The Association for Dietetics (ADSA) in South Africa recently held a Twitter Talk on #HealthyNutrition4All, which highlighted how South Africans are becoming one of the most obese populations in the world! Here dietitians, The Heart & Stroke Foundation SA, FoodBank SA, Soil For Life and Department of Health share tips on how to measure portion sizes of your meal correctly…
How do you estimate portion if you don’t have the tools to measure and weigh food? Use these tips…
Use The Plate Model
The Heart Foundation recommends you use a plate to estimate how much starch, meat and vegetables you should be eating. Half your plate should be veggies, quarter starch and the rest protein.
READ MORE: 5 Portion Control Tips You’ve Probably Never Heard Before
Use Your Hands
Dietician Maryke Gallagher advises that you should measure food with your fist. One portion of fruit should be the size of your fist. Also use your palm to measure how much protein, etc. you should be eating. A palm is the size estimate of your protein portion, your fist is the size of a starch portion and your full hand (or more) is the size of a veg portion.
Know When You’re Full
Dietician, Karlien Duvenhage, believes it’s important to be in tune with your body and start learning when you are hungry or full.
READ MORE: 10 Tips That’ll Help You Finally Nail The Whole Portion Control Thing
Go Mini
The Heart Foundation suggests you eat out of a small bowl, with smaller utensils and cups to make the meal appear ‘fuller’.
Portion Size Go-To Guide
Meat should be the size of a deck of cards; carbohydrate portions the size of a tennis ball; fat, the size your thumb; and veg is a free for all, according to dietician Jade Seeliger.
