The Serving Size Secrets You Must Know

Quick Quiz: How many portions are in a bag of snack-size whole grain crackers? Or a small bottle of locally-pressed juice? Or a lunchbox pack of granola bars?
 
Hint: it’s not “one.” Often, the above products contain two or two-and-a-half servings per package.
 
Can YOU Eat Just One?
Sure, you could go ahead and enjoy just half the bag, but are you really going to do that?
 
Don’t beat yourself up if the answer is no: If you place food in front of most people, they tend to eat it all. It’s just the way we’re wired.
 
The Perils of Supersizing
Eating too much food in one sitting is hard on your body. Here’s why:

• Food is meant to be spread throughout the day. Overdosing on too much food at one time causes pain, upset, and sluggish digestion.
• A surge of glucose is released into your blood. Your pancreas has to work overtime, pumping insulin through the body to absorb all that extra glucose. This can make you feel spacey, weak, irritable, or headachy. And it can cause you to add on extra pounds.
• Thinking there is some type of emergency, your adrenal glands go into “fight or flight” mode and release adrenaline and cortisol, which is the body’s natural response to stress.
• When your blood sugar levels finally plummet, you experience wicked cravings for more food—specifically simple carbs or sweets.
• Research has found that immune system function is affected for at least five hours after consuming large amounts of simple carbohydrates.

 
5 Tips to Kick Portion Distortion

• At home, use a salad plate which, 50 years ago was the size of a typical dinner plate.
• Slow down. Chew well to aid digestion and give your brain time to register you’re full before you overeat. Digestive secretions such as stomach acid, bile, and pancreatic enzymes need time to be fully secreted. Burping, belching, and reflux can be signs that you've eaten too fast.
• Choose well-balanced meals to keep you feeling full and energized including high-fiber foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains; clean proteins like wild salmon and organic pastured chicken or eggs; and a bit of healthful fat such as olive oil, nuts and seeds.
• Carry your own snacks. Stock up on snack-sized containers and fill them with baby carrots,  nuts or see below for yummy suggestions. Though research shows that eating 3 well-balanced meals is healthier for digestion and blood sugar levels than snacking, if you feel hungry between meals, it's better to be prepared.
• Get enough water throughout the day. Often we mistake thirst for hunger.

If you've got to have a snack, maximize nutrients and control portions. Here, two recipes to get you going:

Apples, Almond Butter and Hemp Seed
The hemp seeds amp up this snack by adding a healthy dose of protein, iron, and fiber, and a good ratio of essential fatty acids including omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9.

1 organic apple (Conventional apples are very high in pesticide residue -- see the Dirty Dozen List from the Environmental Working Group bit.ly/2xs3Meg)
1 T almond butter
2 T hemp seeds
             _______________________________________________________________________
​
​Hummus and Cukes
I grew up with this delicious, easy-to-make hummus; the recipe was my mother's. Depending on how long you puree the ingredients, the more rustic or creamy it becomes.  It’s your choice.  Use a very good, fruity olive oil for delicious flavor. 

Print recipe

1 15-ounce can of chickpeas
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
1 clove garlic
½ t. freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
​1 T fresh rosemary or favorite herb, optional
Cucumber slices for dipping
 
Drain and rinse chickpeas well.  Blend all ingredients in food processor.
​
-Excerpted from Gutsy: The Food-Mood Method to Revitalize Your Health Beyond Conventional Medicine