Small Portions Equal Healthier Eating

It might be easier for people to eat healthier and stop overeating if they follow new guidelines recently released by an organization is England.

The new guidelines from the British Nutrition Foundation, are aimed at helping people eat the right amounts of food and from the right food groups.

BNF’s ‘Find Your Balance’ guide, provides individuals with a guide to measure portion sizes for each food group. According to BNF, the guidelines are based on averages for healthy adults using a balanced 2,000 calories-per-day diet. The guidelines also offer advice for how to measure out sensible servings.

The new guidelines include:

◾ Three to four portions of starchy carbohydrates, such as pasta

◾ Two to three portions of protein foods, such as grilled chicken

◾ Two to three portions of dairy and alternative foods, such as cheese

◾ At least five portions of fruit and vegetables

◾ Small amounts of unsaturated oils and fats and treat foods

“It’s important to remember that the actual amount of food a person consumes from each food group depends on that individual’s calorie needs and other factors such as age, daily activity level, gender, height, weight and weight loss goals, says Maysoun Hamade, regional director of Food and Nutrition Services with Ascension Michigan.

In establishing the new guidelines, the British Nutrition Foundation looked at nutrition guides, consumption surveys and the retail availability of certain foods in other countries, including the United States and Canada.