How to calculate portion sizes when eating healthy?

What can you add to cottage cheese?

Cottage cheese, of course, is a tasty product, but it is rather bland and if you eat it in its pure form, you are unlikely to get much pleasure from such a meal. … 1.2 Additives to cottage cheese from dried fruits:

• nuts;
• raisin;
• dried apricots;
• prunes;
• figs;
• dates;
• seeds;
• candied fruit;

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How to calculate portion sizes when eating healthy?

Most of us don’t think about such little things, but simple comparisons show that “standard portions” of some common foods are becoming larger every year. A simple example: in the 1990s, a regular bun weighed 40 g, now it weighs 55.

Experts have started calculating portion sizes for proper nutrition so that you can eat different foods without gaining weight.

Actual vs Recommended Portions

We buy many products in packages and naively believe that one jar of yogurt or smoothie, one bag of juice or nuts is one serving. In reality, everything is far from so simple. For example, the recommended serving of yogurt is 150–200 g, while on store shelves you will find many packages of 250 or 300 g. Not to mention large “family” packages, which are usually cheaper per kilogram of product, but in this case, not everyone is able to correctly assess the volume of a portion.

Which? - a British organization, which, like Roskachestvo, is a member of the International Assembly of Consumer Test Organizations, recently conducted an experiment to calculate how much cereal the British eat for breakfast. Experts compared the portions that manufacturers recommend on the packaging and the actual portions that the experiment participants ate for breakfast. It turned out that actual portions exceeded the recommended ones by an average of 63%.

If you carefully study product labels, you can find other interesting details. For example, a small chocolate bar weighing 45 g is considered one serving. But if you buy a large, 200-gram bar of the same brand, the packaging will say that it contains eight servings, so one serving will be only 25 g.

Another example: Coca-Cola comes in 150, 250 and 330 ml packs, all of which count as one serving. But the difference in volumes is very significant!

We eat more than we need

These inconsistencies prompted Which? not to stop at breakfast cereals and conduct a large-scale study in June 2022, which involved 1,239 people. All volunteers were asked what serving sizes they thought were recommended for several popular foods.

The results showed that we often overestimate portion sizes and, as a result, eat more than we need and, consequently, gain weight. For example, the recommended serving size for chips in a tube is 30g (as indicated on the package) - this is approximately 14 pieces, but 28% of respondents said that they eat more than a quarter of the package (50g), and some admitted that they are able to finish it in one sitting the whole jar. Explanation: If you leave the chips in an open jar, “they don’t taste as good,” so it’s better to eat them right away and get the most out of them.

A standard frozen pizza sold in supermarkets weighs 300-350g, which many consider to be one serving, but in fact this pizza is intended for two. In addition, most participants believed that the recommended serving of cookies is 4-5 cookies (actually 2), and a bag of popular Smarties candies is intended for one (actually two).

How to calculate the KBZHU so as not to gain weight remotely - HERE

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How to calculate the amount of food per average serving?

Anna Ivashkevich

nutritionist, clinical psychologist-dietitian, member of the National Association of Clinical Nutrition

“It’s true that portions are getting larger these days, and people are overeating.” It is most difficult to stop in time when you eat salty, sweet, starchy foods or foods with flavor enhancers - primarily processed foods and fast food. How to calculate the correct serving size? It all depends on your goal. Do you want to lose weight, maintain it, or, conversely, gain it? In cases where it is necessary to lose or increase weight, it is wiser to start by consulting a professional nutritionist who will help you adjust your diet. If you want to maintain weight, then follow these rules:

• If we talk about energy value, then the distribution of calories among meals should be as follows: each meal, 40% of calories should come from carbohydrates, 30% from proteins and 30% from fats.
• The optimal composition of the main meal is 150 g of proteins + 200 g of carbohydrates + fats. What fats do I recommend? You can choose one thing from this list: 1 tbsp. l. olive oil, 1 g butter, ½ avocado or 50 g cheese.

Portions for men may be slightly larger than for women, and here you should focus on calorie counting. With average physical activity, a woman needs 1800–2000 calories per day, a man – 2000–2200.

Your optimal portion, in grams:

• Meat – 150–200
• Poultry – 150–200
• Fish and seafood – 200–300
• Dry paste – 60–100
• Dry cereals – 60–100
• Pizza – 2–3 pieces 150 each
• Dumplings – 250–300
• Soups – 300
• Potatoes – 200–300
• Cottage cheese – 100–200
• Yoghurts – 150–200 (1 glass)
• Vegetables – 300
• Fruits – 150–300
• Nuts – 20–30
• Sweets (it’s better not to eat them at all, but this is in an ideal world) – 1 cake / piece of cake / bun 80

How to evaluate portions in a restaurant?

