Introduction: Maintaining a healthy weight requires controlling your food portions. The US "Live Strong" website recently published a simple and practical "New Guide to Controlling Food Calories with Your Hands" from the US Precision Nutrition organization.
The guide points out that the size of your hands is closely related to your body size, muscles, and bones. Therefore, everyone's hands are actually a highly personalized "measuring tool" for optimal food intake.
1. Protein: For men and women, the portion per meal is equivalent to 2 palm-sized and 1 palm-sized servings, respectively. The amount should be comparable to the size and thickness of your palm. This includes meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, and legumes.
2. Vegetables: For men and women, the portion per meal is equivalent to 2 fist-sized and 1 fist-sized servings, respectively. The thickness and diameter of the vegetables should be comparable to your fist. This includes broccoli, spinach, lettuce, carrots, etc.
3. Carbohydrates: For men and women, the portion per meal is equivalent to one cupped handful and half a cupped handful, respectively. This includes grains, starchy foods, etc.
4. Fats: For men and women, the portion per meal is equivalent to 2 thumb-sized and 1 thumb-sized servings, respectively. This includes edible vegetable oils, butter, nut oils, and plant seeds.