Serving Size Is Not What You “should” Eat
It is good to be able to estimate the size of products . Two tablespoons of peanut butter makes a lump about the size of a ping pong ball or, if you prefer, Eos lip balm . But that doesn’t mean you should eat a serving.
I can’t count the number of handy guides that say we “should” eat meat in three-ounce portions, or times I’ve heard someone guiltily comment on how we need more food than we do in a portion. like a lean kitchen or a blue apron.
This article , for example, starts with a three ounce serving of meat equal to the size of a deck of cards or a bar of soap. So far, so good. But then he starts calling it “the recommended serving size” and gives advice on how to stick to smaller amounts.
If you’re going to think too much about how much to eat, think hard. Figure out how much meat or peanut butter makes sense for your goals , and use the clever tricks as a measurement tool. So if you’ve budgeted a tablespoon of peanut butter, think to yourself “half a ping-pong ball” as you measure it. Or, if you’re on a high protein plan, you might be comparing chicken breast size to two decks of cards rather than one. After all, using the same size portions across the board is not the best path to health.