Portions

“Everything in moderation.” You’ve probably heard that phrase before. It means you don’t have to cut out every candy bar or can of soda, as long as you don’t overdo it and you still make sure you’re eating the nutritious options like fruit and vegetables, too. But how exactly do you make sure you’re eating the right sized portions of everything?

Well, with fruit and vegetables, it looks easy at first. Five a day, right? We’ve all been told that at some point. That includes fruit that’s fresh, frozen, canned, dried, on its own, as a drink, or as part of a meal. Of course, there are other considerations, too. Dried fruit can be particularly sugary, so too much is bad for your teeth; the same also applies to fruit juice. Beans and legumes can only ever be one portion, even if you eat them multiple times a day. Potatoes, yams and plantains don’t count as vegetables for these purposes because they have too much starch.

Then you have the question of what counts as one portion of fruit. With medium-sized pieces, it’s pretty simple. You just need one. For smaller types, like plums and kiwis, you may need two or more. Strawberries need to be eaten in groups of about seven. Larger fruits, like melons and pineapples, are measured by the slice. Fruit juice should be about half a cup.

You still need to be sensible with your carbs, like pasta, bread and rice, and with protein, which could include meat, fish, dairy or vegan alternatives. They should be in each main meal, so about three times a day. Starch (particularly whole grain) is better than sugar for your carbs, while red meat in particular should be limited when getting protein. It’s better to keep the sweet treats for snacks. Tricks like using a smaller plate can help you scale down your meals while still keeping them in proportion. It’s not just about how much of each category, but also that category in comparison to others. You should eat more fruit than candy, for example.

It’s hard to be more specific because so many things affect how much food we need – age, size, level of activity, medical conditions, and personal and religious beliefs. Talk to an expert to find out what’s right for you.

Related Posts

Allulose

Most people like a little bit of sweetness in their diet sometimes. For many of us, that means sugar, but for people with diabetes, it’s not so simple. The quest for a suitable substation that won’t affect glucose levels is an ongoing one. One of the newest and most exciting options is allulose. Allulose is

Read More »

CBD And Hemp Oil

Thankfully, it’s getting a lot easier (at least in some jurisdictions) to access products like CBD oil and hemp oil, but there’s still a lot of confusion about the different iterations of the hemp plant and how to choose which is best. I’m here to hopefully alleviate some of your concerns (https://longevity.technology/lifestyle/cbd-oil-vs-hemp-oil-myths-facts-and-everything-in-between/). We’re talking about

Read More »

Ergothioneine

Another week, another exciting new trial for a possible longevity supplement. This time it’s ergothioneine, an amino acid that may be able to give our brains a boost. We’re told the study had positive results. Although the full publication won’t be released for a few months, it’s always good to hear companies are making progress

Read More »
Scroll to Top