Eating Healthy Portions - Why Portion Size Is Important

You may think you are eating healthy portions, but you may be wrong

The ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle held that moderation is the key to good health. He said it "is the desirable middle between two extremes, one of excess and the other of deficiency."

Eating healthy food is as important as the portion size. If the portion size in too small or too big, it will lead to eating too little or too much.

When you are told to eat a healthy portion, do you know what the exact size of the portion is?

In spite of researching on the internet for the meaning of eating healthy portions, all I could find is that there is a vast difference in the actual size of the portion, particularly when compared to the portion size a few years ago.

Larger portion sizes of food

There is great and valid concern on the obesity epidemic, which has beset the western world. Obesity leads to many diseases.

What went wrong over the past few years? Why are portion sizes larger now than ever before?

Normally the body tells you when you are hungry and when you feel full. But it seems that as portion sizes increase, the body's appetite also increases.

Are we getting enough nutrients from our food?

Unfortunately, there is increasing dependence on fast foods, ready to eat foods and junk foods. These foods have lots of empty calories and lack nutritional value.

Whether these are packaged cereals, hamburgers, doughnuts, pizzas or what have you, their manufacture is commercialized and so they do not provide good nutritional value. They are made of cheap ingredients, highly refined with lots of additives and preservatives.

Eating healthy portions - avoid refined food

When you eat refined foods, you are eating foods, which have been processed so that their inherent goodness is removed. The food has also been chemically altered so that there is consistency in taste. This kind of food cannot provide the nutritional value that the body needs.

Eating healthy portions - add fiber to your diet

Refined foods do not contain fiber. And fiber is essential to eliminate waste from the body. Though it is indigestible, it helps in adding bulk to your food, so that you feel full. Some fiber is necessary for the digestive system to function properly. When you add fiber to your daily diet, you can actually reduce the quantity of food that you eat.

Eating healthy portions - balance your food intake

If your diet consists mainly of refined foods bought from the supermarket, fast food chains or ready to eat foods, you are doing a great disservice to your body and to your health. You are not only increasing your calorie intake, but also making sure that your body lacks nutrition.

As a result, you can become prone to many diseases, your immunity levels go down and your energy is depleted.

Recent studies have shown that Americans are eating even less of vegetables and fruits than ever before. What you should do is not only control portion size, but also see that what you are eating is healthy.

Eat more of fresh foods, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and complex carbohydrates. Less of fats, empty calorie foods and a balanced diet will help you reduce weight, be more energetic and help you stave off disease as well.