Thursday, January 13, 2011

HealthTip: Grain Portion Sizes

In a previous post about portion sizes I discussed the size of 1 serving of fruits and vegetables. But ovcourse, our bodies require much more than just fruits and vegetables! I'll provide a few examples of the size of 1 serving of grains, dairy, and protein in this post to try and make this topic a little less confusing.
Most people need between 4-8 servings of grain products depending on their age, gender, and other health issues. Examples of 1 serving of a grain would be:
  • 1 slice of bread
  • 1/2 a bagel
  • 1/2 a pita/ tortilla
  • 1/2 cup of cooked rice/ quinoa 
  • 1/2 cup cooked pasta
  • 1/2 muffin
  • 3/4 cup hot cereal
  • 1 small roll
  • 2 medium rice cakes
  • 8-10 saltine crackers
It is recommended that at least half of our grains are whole grain, each day. Whole grains contain B vitamins and add fiber to our diet. Fiber is associated with greater cholesterol control and positive heart health.

For more information, take a look at Health Canada's Food Guide website: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php

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