North Dakota State University
Portion Sizes
When Foreign Foods are Americanized:
Everything Gets Bigger Stateside - Including Americans
Experts find that when ethnic foods are Americanized, the portion size grows -
in some cases, to double or triple the original size. This "size
inflation" is typical of the explosion in American portion sizes, which may
be responsible for the growing weight problem in America.
"Nearly 55 percent of Americans are overweight, and the obesity rate for America is much higher than for most European countries," according to Melanie Polk, R.D. and Director of Nutrition Education at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR). "A major reason people are getting bigger," she says, "is that their servings have gotten larger, and commercial food portions are a major culprit."
American Croissant Adds 100 Calories
A croissant in France weighs slightly more than one ounce and measures 15 inches in circumference. This classic croissant contains about 174 calories and 11 grams of fat. AICR found that American-made croissants are bigger. The plain croissant produced by the Au Bon Pain bakery chain, for example, weighs almost two ounces, measures 18 1/2 inches in circumference and contains 270 calories and 15 grams of fat.
"Another problem with American croissants," says Polk, "is the extra calories, mostly fat and sugars, of the popular versions that contain chocolate and other high-calorie fillings. The Au Bon cinnamon-raisin croissant, for example, contains 380 calories."
American Bagel Triple in Size
When Jewish bakers from Poland first introduced the bagel in the U.S., it weighed about 1 1/2 ounces, the size of today's "mini bagel." According to the Department of Agriculture (USDA), that size bagel would contain 116 calories.
Today's Americanized bagel has ballooned to 4 to 4 1/2 ounces. The ingredient list has also grown to include streusel, chocolate chips and other high-calorie additions. The plain bagel sold by Dunkin' Donuts weighs 4 ounces and contains 350 calories. "An added problem," Polk says, "is that people rarely eat a plain bagel without some kind of topping - and they often choose calorie-laden, fat-rich spreads like cream cheese and peanut butter."American Quesadilla Doubles in Calories
In Mexico, the classic quesdadilla is cooked in a 5-inch corn tortilla wrapped around one of many types of fillings, like the classic chicken and cheese. One serving of this quesadilla would contain 540 calories and 32 grams of fat.
By contrast, the size of the quesadilla served in many American restaurants has doubled. It is typically baked in a 10-inch wheat flour tortilla. Although requests to several local franchises and to corporate headquarters of both the Chevys Fresh Mex chain and the Chi-Chi's restaurants yielded no nutritional specifics, Polk calculates that one serving of the American quesadilla could contain over 1,200 calories and 70 grams of fat.
Fighting the Tendency toward Bigness
Because of size inflation, most Americans underestimate the amount of calories they consume, by as much as 25 percent, says Polk. "It's important to remember you don't have to eat the whole thing at one time."
Polk recognizes that when at home, it is not always easy to stop eating something before it's completely gone. She advises, "First cut the portion in half or even thirds and put away everything but one piece. You'll probably find you're satisfied with just half or a third of the original amount."This technique results in two positive outcomes. Polk points out that, "Turning an oversized portion into two or more servings means eating less calories and fat over time. That's true value - a health benefit as well as an economic savings."
Dealing with Over-Generous Restaurants
To deal with oversized portions in restaurants, Polk advises consumers to, "ask for half-portions, share an entrée with a friend, or put aside half of an entrée to take home." Since studies show
that people tend to eat everything served on the plate, she adds, "It would be smart to ask your server to pack up the extra half before you begin your meal."
AICR urges consumers to raise commercial as well as personal awareness. Customers need to let shop keepers, store managers and restaurateurs know that they're not happy with overblown portions.
"In general," Polk says, "people should 'size up' how much they're actually eating over the course of a day. They need to check serving sizes on food labels, for example, and serve themselves accordingly."
AICR recommends that people begin by taking a day to learn what a standard serving really looks like. Measuring out serving sizes described in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) "Food
Pyramid," or those listed on Nutrition Facts food labels, is a good way to "eyeball" some favorite foods. Polk says, "Taking a day to measure serving sizes is a small but wise investment in getting back on track to keep portions in healthful proportion."
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