There is nothing better than fresh scallops, seared to perfection by an experienced chef. From your favorite Italian trattoria to fine dining establishments overlooking the ocean, to popular sushi bars, you’ll find scallops on nearly any high-end menu around the world. Unfortunately, rumors are swirling all around the web that restaurants are trying to pass off stingray or shark meat as scallops.

Fact or fiction: do restaurants really use fake scallops?

A quick Google search for counterfeit seafood is sure to have your head spinning. Reputable publications like the NY Post and Fox News would have you believing scallop fraud is a rampant issue that you are likely to encounter on a restaurant menu. On the other hand, you’ll find peer forums like Flagler and the Hull Truth that claim fake scallops are a complete myth.

So what’s the truth?

A study by Oceana found that 6% of scallops tested were mislabeled, with most occurrences happening in Florida. However, in this study, the labeling error was not that they labeled a different type of seafood as scallops, but labeled one type of scallop as another. For example, one scallop labeled as a bay scallop was a sea scallop, and another labeled as a sea scallop was a common Japanese scallop.

The bottom line is: it is possible, but highly unlikely, that a high-end restaurant would try to pass off other forms of seafood as scallops. In an instance of scallop fraud, it is much more likely that the restaurant will be passing off one type of scallop as a different type of scallop.

What are fake scallops made of?

As it turns out, the most common examples of counterfeit scallops are made from… other scallops! 

There are other rumors that seafood including flounder, stingrays, shark, or skate are cut into circles using cookie cutters and sold as scallops. There is little direct evidence that this is the case, especially in high-end restaurants. In fact, these rumors may have started from a passage in the book Jaws, where flounder is passed off as scallops.

That said, seafood fraud is rampant, so it is always possible that someone would try to pass off another type of seafood as scallops.

How to identify fake scallops

Size, shape, and location are indicators to help you identify scallop fraud. Sea scallops tend to be much larger than bay scallops, and calico scallops are smaller still. If you order sea scallops and they are surprisingly small, there’s a chance that they are really bay scallops. Bay scallops are often significantly cheaper than sea scallops. Bay scallops tend to be sweeter and more tender than sea scallops, but are most commonly found on the east coast. 

Scallops vs. Stingray

On the off-chance that someone is trying to pass off stingray or skate as scallops, you will notice that every scallop is exactly the same size and shape in circumference, with a vertical taper from one end to the other. Real scallops will vary slightly in circumference, but fake scallops made from other types of seafood are cut to the same size with a cookie cutter.  

The texture of scallops and stingrays also vary greatly, with real scallops having fibers that run lengthwise. Stingray and other similar fakes will appear much denser and more solid.

Other commonly mislabeled types of seafood

A study by the FDA found that at least 15% of seafood was mislabeled in states including California, Florida, and Maine, 

Southern California has the highest rate of seafood mislabeling nationwide, according to a study by Oceana. There are high incidents of fish fraud everywhere from grocery stores, to restaurants, and even more commonly at sushi restaurants.

Aside from scallops, here are other common seafood swaps to watch out for:

• Red snapper labeled as tilapia, rockfish
• Chilean sea bass labeled as arctic toothfish
• Alaskan cod labeled as tilapia
• Atlantic cod labeled as white hake
• Wild/sockeye salmon labeled as farmed Atlantic salmon

How to avoid seafood fraud

So how do you avoid seafood fraud at the grocery store, high-end restaurants, or your favorite sushi spot? Start by asking questions about the fish: where and when it was caught, and whether it is farm-raised. If the price seems low for the quality they are claiming, chances are the fish could be mislabeled. If you buy from the grocery store, purchasing the whole fish is another good way to avoid fraud because whole fish are easier to identify than fish fillets.

Just a few years ago a co-worker/friend of mine offered me a small baggie of green powder, which she called “matcha” in a very hushed tone. She explained that she didn’t want the lady in the next cubicle to overhear because “she’ll come running over looking for a free handout of matcha.” Huh? Was this weird looking green powder really in such high demand? What was I missing? First of all, it was absolutely delicious. That was a pleasant surprise.

