Discussions on healthy eating and weight loss often focus on the types of food that should be eaten, such as low fat, low sodium and whole grain. And while choosing healthier foods is the cornerstone of any healthy eating plan, the benefits can be lost if you're not eating appropriate portions.
Often thought of as one and the same, a portion and a serving size are actually quite different. A serving size is a recommended amount of food you eat as part of a healthy diet determined by health organisations. A portion, on the other hand, is the actual amount of food that is served, packaged or eaten. Often there is a significant discrepancy between the two.
Portion sizes have consistently increased over the past two decades, and it's no surprise that obesity rates have followed suit.
Studies have shown that the more food that is put in front of someone, the more they will eat. Consuming overzealous portions is one of the easiest ways to unknowingly consume extra calories, which can quickly add up. It only takes an extra 500 calories a day for seven days to gain a pound.
Knowing what a proper portion looks like is the first step to healthy eating. Portions should be modelled after serving sizes outlined by healthy eating recommendations, most of which are broken down by food group.
Knowing what a healthy portion should be is one thing, but actually consuming that amount is another.
Last week I recommended picking up a set of measuring spoons and measuring cups to help with portion size. As simple as it may seem to eyeball appropriate portions, it's easy to overestimate. I recommend measuring food for at least a week until you have an idea of what a healthy amount looks like. Knowing how many servings of rice come with your favourite takeaway or how much a serving of cereal looks like in your cereal bowl will go a long way in helping you keep tabs on your portions.
While measuring utensils are by far the best tool you can invest in for a healthy eating meal plan, there are some other strategies you can use to estimate portion sizes:
1 cup (250 ml) = small fist
3/4 cup (175 ml) = tennis ball
1/2 cup (125 ml) = small computer mouse
1/4 cup (60 ml) = medium egg
1 tablespoon (15 ml) = thumb tip
1 teaspoon (5 ml) = dice
2.5 ounces (75 grams) = deck of cards.
Email questions to diet@thenational.ae
Here's a sample of healthy serving sizes based on Canada's Food Guide.
Fruits and vegetables: A serving is equivalent to a medium piece of fruit (100g), 1/2 cup (125ml) mango, 1 kiwi (75g), 2 medium figs (80g), 1 cup (250ml) spinach or 1/2 cup (125 ml) sweet potato. Adults should aim to get three servings of fruit per day, and four to five servings of vegetables.
Grain products: A serving is equivalent to 1/2 cup (125ml) cooked couscous, half 6-inch pita (35g), 1/2 cup (125ml) cooked rice, 1/4 nan, 1 slice of bread (35g) or 3/4 cup (175ml) whole grain cereal (30g). Adults should aim to get six to eight servings per day, choosing whole grain products more often.
Milk and alternatives: A serving is equivalent to 1 cup (250ml) milk, 3/4 cup (175ml) yogurt, or 1.5 oz (50grams) of paneer. Adults should aim to get two to three servings per day, choosing lower fat options more often (2 per cent milk fat or less).
Meat and alternatives: A serving is equivalent to 3/4 cup (175ml) hummus, 3/4 cup (175ml) cooked beans or lentils, or 2.5 ounces (75grams) meat. Adults should aim to get two to three servings per day. Choose lean meat, beans and legumes more often.
Fats and oils: Since fats and oils are very high in calories, you want to keep them to a minimum. Aim for no more than 3 tablespoons of added unsaturated fat per day. That includes oil used in food prep, salad dressing and condiments such as margarine or mayonnaise. Choose healthier oils and fats more often. That means olive oil and canola instead of palm and coconut oil.
MATCH RESULT
Liverpool 4 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Liverpool: Salah (26'), Lovren (40'), Solanke (53'), Robertson (85')
Getting%20there%20and%20where%20to%20stay
%3Cp%3EEtihad%20Airways%20operates%20seasonal%20flights%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi%20to%20Nice%20C%C3%B4te%20d'Azur%20Airport.%20Services%20depart%20the%20UAE%20on%20Wednesdays%20and%20Sundays%20with%20outbound%20flights%20stopping%20briefly%20in%20Rome%2C%20return%20flights%20are%20non-stop.%20Fares%20start%20from%20Dh3%2C315%2C%20flights%20operate%20until%20September%2018%2C%202022.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20Radisson%20Blu%20Hotel%20Nice%20offers%20a%20western%20location%20right%20on%20Promenade%20des%20Anglais%20with%20rooms%20overlooking%20the%20Bay%20of%20Angels.%20Stays%20are%20priced%20from%20%E2%82%AC101%20(%24114)%2C%20including%20taxes.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
if you go
Getting there
Etihad (Etihad.com), Emirates (emirates.com) and Air France (www.airfrance.com) fly to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, from Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively. Return flights cost from around Dh3,785. It takes about 40 minutes to get from Paris to Compiègne by train, with return tickets costing €19. The Glade of the Armistice is 6.6km east of the railway station.
Staying there
On a handsome, tree-lined street near the Chateau’s park, La Parenthèse du Rond Royal (laparenthesedurondroyal.com) offers spacious b&b accommodation with thoughtful design touches. Lots of natural woods, old fashioned travelling trunks as decoration and multi-nozzle showers are part of the look, while there are free bikes for those who want to cycle to the glade. Prices start at €120 a night.
More information: musee-armistice-14-18.fr ; compiegne-tourisme.fr; uk.france.fr
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.