here are some tips to help you understand serving sizes, and recalibrate your eating habits:
- Fruits, vegetables and grains – one serving equal one cup, about the size of a baseball
- Meat and fish – one serving equals three ounces, about the size of a deck of cards
- Fluids – one serving equals eight ounces, two-thirds of a typical soda can
And here’s another serving tip: try to make sure your plate is three-fourths filled with fruits and veggies.
Dr.Mike