Little did I know at the time I was witnessing a movement…the Matcha movement.  This remarkable green powder appeared to be taking the world by storm. I may have been in the dark for the past few years but it seems as though matcha made its grand debut just a minute ago! Since I have been an avid herbal and green tea drinker for years, I felt as though I was coming late to the party.  It was time for some serious research.  Was matcha really better for you than regular tea? What, if any, are the health benefits?  Let’s take a look.

What exactly is Matcha?

The Chinese Buddhist monks first popularized Matcha almost a thousand years ago. Although it is from the green tea family (camellia sinesis), and shares many of the same health benefits, matcha stands alone on many fronts. Unlike other teas such as Black tea or Oolong, matcha is unfermented and so it retains the physiological signature of the plant itself.  To make matcha you must use the entire green tea leaf by grinding the leaf into a fine powder and dissolving that powder in hot water so that the entire leaf is consumed.  In fact the Japanese translation of Matcha is ‘ma’ meaning rubbed or ground, and ‘cha’ meaning tea. Yes, matcha is absolutely unique among other tea products. It is made of only the de-stemmed leaves, so it concentrates certain substances found in the plant.  However, the most significant difference is that the tea plant is grown in the shade prior to harvest.  This causes the plant to react to the lack of sunlight and push out leaves that are different than normal green tea leaves, resulting in a beautiful hue of green.

What makes Matcha so Unique?

For one thing, unlike most teas that require sunlight, the leaves of this green tea plant are purposely grown in the shade and have a higher amount of chlorophyll than is normally found in other green tea leaves.  This is because the plant uses chlorophyll to convert sunlight to energy, and the plant is striving to grow with less sunlight than it receives under normal growing conditions.  The result is a leaf with a fantastically complex blend of compounds. Higher levels of chlorophyll are not the only part of matcha’s unique profile.  Matcha is made from the wafer-thin layers of the entire leaf. Stems and veins are removed before the remaining material is delicately and slowly ground to avoid heating the plant material. This means that other compounds found throughout the plant are concentrated in matcha.

What makes Matcha superior to other teas?

First of all, the high concentration of chlorophyll in matcha is great for the human body on several levels. The mechanisms by which this plant compound interacts with the body are both varied and complicated, but also well known to science. This may be news to some, but chlorophyll is found in dark green vegetables, and how many times have we been told by our mothers, doctors, and dietitians to eat plenty of green veggies? More times than I can count. There is a long history documenting the many health benefits of this particular food group.  For the non-veggie lovers, you can now supplement with matcha.

In addition to the amino acids, vitamins and minerals contained in this superfood, another highly beneficial compound in matcha is EGCG. This is perhaps the most powerful antioxidant in all of nature and matcha has been found to have more of it than any other tea. Antioxidants fight in the body against free radicals, which are environmental toxins that attack our cells and contribute largely to the aging process.  EGCG has also been found to benefit the brain.

What role does science play in the popularity of Matcha?

Studies have connected the EGCG compound with lower levels of anxiety and depression.  Remarkably, it has also been associated with countering the impact of dementia. The effect of EGCG on the human body is clearly a field that requires additional study to be fully understood.

Although the benefits of chlorophyll are still being analyzed by science, a study published in 2014 found that adding chlorophyll to the diet resulted in greater weight loss over a 12-week period. (What??? Maybe I should have led with that statement!) This is in addition to an earlier study that found the same impact on mice that were being fed a high fat diet. Chlorophyll is thought to have worked with the metabolic systems of the body and created sensations of being full sooner, resulting in a lower caloric intake.

Are there any side effects to consuming Matcha?

Although the benefits of consuming matcha far outweigh the negatives, you must bear in mind that when you’re drinking matcha, you are consuming the entire tealeaf. That means the caffeine levels are higher than most bagged tea.  In fact, you may be consuming as much caffeine as half a cup of black coffee.  So if you have sensitivity to caffeine intake, you may want to abstain from the deliciousness known as matcha.

