Helpful Hints: Your Guide to Portion Control

Helpful Hints: Your Guide to Portion Control - Click here!

When making your plate, it's important to understand how much of each food group you should be working into your diet. We're here to give you some tips to help you build a balanced diet.

Why Overeating is Bad for Your Health

Many of us are guilty of eating until we become painfully full or uncomfortable. While this accidental habit is harmless every once in a while, overeating consistently will take a toll on your body. Overeating can bring on the following issues:

• Becoming overweight or obese
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Bloating
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Gassiness

How Much You Should Eat Daily

While most of us know that we should eat a bit of everything each day, it is important to know how much is ideal for building a balanced diet. Try to aim for the following measurements of each major food group:

• Fruits: 1.5 to 2 cups.
• Protein: 5 to 6.5 ounces.
• Vegetables: 2 to 3 cups.
• Whole grains: 5 to 8 ounces.
• Oils and fats: 5 to 7 teaspoons.

Helpful Measurements

When it comes to building a balanced meal, it is important to keep in mind how much of each food group you should be eating. While you aren’t expected to keep measuring cups on-hand to portion out your food, these helpful hints can help:

• Protein: About 1 to 2 palm-sized servings.
• Vegetables: About 1 to 2 fist-sized servings.
• Fruit: 1 to 2cupped-hand-sized servings.
• Oils and Fats: 1 to 2 thumb-sized servings.