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Understanding Food Portion Sizes

Eating well isn’t just about choosing the right foods; it’s also about eating the right amounts. Understanding portion sizes and how to keep track of what you’re eating at home can make a big difference to your overall health and wellbeing. This guide will help you navigate portion sizes with ease, helping you eat according to UK government-recommended intakes and in turn, maintain a happy, healthy gut.

Why Portion Sizes Matter

Eating suitable portion sizes is crucial for balanced nutrition. It ensures you get the nutrients your body needs without overconsuming calories. Overeating can lead to gut symptoms like bloating, indigestion, and discomfort. Maintaining appropriate portion sizes can help your digestive system function smoothly.1 Additionally, it also helps maintain a healthy weight, reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.2,3

 Our top 3 Tips for Controlling Portion Sizes

Understanding serving sizes according to UK guidelines (NHS) is a great starting point.4 At Love Your Gut, we would like to share our top three tips for helping you to control your portion sizes when at home.

  1. The Hand Portion

Did you know that you can use your hand as a guide for different food portion sizes? For example, aim for at least five portions of fruits and vegetables per day, with each portion being roughly the size of your fist or the equivalent to 80 grams.5 A serving of meat or fish should be about the size of your palm, while a portion of butter and oils is around the size of your thumb.  For carbohydrates, one serving of pasta or rice is approximately the size of a tennis ball. Use our handy guide below!

  1. Swap for smaller dishes

 Another trick is to use smaller plates and bowls. Believe it or not, studies show that we tend to eat more when using larger plates.6 By swapping to smaller dishware, you can better control your portion sizes and avoid overloading your plate, without noticing a change.

  1. Stop the mindless munchies

Snacking is another area where portions can sneak up on us. Instead of eating directly from the packet, portion out a single serving to avoid mindless munching. It’s much easier to control how much you eat when you can see it in front of you. For more tips, check out NHS Eatwell Guide. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/the-eatwell-guide/ 7

 

Connecting Portion Sizes to Gut Health

Overeating can disrupt the balance of our gut bugs and may lead to digestive issues.8 Optimal portion sizes support beneficial bacteria that thrive on a balanced diet, producing substances crucial for digestion and immune function.9 Following UK portion size guidelines ensures a balanced intake of nutrients and fibre, essential for maintaining gut health and overall wellbeing.

Remember

Portion control is a key aspect of maintaining a balanced diet and supporting your gut health. By understanding serving sizes you can ensure you’re eating suitable amounts for your body. Remember, this isn’t about restriction but about making mindful choices that support your overall health and wellbeing.

Looking for gut-friendly snack ideas? Try out these recipes: Oat Bran Flapjack with Coconut and Sunflower Seeds, Aubergine Dip with Wheat-Free Pitta, and Chia with Maple Syrup-Coated Pecans. Happy eating!

References

  1. Cleveland Clinic (2023) Overeating, Cleveland Clinic. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24680-overeating
  2. Kraak, V.I. and Davy, B.M. (2022) Multisectoral strategies needed to establish healthy portion size norms that disincentivize hyperpalatable, energy-dense foods and sugary beverages in food environments linked to obesity and diet-related chronic diseases in the United States, Current developments in nutrition. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10111594
  3. Woods, P. (2022) Are you being served … too much?, World Cancer Research Fund. Available at: https://www.wcrf-uk.org/our-blog/are-you-being-served-too-much
  4. NHS (2022) 5 A Day portion sizes, NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/5-a-day/portion-sizes
  5. British Nutrition Foundation (2019) Find your balance – get portion wise!, British Nutrition Foundation. Available at: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/media/csapwcse/457881-2.pdf
  6. Hollands, G.J. et al. (2015) Portion, package or tableware size for changing selection and consumption of food, alcohol and tobacco, Cochrane Library. Available at: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD011045.pub2/full
  7. NHS (2022b) The Eatwell Guide, NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/the-eatwell-guide
  8. Conlon, M.A. and Bird, A.R. (2014) The impact of diet and lifestyle on gut microbiota and human health, Nutrients. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4303825
  9. Cleveland Clinic (2023b) What is your gut microbiome?, Cleveland Clinic. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/25201-gut-microbiome