The bottom line

The bottom line is that I was indeed missing the boat on this super food. There are still many studies being conducted on the phenomenal benefits of this awesome tea.  While we wait for scientists to fully explain why these health benefits are so bountiful, perhaps some day they will also be able to explain why it’s so delicious!

Not only has matcha given us another healthy way to fight the ravages of our toxic lives, we can actually enjoy fighting those free radicals because it tastes so good!

I may have been late to the party, but now that I’m here, Matcha and I are together forever!

Insta-what?!

I don’t think I’m a real woman. I mean, biologically speaking I am. Anatomically everything appears to be roughly in the right place, give or take after 3 children. But when I admit to certain people that I can’t decide which I hate more, cooking or shoe shopping, they look at me the same way they look at Target and their gender-neutral restrooms – they’re just not sure what category I should fit into. Part of the problem is that I learned to be a mother in Japan, where if you don’t spend at least 4 hours of an evening lovingly sacrificing yourself at the 4-ring gas altar, you are not doing it right. How can I hate cooking so much when I have children? Well, feeding them is basically a necessary evil. The Jetson’s promise from my childhood of a machine that just does it all for you has yet to materialize. Miraculously, against all odds, we all seem to be thriving.

So asking me to write an article on instant pot accessories, is a bit like asking a fish to write a thesis on the War of Independence.

My first google search was “What is an instant pot?” Good start, I thought. It turns out these clever little contraptions DO kind of do it all for you. Instant pot rice cooker. Instant pot vegetable steamer. Instant pot something-else-clever-sounding-involving-cooking-times. A 7 in 1 miracle appliance for the kitchen that saves you time and money. The Instant-Pot cooking times are something like 20 seconds or thereabouts (I may be exaggerating slightly). Well, sign me up for some of that, please!

But – isn’t there always a but?! – these things appear to be almost as high maintenance as I aspire to be. This is not a case of plug in and go for it (that’s a separate appliance for an altogether separate article). These things come with more instructions and accessories than the Starship Enterprise. I believe a sexy captain is also an optional extra.

Googling “Instant pot sexy captain” didn’t yield quite the results I was expecting but was nonetheless an interesting diversion. For about 3 hours. Meanwhile, “instant pot accessories” took me into a whole new world, seeking out new life and new civilizations. I learned all about directional steam and rubber thingys. Which frankly IS a whole new world for someone to whom “instant” means “dial-a-pizza”. Here’s what I discovered:

I probably would be tired of my instant pot shooting steam up into my wood cabinets and creating a breeding ground for bacteria and mold if I actually had one, and didn’t associate mold with life-saving penicillin (my glass has always been of the more half-full variety). But this clever little InstaPot steam release accessory shoots it wherever you want to go. In my case that would be away from my cabinets and straight into my face for a dual action cooking-slash-facial steamer. DON’T try this at home kids.

Now this next accessory is something I DO know something about. It’s well known and generally accepted that steaming your veggies retains more of the good stuff than boiling the crap out of them. I’ve had a steamer for years, and although it works brilliantly, it’s a total pain in the arse to take out, put together, use, take apart, clean, store away, yada yada yada. So an Instant Pot steamer basket is frankly GENIUS and I would not be remotely surprised if they WERE on the original USS Enterprise, and if not, they bloody well should have been. You can bung anything in it (yes, “bung” is very much in MY kitchen instructions), give it a blast, and voila! Healthy veggies or meats or whatever else you wanted to get steamy with (within reason – these pots are not captain-sized).

Which brings me nicely to the rubber thingys.
Needless to say they come in different colors and sizes.

