How much is a serving?

This topic contains 5 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by timmothysmith01 1 year, 8 months ago.

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

AntonioMS

9:58 pm
5 Aug 19
Permalink

In many recipes I find “calories per serving”. How much is one serving?

Example:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1089654/wild-rice-salad

Any help much welcome.

Quacka

11:52 pm
5 Aug 19
Permalink

Hi Antonio

Its very misleading when the recipe states 4-6 servings. I find the best thing is to download an app like My Fitness Pal or CalorieKing (there are other ones too) and enter the ingredients into it myself. This will give you an accurate figure for the calories and then you can divide it in to how ever many servings you like. If you would prefer to do it manually, you can buy a calorie book and work it out from there. Make a note of the calories per serving so that next time you make the recipe you don’t have to work it out again!
Hope this helps 🙂

AntonioMS

12:30 am
6 Aug 19
Permalink

Thanks Quacka, that’s more or less what I do, but sometimes it requires time to enter all ingredients and it’s be much easier to just use recipes that tell you the calories per 100g or so.
Even on Mosley’s books it’s not clear what the calories are, such as the fast800 book, it just says “x calories, 2 serves”.

Firefox7275

5:15 am
14 Aug 19
Permalink

AntonioMS:

To be accurate with calories and macronutrients all dry ingredients should be weighed, and all liquid ingredients measured by volume (measuring spoons/ cups).

BUT most lay people dislike recipes which are so prescriptive: in the US they use volume (cups) for dry ingredients; most of us would prefer “half a banana” or “one medium onion” to 80g.

Also bear in mind that the average size of a vegetable can vary from country to country with the climate and growing method, the sugar content of a fruit can vary with the variety or the season …

IIRC here in the UK the recommended adult serving size of any fresh fruit or vegetable is 80g. Hard cheese is 30g, plain yogurt is 150g, meat or fish is 100g-150g (size/ thickness of your palm).

As Quacka says, your own calculations based on your own recipe and own ingredients are the only way to be accurate.

Having said all that, Dr Michael Mosley and Dr Clare Bailey are not strict on calories. In the ‘Fast800 Recipe Book’ Dr Bailey recommends that

“you should not be too concerned by a few extra calories here or there. In fact, we have made non-starchy vegetables … into no-counting options, as the calories in these foods are insignificant compared with their nutritional benefits.” (p.15).

HTH!

daisybouquet

12:42 pm
15 Aug 19
Permalink

Hi

I think meat is supposed to be palm sized, fruit and veg roughly a hand full, grains 2 – 4 tablespoons (dry) depending on appetite. Jacket potatoes, probably small to moderate sized.

timmothysmith01

2:21 pm
6 Apr 23
Permalink

A couple or small family will be fine with one large serving bowl and two or three smaller ones, but larger gatherings will require one for each main meal that goes in a bowl (pasta, stew, and the like) as well as any sides that are frequently presented.