DO YOU KNOW WHAT A PORTION SIZE IS?????

Though helpful when fully understood, Canada 's food guide could sabotage an individual who is trying in earnest to manage their weight. The information from Canada 's food guide contains great information but is often interpreted incorrectly. The problem stems from the fact that many people simply don't understand what a single portion size is. Knowing that you should be eating 5-12 servings of breads and cereals, 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2-4 servings of dairy products, and 2-4 servings of meat, fish poultry and alternatives is meaningless without understanding what a single serving size is. Compare what your idea of a single serving size is with what an ACTUAL serving size is to see if you're on track.

Don't forget that activity level and gender also dictates the number of serving sizes you should enjoy. For example, an inactive, smaller, female should be eating the lowest number of servings in the ranges given. An active, medium frame female or a medium to large inactive male should be eating the middle number of servings suggested in a given range. Large, active males might need to eat the highest number of servings suggested. If you are trying to lose weight, enjoy as many servings from the fruits and vegetables group as you need to quell hunger, but eat the lower range of recommended servings in the breads and cereals group.

"Breads, Grains and Cereals" (aim for 5-12 Servings daily) (for weight loss 5-6 servings)

•  choose whole grain, high fibre most often

•  minimize refined products

Suggested Single Serving Grain Products:

1 slice whole grain bread (other favourable choices: flax, sour dough, fibre, pumpernickle)

1/2 whole grain/wheat bagel

1/2 cup pasta (choose whole wheat more often)

1/2 cup brown rice or bulgur

1/2 cup couscous

3/4 cup cooked oatmeal

fist size sweet potato or new potatoes

3/4-1 cup cereal (see attached for the best cereal choices Note; serving size may vary)

whole wheat pita (= 1.5 servings)

whole grain crackers 30 g

whole grain english muffin

LESS FAVOURABLE SINGLE SEVING CHOICES IN THIS CATEGORY

(crackers 30g, slice white bread, small rolls, 1/2 bagel, small croissant, 2 small cookies, small muffin, 1 waffle, cake (size depends on type), english muffin, small tortilla, corn chips, 1 taco shell, 3-4 cups Light popcorn)

Fruits and Vegetables

(aim for 5-10sevings )

•  enjoy variety (variety of colours=variety of vitamins and minerals)

Suggested Single Serving Fruits and Vegetables

-any vegetables (even carrots as long as you don't make them your staple) 1/2-1 cup

-1/2 grapefruit

-1/2 cup dried apricots, blueberries

-med sized apple, plum, peach, orange,

-cup of grapes, cherries, strawberries, raspberries

High Glycemic Index Fruits i.e. cause a rapid increase in blood sugar levels (enjoy in moderation or as desired following a workout)

-banana, mango

-fruit cocktail 3/4 c

-1/3 cup raisins, cranberries

-pineapple 1-2 cups

-5 cups watermelon

-1/2 cup juice

Milk and milk products (fortified soy milk also included)

(2-4 servings daily-Canada's Food Guide)

-in general: choose low fat or non-fat choices whenever possible

Suggested Serving Sizes

-1 cup skim milk/low fat soy milk

- 3/4 cup non-fat yogurt

- non-fat/low fat cheese (equivalent to size of three dice)

- 2 slices non-fat processed cheese

LESS FAVOURABLE SINGLE SERVING CHOICES IN THIS CATEGORY

(1/2 cup frozen yogurt or ice cream, cup chocolate milk, 3 dice worth regular fat cheese)

Meat, Fish, Poultry and alternatives

(2-4 servings daily)

-in general choose lowest fat possible and trim all visible fat

-eat at least one serving of fish/week to maintain omega 3 (good fat!) status

-enjoy variety!

Suggested Serving sizes

-2 eggs

-fist size; lean steak, skinless chicken, fish, extra lean ground beef/turkey/chicken, pork

-fist size amount of shrimp, lobster etc

-1/2 cup legumes (chick peas, lentils etc)

-2 tbsp of peanut butter

-60-80g lean sliced meats (occasionally, since high salt)

-2 vegetarian weiners

-4 slices veggie/soy deli meat, or veggie/soy cheese

LESS FAVOURABLE SINGLE SERVING CHOICES IN THIS CATEGORY

(single serving = approx fist size: steak, prepared burger, breaded fish or chicken, poultry with skin on, 60-80 g processed meat (regular fat), cold cuts

HOW DID YOU DO?

Using the chart below assess whether you ate the appropriate number of servings in each food group. Write what you ate in the large boxes and then using the handout, assess how many servings your food equated to. Total your daily servings in each group and compare in to your daily servings goals.

CARBOHYDRATES PROTEINS AND FATS