Now this is where I start to hyperventilate through sheer choice, but in a nutshell, your rubber thingys that seal your insta pot can degrade over time, and you need to replace them every 18-24 months, or when degradation sets in. They’re a bit like dodgy boyfriends in that regard, except that you can pick up brand spanking new ones on Amazon, and, like dodgy boyfriends, they come in various sizes and colors, according to your instant pot ideal size. Beyond that, I simply can’t say more without blowing steam out of my own orifices in every direction, so here are the options, pick your ideal rubber thingy accordingly. Or, if we are going to get all professional about this, your Instant Pot Replacement Silicone Sealing Ring.

• Silicone Sealing Ring SWEET and SAVORY (Two Pack Blue & Red)
  Fits IP Model IP-DUO60, IP-DUO50, Smart-60, IP-LUX60, IP-LUX50, IP-CSG60 and IP-CSG50
• Silicone Sealing Ring  (Two Pack White)
  Fits IP Model IP-DUO60, IP-DUO50, Smart-60, IP-LUX60, IP-LUX50, IP-CSG60 and IP-CSG50
• Silicone Sealing Ring 8 Quart Sweet and Savory (Two Pack Blue & Red)
  Fits IP DUO-80
• Silicone Sealing Ring 6 Quart (Two Pack White)
  Fits IP-DUO60, IP-DUO50, Smart-60, IP-LUX60, IP-LUX50, IP-CSG60 and IP-CSG50

So what do you get for the girl who already has the pot that does everything? Something to put (bung?) it on would be my guess. And this little set of mini-mitts, mat and sealing lid do the trick perfectly. And here was I in the OC thinking silicone only ever had one specific use.

The great thing about all these little gizmos, is that they are all made here in the USA by a small, family-run business called Instant Perrrt, who have these weird and almost obsolete old-fashioned ideas about excellent service, and getting to know their customers personally. I know! Rad!

Oddly enough, this little foray into the world of kitchen gadgets has got me starting to think….maybe….could I?…should I? Stay tuned as I report back on my google search for “whizz bang steamy kitchen rubber thingys that Do It All”…

How does your garden grow? Your inner garden is made up of trillions of bacteria that live on and in you – mostly in your intestines – and it influences your physical and mental health in ways you’ve never imagined. Some of the most exciting research on health and nutrition finds that  these bacteria – which constitute your microbiome – play a role not only in your properly functioning digestive system, but in weight control, cardiovascular health, immunities, and even moods and emotions. And just as a flower garden needs tending to keep weeds from crowding out the tulips, your inner garden needs tending to maintain a diverse mix of beneficial bacteria. Feed these bacteria the right foods and they will proliferate and keep harmful organisms out. But feed them junk and the bad bugs will flourish.

Feeding your gut

So what should you eat to keep your microbiome healthy? It turns out that among the best things you can eat are fermented foods, which introduce healthy bacteria to your gut and support the good bugs that are already there. Traditional fermented foods have been eaten for thousands of years across many cultures–originally because it helped to preserve foods. From sauerkraut in Germany to yogurt in Turkey, to kimchi in Korea, people have historically included fermented foods in their diets. But with advances in refrigeration, fermentation fell out of favor in our modern diet. These foods are rich in beneficial bacteria that break down the sugars and starches in the food to produce lactic acid. Once they arrive in the gut, these friendly bugs aid digestion by breaking down carbohydrates we cannot digest on our own. As a further benefit, the acid produced by this process helps maintain the acidic level needed in your colon to discourage growth of harmful bacteria like E. coli and C. difficile.

Because they promote the growth of beneficial or “probiotic” bacteria, fermented foods are sometimes called “probiotic” foods. As the importance of a healthy microbiome becomes better known, the popularity of probiotics as a nutritional supplement has surged. Dr. Nunley advises that it is always better to get nutrients from healthful foods if you can. And the best way to add probiotics to your diet is with fermented foods, preferably in small portions eaten with meals once or twice a day.

