LIVINGLIVING
T
he The British Nutrition
Foundation (BNF) has
launched a practical guide
to portion sizes: Find Your
Balance, to help people to
understand not just which foods to eat,
but how often and in what quantities.
In this way we can maintain a healthy
weight while eating a balanced diet.
The guide uses simple hand and spoon
measurements to help us all to estimate
appropriate portions when cooking and
serving food.
The BNF's new guide is designed to
complement the government's Eatwell
Guide, which also provides guidance on
the proportions of the main food groups
that make up a healthy diet.
To develop the portion size
guidelines, BNF's Nutrition Scientists
reviewed portion size guidance from
other countries, analysed portion sizes
currently consumed in the UK, and what
is available to buy in supermarkets. These
portion sizes were modelled in test diets
to ensure they could meet current food
and nutrient-based recommendations.
Based on this, guidance was developed
on how often to eat foods from the main
food groups and sensible portion sizes for
healthy adults, based on an average daily
calorie allowance of 2000kcal.
In order to provide practical ways of
estimating these portions without having
to weigh out foods, the BNF devised
easy-to-use measures for most foods,
based on using hands or spoons.
The BNF's portion size guidance
A HELPING HAND
A simple method (literally a handy
guide) can help keep 'portion distortion'
at bay and help us eat more sensibly
based on our own body's needs.