WHAT COUNTS AS A SERVING?

(Information About The U.S. Food Guide Pyramid)

We all heard it at the dinner table from our parents when we were growing up: "Eat your vegetables!"

Usually that meant sitting at the table until every last brussel sprout was finished (or until we passed it off to our younger sibling!). It seemed like there was a mountain of vegetables...enough for days!

Now that we're adults, of course we know the value of eating our fruits and vegetables; the Food Guide Pyramid even tells us how many servings of each to eat daily. But how much really is a serving? With the help of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services here is a picture of the Food Guide Pyramid and also a list of what an actual serving is for some of the most common foods under each group.

Notice that there is a range of servings listed in each food group. That is because the pyramid is designed to be used for everyone regardless of weight and activity. For instance, the suggested number of fruit group servings is from 2 to 4. The lower number (2) is for individuals who eat about 1,600 calories a day such as women who are not physically active. The higher number (4) is for people who eat about 2,800 calories a day such as men who are physically active.

The list below shows what constitutes 1 serving for some of the most common foods under each group:

Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Group
1 slice of bread
1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal
1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta

Vegetable Group
1 cup of raw, leafy vegetables
1/2 cup of other vegetables, cooked or chopped raw
3/4 cup of vegetable juice

 Fruit Group
1 medium apple, banana, or orange
1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
3/4 cup of fruit juice

 Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese Group
1 cup of lowfat or nonfat milk or yogurt
1 1/2 ounces of lowfat or nonfat natural cheese
2 ounces of lowfat or nonfat processed cheese

 Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts Group
2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish
1/2 cup of cooked dry beans or 1 egg counts as 1 ounce of lean meat.
2 tablespoons of peanut butter or 1/3 cup of nuts counts as 1 ounce of meat.

Nicole Niemiec is founder of http://www.healthy-insights.com, a site containing reliable health information for improving your quality of life.

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