Portions in restaurants, cafes and other establishments are usually larger than what we prepare for ourselves at home. For example, a standard serving of cola in fast food restaurants is usually 400 ml, and the largest is 1123 ml, which is much larger than the standard serving size of 250 ml. A chocolate muffin from a coffee shop weighs about 110 g, and from a supermarket - 75 g. The volume of standard coffee is 300-350 ml, and a large cup can be up to 500 ml. And if the drink is prepared with milk and syrup, then its energy value can reach 350 kcal - a real dessert! Servings of salad, soup or pasta in many restaurants exceed what we would eat at home. All this contributes to an increase in home portions, since those who often eat in cafes and restaurants get used to large volumes.

“In a restaurant, always evaluate dishes by the amount of fat - by adding butter and sauces, the calorie content can increase significantly,” explains Anna Ivashkevich

. – Look at the menu for the grams of the dish, and if you carefully watch your figure, you can ask for a map of dishes by calorie content and composition. Every restaurant has it.

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Acceleration of metabolism

Cottage cheese is rich in B vitamins, which normalize metabolism and promote the processing of carbohydrates into energy. Vitamin B12 optimizes brain function and helps better absorb iron, amino acids, fats and proteins. All of these beneficial substances work together as a natural metabolism booster. A well-functioning metabolism helps the body better absorb food, a person becomes more alert, energetic, and productive.

Calculation of KBZHU

This method is quite accurate; calculations can be made for specific purposes.

Photo: istockphoto.com

Plus:

absolutely individual approach.
Disadvantage:
people with an eating disorder find it difficult to adhere to this regime, since calculations, overeating, undereating, and lack of brain-body communication lead to an even greater deterioration of this condition.

Palm method

It is somewhat reminiscent of the “plate” method, but in this case the measurements are made with the palm of a person. Adherents of this method believe that everyone has a unique hand size, so the portion will be suitable for a specific person.

Plus:

You can measure a portion anywhere, all nutrients are taken into account, you don’t have to count calories.
Minus:
no individualization for a person.

But here it is worth remembering that a large portion of the right foods will always be lower in calories than a small portion of sweets, baked goods or fast food.

“Healthy” foods that can make you gain weight

The morning is more satisfying than the evening

But the serving size depends not only on the composition of the product. It is necessary to remember the time of day.

• In the evening, portion sizes should be reduced and eat low-calorie foods that the body can easily absorb.
• In the morning, on the contrary, you need to have a hearty breakfast so that you have enough energy to wake up, and on the way to work, and until lunch. For breakfast, you can combine proteins (meat, poultry, fish), carbohydrates (whole grain cereals, vegetables) and healthy vegetable fats (no more than 1 tsp). This will allow you to stay full longer and not indulge in starchy and sweet snacks.

Improving the health of the female body

Gynecologists, following nutritionists, strongly advise eating cottage cheese regularly. Why? Because it is rich in proteins, calcium and vitamin D, which help stabilize menstruation and have a beneficial effect on hormonal levels. Cottage cheese also helps prevent the occurrence of breast cancer, thanks to the same calcium and vitamin D. Long-term studies have shown that a high content of these substances in a woman’s body is an excellent prevention of breast cancer.

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"Food Pyramid"

It is useful to know the “food pyramid” developed at Harvard. It is considered the basis of proper nutrition. It suggests the number of servings of foods consumed:

• Vertex. Consume products rarely. This is butter, bread, polished rice, red meat;
• Dairy products, including cheese. One serving per day;
• Legumes, nuts. They can be consumed, but not exceeding 3 servings per day;
• Vegetables (excluding starchy ones) and fruits. Optimally 2-3 servings of fruits and 3-5 vegetables;
• Base. Cereals and oils (various types of vegetable). 6-8 grain servings and the same amount of oils.

Don’t think that the word “portion” means a full plate. A serving of nuts, for example, is 15 grams. Based on this “pyramid” you should make your diet.

PP oatmeal in the morning: all the secrets

I won’t talk at length about the benefits of oatmeal porridge in the morning; everyone who is not too lazy has written about it.

Let me just say that these are slow carbohydrates, have a low glycemic index, which means they guarantee a long-lasting energy boost, as well as a lot of vitamins, minerals, etc.

All these “buns” can only be obtained from good, high-quality flakes.

For a pp-manufacturer, the main indicator of quality is minimal processing

.

That is, the larger the flakes, the longer the manufacturer recommends cooking them, the better! And one more sign - it should contain only oatmeal! No dried fruits, nuts, etc. It makes more sense to add all this yourself; perhaps fatty nuts or high-calorie raisins do not fit into yours.

Your oatmeal will be made with milk or water,

see for yourself. It’s more familiar and tastier with milk, and there are more benefits in such porridge. But if your body does not accept lactose or you simply for some reason do not want to consume dairy, then cook with regular clean water.

Oatmeal is often perceived by PP people as a “boring” porridge, they say, they get tired of the same thing every day. It’s important to be creative here, because you can add anything to oatmeal - from a regular apple to meat or even fish! I'll include some great combinations in the recipes.

