Serving Sizes

Knowing how many servings of each food group you should eat can help you get the right amount of nutrition. However, we don't often hear about how much food is in a typical single serving. The following list highlights 3 food groups and the quantity of food in a typical serving:

For starches (grains, beans, and starchy vegetables), a serving can equal:

one slice of bread
one small potato
1/2 cup cooked cereal or 3/4 cup dry cereal
1/3 cup of rice
1/2 cup of peas

For fruits, a typical serving might equal:

one small apple
1/2 cup apple or orange juice
1/2 grapefruit
1/2 banana
1 1/4 cup whole strawberries

For vegetables, a serving can equal:

1/2 cup carrots
1/2 cup cooked green beans
1 cup salad
1/2 cup broccoli
1/2 cup tomato juice

A single serving of milk or yogurt equals one cup of fat-free plain yogurt or one cup of skim milk. A single serving of protein foods, such as meat or cheese, is generally 2 to 3 ounces after cooking (this is about the size of a deck of cards).

Two ounces of cheese or 4 ounces of tofu (about 1/ 2 cup) also equals a single serving of protein food. And a single serving of fats and oils? That would be just one strip of bacon, one teaspoon of oil, or one tablespoon of salad dressing. Examples of a single serving of sweet, or sugary, foods include one plain doughnut, one 3" diameter cookie, or one tablespoon of maple syrup. You should eat these foods only once in a while.

Eating sweets intelligently
Well, although sugary foods are not healthy for anyone, you can eat them in moderation. The key is to substitute these foods for other carbohydrates in your meal plan with the guidance of your diabetes care team.

That's because the total amount of carbohydrates you eat over the course of the day is more important than the source of the carbohydrates. Carbohydrates- in any form - tend to have the greatest effect on your blood glucose. Carbohydrates from cereal or rice and carbohydrates from cookies are each converted into blood glucose at about the same rate.

However, when you get carbohydrates from grains, fruits, or milk, you also get vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Cookies, cake, or ice cream, on the other hand, give you concentrated calories, little nutritional value, and lots of fat.

For more information on carbohydrate counting to keep your blood glucose as close to normal as possible, visit: The Joslin Clinic online.

Or check your local library or bookstore for The Complete Book of Food Counts by Corinne Netzer, The Diabetes Carbohydrate and Fat Gram Guide by Lea Holzmeister, or Calories and Carbohydrates by Barbara Kraus.