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Control your portion sizes by Denise Boutwell Dietetic Intern Portion sizes have more than doubled in the last 20 years. Today a typical size of French fries is 6.9 ounces and 610 calories, whereas 20 years ago a typical size of French fries was 2.4 ounces and 210 calories.   So why have these sizes increased? We were taught to get the most bang for our buck. If we dine out at a restaurant, we are likely to spend more money if we are served a larger portion, and we have been trained to think we are getting a good deal. This is where the term “value meals” originated. Instead, we are getting too many calories that may cause weight gain, heart disease, and diabetes. These diseases are not only costly to our bodies and quality of life, but are also costly to our wallets as we pay for more medications and doctor visits.   So how can we get control of our portions? One of the most important ways is to read labels and pay attention to the serving size. Measure foods. We are used to seeing larger sizes so we must retrain our eyes to know the appropriate serving size.   Here are some appropriate serving sizes: Meat, chicken, and fish should be 3 ounces or the size of a deck of cards. Pasta, rice, cereal, potatoes, and cooked vegetables should be half cup or the size of a tennis ball. Cheese should be 1 ounce or the size of your thumb. Butter or margarine should be the size of a stamp. Raw vegetables and fruit should be the size of a baseball.   Learn the appropriate serving sizes and then when dining out take home anything that is more than the correct portion. We need to stop thinking we have to join the “clean plate club” and stop eating when we are full. You should never walk away from the table feeling stuffed. That is a sign you have eaten too much.   Avoid buffets. It is almost a guarantee to overeat when going to a buffet. Remember portion control does not apply to food but also to beverages. It is just as important to read labels for beverages.   Another way to ensure we are eating appropriate portion sizes is when filling your plate, you should have vegetables, a meat or protein source and a starch. Vegetables are low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals. Additionally, vegetables provide fiber, which helps control hunger and often leaves us feeling full longer.   You can still have your favorite dishes but remember everything in moderation and stick to the appropriate serving sizes.     Friday, March 3, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island papers at 849-1778, ext. 201.