Adding fermented foods to your diet

The most common fermented foods are made from milk, vegetables and soy. It’s important that they be lacto-fermented, that is, fermented naturally to produce lactic acid. Avoid commercially pickled vegetables that are fermented with vinegar and then pasteurized, which kills the beneficial bacteria. Here are some suggestions for healthful fermented foods:

• Sauerkraut can be prepared with just cabbage, salt, water and seasoning. If you buy it, buy only fresh sauerkraut; heating destroys the friendly bugs. It provides a healthy dose of probiotic bacteria and fiber.
• Kimchi, sauerkraut’s spicy cousin, is served with every meal in Korea, either alone or mixed with other foods. It is loaded with probiotics and also with vitamins. It can be found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket or Asian grocery.
• Yogurt was better for us before it was pasteurized and the fat was removed and replaced with sugary flavoring. Sugar counteracts the probiotic benefits of yogurt by feeding the unhealthy organisms in your gut. If you don’t want to make it yourself, buy plain, full-fat yogurt with live, active cultures.
• Miso is traditional Japanese seasoning most familiar in miso soup. It is a fermented paste made from soybeans and other ingredients and can be added to many soups and stir-fries.
• Kombucha tea, is produced by fermenting tea using a “symbiotic ‘colony’ of bacteria and yeast,” and can be made with either black or green tea.

Maintaining a healthy gut

Adding probiotic foods to your diet is an important way of “planting” healthy bacteria in your inner garden. To maintain a well balanced microbiome, you must also fertilize the good bacteria with

prebiotics, foods that feed the good bacteria already present in the colon. Prebiotics contain inulin, a dietary fiber that survives the acid in the stomach and makes it to the colon undigested, where it becomes food for your probiotic bacteria. Good sources of inulin include bananas, asparagus, jicama, leeks, onions, and garlic.

And don’t forget to drive out – by starving – the bad bugs. The organisms that contribute to obesity, diabetes and other ailments thrive on saturated fat and sugar. They love junk food. Don’t feed them!

We still have a lot to learn about the microbiome and the role it plays. But we know that if we nurture the microbes that live with us they will return the favor by paying dividends in improved health and well-being.

You’ve likely seen the recent media stories about orthorexia, a term used to describe a pattern of disordered eating involving pursuit of dietary purity and perfection in the name of health. While orthorexia is not yet an official diagnosis like anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder, its effects can be just as damaging.

The surge in media attention is likely due to the surprise many feel when they hear that healthy eating can be dangerous. Aren’t we bombarded with messages about health every day? What about the push to eat more fruits and vegetables, to eliminate soda, to display calorie amounts on restaurant menus? In the face of the public obsession with health, and the claims that none of us are doing it right, it can feel confusing to hear that healthy eating can be problematic.

Eating a wide range of foods we enjoy is important for both physical and mental health; what and how we eat is of course important to our overall well-being. However, nutrition as it has been portrayed by the media can be problematic, as these sources often communicate a very narrow—and usually misguided—definition of which foods are okay to eat and which aren’t, and the lists vary greatly depending on the source. Think about the dozens of different ideas about what healthy eating looks like. For each of them, it is easy to find adherents who are adamant that their way of eating is the healthiest. But how can this possibly be true when they so often contradict each other? Following these food guidelines may not be inherently problematic (except that they all risk distancing followers from their innate hunger and satiety cues, not to mention natural taste preferences). A problem arises when an individual integrates these guidelines in an increasingly rigid manner and begins to attach morality and their sense of self-esteem to their ability to follow the rules. What may have begun as a choice to explore different foods becomes an obsession with dietary perfection. Once orthorexia is established (an insidious process the individual may not be fully aware of), eating behaviors are compulsive and the individual is no longer psychologically able to practice flexibility in eating habits. This compulsive need to continue the dietary guidelines is a very clear marker that an eating disorder is present.

A few different factors make orthorexia particularly difficult to identify.

