A guide to portions

The following gives you a guide to the size of an average portion for foods within each of the foodgroups used on the Supersize vs Superskinny diets given to the volunteers to use when they get home.

Breads, potatoes, cereals, rice, pasta

• Small bowl (about 3 heaped tablespoons) whole grain breakfast cereal or porridge
• 1 medium slice of whole grain bread or mini pita or small tortilla
• Half a medium pita, tortilla wrap, bagel or roll
• 3 rye crisp breads or rice cakes or 2 oatcakes
• 2 new (egg size) or 1 medium potato, half jacket potato, or 8 oven chips
• 2 tablespoons of mashed potato
• 3 heaped tablespoons/half a cup of cooked pasta, egg noodles or couscous (25g uncooked)
2
• heaped tablespoons/third of a cup cooked rice or barley (25g uncooked)
• 1 small slice malt loaf or 1 digestive biscuit or half a fruit scone or 1 crumpet, 1 scotch pancake

Meat, chicken, fish, eggs, pulses, seeds and nuts

• 50g (2oz) of cooked lean beef, pork, lamb, chicken without skin, turkey or oily fish
• 100g (4oz) of raw meat, poultry or oily fish (size of pack of cards)
• 150g (6oz) of white fish (size of a cheque book), seafood
• 150g (6oz) of Bolognese sauce or chilli
• 2 eggs (keep to about 6 a week)
• 4 heaped tablespoons (150g/ 6oz) of cooked beans, lentils, baked beans
• 100g (4oz) soya, tofu or Quorn
• 40g (1.5oz) of nuts, seeds or nut butter
• 75g (3oz) reduced fat hummus

Vegetables

• 3 heaped tablespoons of any type – fresh, frozen or canned
• Cereal bowl full of salad
• 1 medium or 7 cherry tomatoes or portion of low fat tomato sauce for pasta or on toast

Fruit

• 1 medium piece of fruit such as apple, orange, pear
• 1 cupful of berries or grapes
• 2 small fruit such as satsumas, plums
• 1 large slice of a large fruit such as melon or pineapple
• 3 tablespoons of canned or stewed fruit in juice
• 150ml glass of unsweetened fruit juice
• 1 tablespoon of dried fruit

Milk and dairy foods

• 300ml (½ pint) skimmed or 200ml (1/3 pint) semi skimmed milk or fortified Soya milk
• Small pot (125g) of low fat yoghurt, fromage frais or soya dessert
• 25g (1oz) cheese – size of a small matchbox (Cheddar, other hard cheeses, Camembert, Brie or Edam)
• 50g (2oz) half fat soft cheese
• 2 heaped tablespoons (75g) or small pot of cottage cheese

Oil, dressing and spreads

• 1 teaspoon of oil, spread, margarine, butter or mayonnaise (size of small postage stamp)
• 2 teaspoons of low fat spread or salad dressing
• 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise, salad cream or oily salad dressing
• 2 teaspoons of low calorie mayonnaise or dressings
• 1 tablespoon of gravy based on meat stock or white sauce
• 4 tablespoons of thickened gravy or sauce without meat juices and thickened only with cornflour
• 1 teaspoon double cream or crème fraiche, 2 teaspoons single cream, soured cream or half fat crème fraiche

Extras – Snacks and Drinks – around 100 calories

• Any two fruit servings
• Small pot of low fat yoghurt or one other dairy serving
• 1 slice of wholegrain bread with low fat spread and yeast extract
• 2 crisp bread with 50g/2oz tuna or thinly spread peanut butter or half fat soft cheese
• 1 crisp bread with 1 level tablespoon hummus
• 1 packet of reduced fat crisps
• 25g/1oz nuts and raisins
• 1 mini fruit bun, small cereal bar, mini chocolate bar or chocolate biscuit
• 2 jaffa cakes, or 2 garibaldi biscuits, or 2 fig rolls
• Small bag of savoury snacks (around 100 calories)
• Small glass of wine or half pint of beer or cider or 25ml liqueur or 2 pub measures of any spirit with a diet mixer

Salt

Not using salt when cooking – use herbs and other flavourings instead

Don't have salt on the table when you're eating

Eat as much fresh, home-made food as possible as it will be lower in salt than processed food

Try to limit how much processed food you eat such as savoury snacks etc.

With thanks to alimenta nutrition consultancy for this portion guide.

More on healthy diets >>

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