A portion is the amount of food that you eat all at once. Portion control entails only eating what your body requires. Excess body weight is worth 140 billion tonnes of food waste (based on dietary excesses), far more than the 1.3 billion tonnes lost and wasted annually from farm to fork.
Obesity is a growing epidemic, with more people than ever struggling to maintain a healthy weight. Portion size increases are thought to contribute to overeating and unwanted weight gain. According to research, many factors can influence how much you eat, as people tend to consume almost all of what they serve themselves.
We all require a certain number of calories. They provide energy to our bodies to keep them running – for growth, repair, and involuntary muscle movements (like when your heart beats) – as well as for any activities we engage in. Based on the estimated average energy requirements from UK government nutrition guidelines, the recommended daily calorie intake for women is 2,000Kcal and 2,500Kcal for men. As a result, being mindful of how much you eat is a strategy for avoiding food waste caused by excessive food consumption while remaining healthy.
So you want to cut down on your carbon footprint? You should think about changing your diet. It turns out that eating healthy is not only good for your body, but it can also help to reduce your environmental impact. According to scientists, food production, which includes growing crops, raising livestock, fishing, and transporting all of that food to our plates, accounts for 20% to 30% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, 33% of our planet’s ice-free land is used to grow our food. However, changing our diets may change that.
According to a new study published in Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), if citizens in 28 high-income countries such as the United States, Germany, and Japan followed their respective governments’ dietary recommendations, greenhouse gases associated with the production of the food they eat would be reduced by 13% to 25%. At the same time, the amount of land required to produce that food could be reduced by up to 17%.
“A healthier diet leads to a healthier environment, at least in high-income countries,” said Paul Behrens, an environmental scientist at Leiden University in the Netherlands.
EAT WELL GUIDE
The Eatwell Guide, which replaced the Eatwell Plate as the UK’s healthy eating tool in March 2016, shows us the proportions of the different food groups that we should eat in order to have a well-balanced and healthy diet. Each group is important because it provides us with different nutrients. To achieve the proper balance, consume plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as starchy carbohydrates, lean meat, fish, eggs, or vegetarian alternatives, and low-fat dairy products. Avoid eating too many high-fat and high-sugar foods.
The eatwell guide is appropriate for the majority of people. Even if you are trying to lose weight and eating less, you should still aim for this balance of foods in your diet to ensure that you are getting all of the nutrients you require.
HOW TO CONTROL YOUR FOOD PORTIONING
- Always plan ahead of time when cooking: Most adults consume approximately 750 grams (1.65 pounds) of food per meal, including bread. We cook much more food than people can eat at home because we are afraid of not having enough food for the family or guests. To avoid overcooking, cook 30% less than usual; this will provide just the right amount of food for your guests.
- Use smaller shopping carts or baskets: When going to the supermarket, choose smaller shopping baskets whenever possible to avoid buying too much. Even if the shopping basket is on wheels, it may be preferable to carry it by hand. The larger the shopping cart and shopping basket, the more tempted you will be to fill it with food you don’t actually need.
- Use smaller plates and dishes. According to a Danish study, reducing plate size by 9% reduces food waste by more than 25%. Another reason for smaller plates: Brian Wansink, an American researcher, discovered that we don’t even notice when we eat 20% smaller portions. Meanwhile, we prefer our plates to be fairly full. You avoid overfeeding yourself or the trash can by reducing the size of the plate.
- Order only what you require: We can never predict how much food will arrive in a café or restaurant. As a result, it’s a good idea to inquire about portion sizes with the waiter. If the portion appears to be larger than you can or want to eat, split it or order two appetisers. And, for those good leftovers, requesting a doggy bag is always the smart solution to restaurant excess.
- Distribute extra food.
- Download the World Food Tracker https://intellidigest.com/services/food-waste-tracker/ to help you plan to save your food, save our health, our wealth and earth.
Keen to learn more about portion sizes? We recommend that you check this – https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/the-eatwell-guide/
Reviewed by Dr Ifeyinwa Kanu.