The first is that many behaviors involved in this type of eating disorder are held up culturally as the gold standard of responsible eating. People who are very controlled with their diets and vocal about their pursuit of health are often complimented for their self-control, and others may idolize what they see as a virtuous approach to eating. Further, many people who struggle with orthorexia continue to eat regular portions at regular intervals and many do not see a change in weight because nutritional “perfection” resulting in “perfect” health, disease prevention and physical purity are the goals, not necessarily weight loss. Often, orthorexia  becomes so restrictive that the individual starts to exhibit symptoms similar to those in anorexia, but these symptoms needn’t be present before deciding there is a problem.

So, how to we differentiate orthorexia from a general interest in nutrition and healthy eating? Ask:

1. Have the food rules and list of permitted foods become increasingly restrictive over time?
2. Does the individual experience guilt, shame or anxiety when “forbidden” foods are consumed?
3. Do the individual’s food behaviors and beliefs prevent him/her from eating at social events?
4. Has the person decreased their participation in interests and hobbies not related to food, health and nutrition?
5. Is the individual able to eat freely at social events and share food with others, or do they tend to bring and eat only their own food?
6. Does the person demonstrate traits of perfectionism in other arenas of his/her life?
7. Does the person allow for different ideas about how to achieve health, or is he/she fixated on his/her approach being the only way to achieve ideal health?
8. Does the person’s ideas about food and health interrupt normal functioning at work/school, in relationships, etc?
9. Are they able to choose foods based on pleasure or convenience, even when those options don’t fit their definition of healthy?
10. Is the individual’s approach to exercise and fitness compulsive/obsessive?

Because orthorexia is not an official diagnosis, we do not yet have an established set of criteria to clearly identify whether somebody might be struggling with this disorder. Rather than serve to diagnose, the list above is intended to help identify those who might benefit from further exploration with a treatment professional who is experienced in treating eating disorders.

In the face of ever-increasing oversized food and beverage offerings, portion control remains a critical factor in maintaining a healthy weight and an appropriate caloric balance.  Indeed, many studies have demonstrated that increasing portion size increases calorie intake¹, which may be due to external visual cues overriding internal hunger cues or the natural tendency to take larger bite sizes from larger portions.^2,3   Furthermore, studies have shown that people do not decrease, but rather increase, calorie intake at subsequent meals after eating a meal with inflated portion size.⁴   It is generally accepted that when calorie intake exceeds caloric expenditure, weight gain results.  With these important considerations in mind, it is clear that proper portion control plays a key role in maintaining a healthy weight.

Today many people are counting their calories to manage their weight, which can be increasingly difficult as portion sizes of many foods continue to expand. For example, the National Institutes of Health reports that the bagel of today is about 3 inches wider and 200 calories more than the bagel of 20 years ago. Likewise, today a bag of chips generally contains multiple servings, and a single serving 1-ounce bag is often hard to find.  Restaurant meals have also become larger with an emphasis of getting more for your money.  While getting larger portions at low prices may appeal to the pocket book, Americans may be paying for it later when it comes to their health.

People generally are poor judges of how much they are eating, even if there is information available about appropriate serving sizes.⁵   Given this, using measuring cups, spoons and even food scales may be a good way to self-check on food and ingredient amounts when cooking and eating at home. Measuring may also be a good method when preparing food ahead of time such as portioning out pasta or salad to take to work the next day. However, this method cannot readily be applied when eating on the go.  Several techniques can be used to estimate portion sizes when utensils and measuring cups are not available.  The first is visualization, which involves thinking of common items in your everyday life and using these to visualize what a serving looks like.   For example, an iPhone 6S would be comparable to a 3 ounce serving of meat, a baseball would be equal to one cup of salad greens, and a tennis ball would be equal to a medium apple, orange or peach.  If your visualization skills are not the best, try using your hand or fingers.   One half cup of vegetables, rice or cooked cereal is equal to the size of an average woman’s palm. A cup of cooked vegetables or baked potato would equal the size of an average woman’s tight fist.  When adding fats or oils, such as butter, peanut butter, or oil to food, one tablespoon is about the size of the tip of the thumb.

