Johns Hopkins Health Alert
Serving Size Basics
Ever wonder how the serving sizes on food labels are determined? Here’s an explanation, in brief.
In the past, serving sizes were left to the discretion of the food manufacturer, but now the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the serving sizes that can be listed on food labels.
Because serving sizes are now more standardized, it is easier to compare the nutritional content of similar foods. It is important to remember that all the nutrient information on the label relates to the specified serving size.
The FDA determined these sizes based on national food consumption surveys on the amount of food usually eaten at one time. A list of "Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed Per Eating Occasion" offers guidelines for 139 categories of food and a suggested label statement. For example, cookies have a reference amount of 30 g, so the serving size in a package of cookies in which each cookie weighs 13 g would be two cookies (26 g). The FDA also requires that serving sizes be expressed both in common household measures (such as 1 Tbsp or 1 slice) and in metric measures (like 28 g).
Use the serving sizes on food packages to help you meet the recommended amounts from various food groups, to limit foods high in sugars and fats, and to avoid extra calories. If you're not sure how much of a certain food you're eating, use measuring cups or a kitchen scale to measure your food. For instance, it can be helpful to see just what a serving size of your favorite cereal looks like in your bowl.>/p>
Posted in Nutrition and Weight Control on November 25, 2009
Reviewed January 2011
Medical Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician. Click here for additional information: Johns Hopkins Health Alerts Disclaimer
Notify Me
Would you like us to inform you when we post new Nutrition and Weight Control Health Alerts?
Comments
Health Alerts registered users may post comments and share experiences here at their own discretion. We regret that questions on individual health concerns to the Johns Hopkins editors cannot be answered in this space.
The views expressed here do not constitute medical advice, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins Medicine or Remedy Health Media, LLC, which has no responsibility for any comments posted on this site.
Post a Comment
Already a subscriber?
Login
New to Johns Hopkins Health Alerts?
Standardizing serving sizes is wonderful idea. For people who wanted to resort to portion control for the purpose of weight loss or control, the old ways were a source of total confusion.
Now, at least, we can compare one brand to another without using a calculator. However, if you you talk about "1 serving" to anybody, you'll get the usual "...mmm! But How much is that?" Very few people out there are at ease with this serving concept, even when standardized.
The concept of "serving" is still too foggy and elastic. Conversely, a fixed amount like 100 grams, 1 ounce, 1 cup ...etc is readily understood by everybody. If "servings" really meant anything to people, meat would be sold by the serving not by the pound or kilo.
Figuring out the serving size of everything is enough to discourage a lot of well-intent dieters. The simpler it will become, the better it will be.
Posted by: heartMonitron | January 24, 2010 8:58 AM