First, some definitions
A food portion is the amount of food you choose to eat, while a serving is a measured amount. When we are unsure of how much we should eat, we can consume many servings in one portion (1).
This article will offer a simple method for determining food portions and how much to eat at each meal. This will help you maintain a healthy and balanced diet to support your health and weight goals.
Macronutrient food groups
Proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats must be consumed daily for proper growth, development, and maintenance of a healthy body because they provide us with the energy and building blocks for proper body structure and function (2).
Macronutrient’s broken down
Proteins:
Dietary protein provides the body with building blocks (amino acids) for synthesizing important compounds like enzymes, hormones, and neurotransmitters, and building body structures like muscle, bone, skin, and eyes (2).
Protein foods include: lean meats, fish, eggs, legumes (beans, lentils, peas), yogurt, nuts (almonds, pistachios), seeds (hemp pumpkin, sunflower), and quinoa.
Carbohydrates:
Dietary carbohydrates provide the body with energy and support a healthy microbiome (3).
Carbohydrate foods include: fruits (apples, cherries, tomatoes), non-starchy vegetables (lettuce, cucumbers, broccoli, peppers, cabbage, kale, eggplant, celery, mushrooms, etc.), and starchy carbohydrates (potatoes, rice, oats, corn, whole grains).
Healthy fats:
Dietary fats are the most energy-dense macronutrient and are used to produce hormones like estrogen and testosterone, maintain cell structure, regulate body temperature, help us absorb nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K, and are used as an energy source (2).
Healthy fat foods include: nuts, seeds, olives, peanut butter, avocado, butter, coconut, extra virgin olive oil, and dairy (cheese).
Note: healthy fat and protein tend to come together in whole foods (nuts, dairy, etc.).
Simplifying food portions
Using your hand to measure food portions can be a simple, portable way to determine how much food from each food group might be right for you (4).
Here’s a simple chart to get you started:
Use your palm to measure your protein (examples: meat, beans, yogurt, fish = full hand, fingertip to wrist)
Use your fist to measure your fruit (carbohydrate) (examples: tomatoes, apples, cherries, pears)
Use one cupped hand to measure your starchy carbohydrates (examples: potatoes, rice, corn, oats, whole grains)
Use two cupped hands to measure your non-starchy vegetables (carbohydrates) (examples: lettuce, broccoli, peppers, cabbage)
Use your thumb to measure your healthy fat (examples: peanut butter, nuts, seeds, olives, cheese)
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