You can cook dietary oatmeal porridge in different ways; there is no better or worse recipe. I will share the main basic options with proportions and calorie content and nutritional value, and you can choose what you like best.

Weight loss

Another pleasant change that can be felt with regular consumption of cottage cheese is weight loss. Scientists have discovered an amazing fact: cottage cheese is a natural fat burner. It speeds up metabolism and helps you lose weight even without doing grueling exercises. Nutritionists conducted an experiment in which two groups of participants received the same diet. But one group ate cottage cheese and did not exercise, and the second group did exercises instead of eating cottage cheese. As a result, participants in both groups lost the same amount of weight. Therefore, if you want to lose weight, you can simply include cottage cheese in your daily diet.

Step-by-step detailed recipe for porridge with milk

I'll start with my favorite oatmeal - cooked in a mixture of milk and pure plain water.

Not only me, but also my children and husband eat this porridge.

This recipe uses instant cereal, but the tastier and healthier ones are those that need to be cooked for longer than 7 minutes.

Nutritional value per 100 g:

1. Calories: 73
2. Proteins: 2,6
3. Fats 04
4. Carbohydrates: 15

Calorie content per serving without additives: 194 kcal

Ingredients for 1 serving:

• milk with minimal fat content - 120 ml
• water - 100 ml
• cereal - 3 tbsp.
• salt - a pinch

Process step by step:

Pour the milk into a small deep saucepan. We put it on fire.

Add regular clean water. The result should be about a glass of liquid.

Add the flakes and salt and mix.

After boiling, stir again and turn off. Cover with a lid and let steep for 5-10 minutes. If the flakes are large, let them simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes. No longer needed.

Water oatmeal recipe

You can also cook oatmeal with raisins and apples using water.

This method differs from the previous one, since the flakes are boiled with dried fruits.

Raisins can be replaced with dried apricots, dried strawberries, etc.

From the specified amount of ingredients, one serving of oatmeal is obtained, weighing 290 grams. KBJU of the entire serving: calories – 204.5, proteins – 6.4, fats – 3.2, carbohydrates – 37.4.

If you don’t need a diet, just add a teaspoon of honey after cooking. Just a little - a sweet apple and raisins too.

You will need for 1 serving:

• oat flakes – 50 g
• 200 ml purified water
• 40 grams of apple
• 5 grams of raisins
• a little salt
• You can add ground cinnamon to taste.

Preparation:

Rinse the raisins in warm water and place in a saucepan along with the rolled oats. Fill with water and turn on the gas to maximum.

Wait for it to boil, cover the pan with a lid and simmer over low heat until the water has completely boiled away. This will take approximately 5 minutes.

Peel the apple from seeds and peel, finely chop or grate.

Mix with oatmeal. You can sprinkle with ground cinnamon and top with low-fat yogurt.

The apple can be replaced with a pear, banana, fresh apricots or plums.

Muscle strength and elasticity

Cottage cheese is an excellent source of milk protein, which is a building material for muscles. This is why bodybuilders eat cottage cheese every day before bed. The amino acids contained in cottage cheese are excellent nutrition for muscles. If you want to tighten your muscles, make them more elastic and sculpted, then you should start eating cottage cheese daily.

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Strengthening Bones

Everyone knows that cottage cheese strengthens bones and teeth. After all, it contains a large amount of calcium. 200 grams of cottage cheese contains 28% of the daily calcium intake for an adult. But you need to consume cottage cheese regularly, preferably throughout your life, from early childhood. And for women during pregnancy, this is a must-have product, as it reduces the risk of osteoporosis and has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.

Recipe for the laziest without cooking

If mornings are always hard for you, then prepare porridge in the evening. Moreover, it’s not difficult to do this at all - you don’t even need to cook anything!

You will need:

• glass of water (or mixture with milk)
• 3 tbsp. dry oatmeal
• salt, stevia - to taste

It's simple:

1. Boil the liquid (you can even use it in the microwave).
2. In a deep bowl, mix the flakes with salt and sweetener. You can add some dried fruits and nuts.
3. Pour boiling water, stir, cover with a lid or a flat plate.
4. In the morning the porridge is ready! This one even contains more useful substances.

Final advice from experienced pp specialists

Instead of liquid, try taking dried fruit compote or even any juice - it doesn’t even turn out to be porridge, but some kind of fruit dessert.

In general, don’t be afraid to get creative - lemon zest, turmeric, flax seeds, almond flakes, dried or dried berries, coconut flakes or coconut milk - all this will give new tastes.

By the way, there is debate about the dangers of oatmeal. There is even a widespread belief that eating it every day is dangerous, since the flakes contain a substance that flushes calcium from the body. I think this is exaggerated (some people like to instill fear), and no one has canceled high-quality vitamins. At least I haven’t met a single oatmeal lover with bone and joint health problems.