HOW MUCH IS A SERVING SIZE?

By Rick Morris

The most commonly used guide for food choices is the food guide pyramid. The pyramid makes the following recommendations concerning the number of servings of each food group that you should consume each day:

•  Bread, cereal and other grains - 6 to 11 servings.
•  Fruit - 2 to 4 servings.
• Vegetables - 3 to 5 servings.
• Milk, yogurt and cheese - 2 to 3 servings.
• Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, nuts - 2 to 3 servings.
• Fats, oils and sweets - Use sparingly.

So now that you know how many servings to eat, you still don't know how much to eat! Below is a guide that will show you how much food actually makes up a serving.

Bread, cereal and other grains 

These foods provide complex carbohydrates, fiber and many vitamins and nutrients including: riboflavin, thiamin, iron, protein and niacin.

One serving size equals: 1 slice of bread, ½ bagel, ½ bun, 1 cup of dry cereal, ½ cup of cooked cereal, ½ cup of rice, ½ cup of pasta, 1 small roll or muffin, 2 large crackers. One half cup of cereal, rice or pasta is about the size of your computer mouse.

Fruit

Fruits contribute vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber and potassium as well as a number of vitamins. One serving of fruit equals: 1 medium fruit such as an apple, banana or orange, ½ large fruit such as a grapefruit, 1 melon wedge, ½ cup of berries, ¾ cup of fruit juice, ½ cup of canned fruit, ¼ cup of dried fruit.

Vegetables

Vegetables contribute vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, potassium, magnesium, fiber and a number of other vitamins and minerals. One serving equals: ½ cup of raw or cooked vegetables, ¾ cup of vegetable juice, and 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables. One cup of vegetables is approximately the size of a baseball.

Milk, yogurt and cheese

These foods contribute protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B, vitamin D and vitamin A. One serving equals: 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of yogurt, 1and ½ oz of cheese.

Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts

These foods provide protein, vitamin B, zinc, magnesium, iron, niacin and thiamin. One serving equals: 2 to 3 oz. of lean meat, poultry or fish, 1 egg, ½ cup of cooked beans, 6 Tbs of peanut butter. 2 to 3 oz. or meat is equal to the size of a deck of standard playing cards.

Fats, oils and sweets

These foods contribute very few nutrients and no serving recommendations have been suggested.