8
Food and Nutrition
Portions and
Servings:
What is the
Difference?
www.YourWeightMatters.org
Nutrition Facts
8 servings per container
Serving size 2/3 cup (55g)
Amount per serving
Calories 230
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 160mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 12g
Includes 10g Added Sugars 20%
Protein 3g
Vitamin D 2mcg 10%
Calcium 200mg 15%
Iron 8mg 45%
Potassium 235mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving
of food contributes to a daily diet. 2000 calories a day is used for
general nutrition advice.
1
2
3
4
5
6
A portion is how much food you eat at one time.
A serving is the amount of food suggested on the
Nutrition Facts or food label.
Did you know the most important information
about food is often printed on the back or side of
a food product? That is where the Nutrition
Facts for every food can be found. One of
those facts is the serving size. Each food has
its own suggested serving size from 13
pretzels to 250 ml of milk or 1oz of cooked
boneless, skinless chicken.
Sometimes a serving is the entire container
(a yogurt cup or canned beverage) and
sometimes there are many servings in one
container (a bag of frozen peas). Servings
are based on an “average” 2,000 calorie
diet. It might be suggested that you
consume fewer calories to lose or maintain
weight. A dietitian can work with you to
adjust the serving size listed on a package
to be a portion that works best for you.
1 Servings per container and serving
size: Compare your portion size to the
serving size listed on the label. If the label
serving size is one cup, and you eat two
cups, you are getting twice the calories, fat
and other nutrients listed on the label.
2 Calories per serving: The number of
calories in a single serving.
3 Total fat: These numbers let you know how
much total fat is in each serving as well as
the amount of saturated or trans fats (fats to
avoid) in each serving.
4 Sodium: The amount of sodium (salt) in a
single serving. It is suggested you limit total
sodium intake to 2,400 mg per day, which is
less than 1 teaspoon.
5 Added sugars: The amount of sugar added
to a product. It is advised to limit the amount
of added sugars to 10 percent or less of your
total calories per day.
6 Daily vitamins: These numbers show the
amount of needed daily vitamins per serving.
Getting enough vitamins is important in
maintain a healthy life.
/www.YourWeightMatters.org