Many foods also come pre-packaged such as yogurt or snack bars.  When choosing these foods be sure to read the label; at the top right above calories you will find the serving size and how many servings the product contains. If the label reads 1.5 servings per container, then eating the whole container would mean that you should multiply the calories per serving by 1.5. Next time you find yourself in a cafeteria, a drive-thru, or at a vending machine: stop, visualize and read the food label of any food you buy so that you can decide how much to eat based on your daily calorie goal.

Coauthored by – Eamon Lilly, BS, RD, LD, Laura Brennan, BS and Sarah Couch, PhD, RD from the University of Cincinnati, Department of Nutritional Sciences

 

References:

1. Zlatevska N, Dubelaar C, Holden S. Sizing Up the Effect of Portion Size on Consumption: A Meta-Analytic Review. Journal of Marketing. 2014;78(3):140-154.
2. Burger K, Fisher J, Johnson S. Mechanisms Behind the Portion Size Effect: Visibility and Bite Size. Obesity. 2010;19(3):546-551.
3. Ello-Martin J, Ledikwe J, Rolls B. The influence of food portion size and energy density on energy intake: implications for weight management. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;82(suppl):236-241.
4. Rolls B, Roe L, Meengs J. Larger Portion Sizes Lead to a Sustained Increase in Energy Intake Over 2 Days. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2006;106(4):543-549.
5. Portion Distortion. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Obesity Education Initiative. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/portion/documents/pd1.pdf. Accessed March 6, 2016.

 

 

As rates of overweight and obesity have been rising steadily, health professionals are scratching their heads trying to determine the cause. Is it genetics? Maybe. What about simple sugars like High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)? Possibly. Our sedentary lifestyles? Also a likely contributor. But none of these truly hold the key to stopping this epidemic. What if it all came down to portion size?

It has been estimated that over the past 20 years, the portion sizes of some of our favorite foods have dramatically increased. When compared to foods that were available in the 1980’s:

• The average restaurant hamburger is now 23 percent larger
• Sodas are now 52 percent bigger
• Pre-packaged snack foods like chips and pretzels are 60 percent larger

(Source: USA Today, 2003)

Researchers are discovering that when we presented with larger food and drink portions, we tend to consume more. When we are given less, we consume less. Additionally, when we are served a smaller portion we typically report the same level of satiety as if we had eaten the larger portion. These phenomena have been replicated by researchers time and again. If you are looking to cut back on your portions, there are simple ways to go about it. But first, we need to understand portions of some common foods along with some helpful reference sizes.

When you are on the go and cannot consult your entire set of measuring cups, use the reference sizes above. These will help provide you with a reasonable estimate of whether your portions are adequate or if they need to be trimmed down. When dining out, another helpful tip is to immediately cut your entrée in half and have the server place it in a to-go container. If your meal remains in front of you as you wait for the check, you will likely continue to pick at it and finish it off. That may equate to an extra 100-150 calories!

Another simple tip to help keep your portions under control is to simply serve your food in smaller bowls and cups and on smaller plates. A standard-sized plate is about 9 inches in diameter. When you purchase paper plates at the supermarket, most are this size. But when you dine out, restaurants often serve appetizers and entrées on plates that are twice this size. This often results in overeating. When we eat and drink from smaller dishware we typically eat less and feel just as satisfied afterwards.

Lastly, when we think about staying trim and eating nutritious foods it can be helpful to take a moment and examine your plate before you eat. When about half of that 9-inch plate is filled with brightly colored vegetables like spinach, red bell peppers, carrots, and tomatoes you are on the right track. Then, take a look at your grain and protein portions. About one quarter of the plate should contain a lean protein like fish, chicken, turkey, beans, or lentils. In the last section of your plate, be sure you have a whole grain carbohydrate like brown or wild rice, quinoa, or whole wheat pasta.

Large portions may be the new norm, but you now have the knowledge and resources to be a critical consumer. The simple steps outlined above, when followed over time, can lead to lasting health and wellness!