Size Matters
March is National Nutrition Month, according to the American Dietetic Association, a time of celebrating—and practicing—good eating habits. No need to be perfect, just aware.
So maybe you have a good idea of what should be part of your daily diet, but do you know how much? Serving size is a tricky thing, something that can trip up even the healthiest of eaters. So, test yourself …
According to the USDA’s food pyramid, which of the following is not considered one serving?
A. One cup of pasta.
B. One cup cooked beans.
C. One cup of chopped vegetables.
D. All of the above.
ANSWER: D. Cut all those servings in half and that amount is officially one serving. As for vegetables, you need three servings a day (and the more, the merrier). One cup of beans is technically two servings—your daily quota—for the fish, nut and meat category, and two is all you need. And keep in mind that one heaping plate of Grandma’s linguini (three cups of noodles when she prepares your dish) may actually fulfill a whole day’s allowance of the bread, cereal, rice and pasta block of the pyramid.
—Barbara Hey
