Aim for a Healthy Weight 

Keep an Eye 

on Portion Size 

NIH Publication No. 10-7414 

November 2009 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 		 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	

	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 		 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

		 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 		 	

	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	

	 	 		 	 	 		

	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	

	 	 		

		 	

Aim for a Healthy Weight
 

Keep an Eye on Portion Size
 

What is the difference 

between a portion and a 

serving size? 

Portion 

A portion is the amount of food

that you choose to eat for a meal

or snack. It can be big or small—

you decide.

Serving 

A “serving” is a measured amount

of food or drink, such as one

slice of bread or 1 cup of milk.

Some foods that most people

consume in one portion actually

contain multiple servings

(e.g., a 20-ounce soda or 3-ounce

bag of chips).

Anyone eating on the run or at restaurants has probably noticed that food

portions have gotten larger. Some

portions are called “super sized,” while

others have simply grown in size and

provide enough food for at least two

people. With this growth have come

increases in waistlines and body weight.

Above is an example of how today’s

portions compare to the portions

available 20 years ago. Additional

examples of portion distortion can be

found at http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/ 

portion.

Nutrition recommendations use standard serving sizes so people can know how

much of different types of foods they should eat to get the nutrients they need.

Although you can’t always control the food portions served to you in restaurants and

other places, you can control how much of the portion you eat. The amount you eat or

drink plays an important role in whether you maintain a healthy weight. You may be

eating more than you realize.

Knowing your daily calorie goal to maintain a healthy weight helps you choose the

right number of servings from each food group. Your portions need not match the

standard serving sizes—they can be larger or smaller. But, to stay within your energy

needs, the total amount you eat during the day should match the total amount recommended for each group. Some common food portions can equal the amount that is

recommended for the whole day. For example, one bagel may weigh up to 5 ounces,

which equals the entire day’s allotment of grains for someone on a 1,600 calorie plan.

Check the photos below for examples of commonly eaten foods. Visit

http://mypyramid.gov to learn more about the amounts of food you need to eat

from each food group to meet your calorie goals.

Grains 

6" wide

Brown rice 

1⁄2 cup

(1-ounce equivalent of

whole grains)	

Vegetables 

6" wide

Raw baby spinach 

1 cup

(counts as 1⁄2 cup dark green

vegetables)

6" wide

Whole-wheat cereal flakes 

1 cup

(1-ounce equivalent of

whole grains)

71⁄2" wide

Baked sweet potato 

1 large

(counts as 1 cup orange

vegetables)

Whole-wheat bread 

1 slice

(1-ounce equivalent of

whole grains)

Raw tomato 

1⁄2 cup

(counts as 1⁄2 cup other

vegetables)

calories] 350 [Answer:
31⁄4"

wide

3"

wide

Fruits 

Gala apple 

1 small

(counts as 1 cup fruit)

Orange juice 

1⁄2 cup

(counts as 1⁄2 cup fruit)

Strawberries 

1⁄2 cup

(counts as 1⁄2 cup fruit)

41⁄2" wide

For More Information 

•	 MyPyramid (U.S. Department		

of Agriculture (USDA)):		

http://mypyramid.gov

•	 Aim for a Healthy Weight:		

http://healthyweight.nhlbi.nih.gov

•	 Portion Distortion:		

http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion/

•	 We Can!TM (Ways to Enhance

Children’s Activity and Nutrition):

http://wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov

To Learn More 

Contact the National Heart, Lung, and

Blood Institute (NHLBI) for information

and publications on healthy eating.

NHLBI Health Information Center 

P.O. Box 30105

Bethesda, MD 20824-0105

Phone:		301–592–8573

TTY:		240–629–3255

Fax:		301–592–8563

E-mail: NHLBIinfo@nhlbi.nih.gov

Web site: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov

Adapted from the U.S. Department of

Agriculture’s MyPyramid, online at

http://mypyramid.gov.

TMWe Can! is a trademark of the U.S. Department

of Health and Human Services.

Milk and Milk Products 

Yogurt 

8 fluid ounce carton

(counts as 1 cup milk)

Milk 

8 fluid ounces

(counts as 1 cup milk)

Swiss cheese 

2 slices, 3⁄4 ounce each

(counts as 1 cup milk)

Meats and Beans
 

6" wide 4" wide

Chicken breast 

1 small breast half, cooked

(3-ounce equivalent of meat

and beans)

Cooked kidney beans 

1⁄2 cup

(2-ounce equivalent of meat

and beans)

Cashews 

1 ounce, about 13 cashews

(2-ounce equivalent of meat

and beans + 2 tsp oil)