Understanding Food Labels

Let’s Start at the Beginning: Serving Size

People often overlook or don’t understand a food’s serving size. It’s important to pay attention to portion size to make sure you’re not eating too much (which could lead to weight gain) or too little (not getting the full nutritional value). Some foods may claim to be 100 calories, but, really, their serving sizes are very small. If food scales or measuring cups are not at your disposal, use your hand to help gauge how much you should be eating. The size of an adult fist is about a cup (a serving of dry cereal), your thumb is the size of a tablespoon (half a serving of peanut butter), and your pointer finger is about 1.5 ounces (a serving of cheese).

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Review Date: 
September 22, 2014

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Last Updated:
September 22, 2014