How much food on the plate? At every age its portion

Taste, the quantity of food we consume and our food preferences evolve with everyone’s age and physiological needs: this is why the nutritional needs of a child will never be equivalent to those of an adult, nor, even less, those of a teenager will be similar to those of an elder.

For this reason , Reference Intake Levels have been established for the Italian population (LARN) which take into consideration the needs of all ages, from birth to adulthood. These guidelines have not only been established on the basis of age but also on gender, man or woman, evaluating the different needs in terms of macro and micronutrients.

With regard to the developmental age, it is very difficult to establish needs as the pace of growth, the stages of discovery and the environment determine a very variable energy expenditure in the child . These differences are then accentuated on the basis of any physical activity practised, use of the bicycle to go to school or means of transport, hours of sleep and play.

Differently, in adults the guidelines of nutritional requirements have been modeled mainly on the basis of an estimate of energy expenditure according to the type of work activity performed (sedentary, moderately active, active, intense) to which the adult usually devotes the greatest part of the time.

Further guidelines have also been defined for the elderly and for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

The meaning of portion

In consideration of LARN, reference portions have also been established for adults , i.e. «standard quantity of food expressed in g», taking into account the eating habits of the Italian population, the most common foods and methods of preparation.

Learning the meaning of a portion and the recommended amount of each food can act as a unit of measure in a balanced diet ; a valid strategy may be to calibrate some household instruments, such as spoons, cups and glasses, so as not to have to weigh the raw food every time.

For example, a portion of rice per adult (80g) is equivalent to half a glass; one serving of grated cheese equals one tablespoon.

Another equally effective method is to use your hands as a reference: for example, 2 fists will suffice for a portion of short pasta, a handful for a portion of dried fruit, and 2 thumbs together for seasoned cheese.

The latter method has been validated only in adults, for whom the standard portions of almost all foods have been defined ; for children and adolescents, since it is not possible due to the wide variability of their needs , the use of the hands as a unit of measurement for portions can still be useful for acquiring awareness of the quantities consumed .

How many servings of fruit should we consume each day?

3 portions of 150g or the equivalent of 3 open hands, 3 large fruits (bananas, apples, oranges) or 6 small fruits (apricots, tangerines, kiwis).

If the size of the hands differs from person to person, the needs also change: a child will measure his portion on his small hand, while an adult will consider his hand. Following this principle, the portions will change according to age and gender, always remembering that they are only “indicative quantities” for the healthy population.

Even more, trying to cook with your parents, handling raw food and seeing the transformation on the plate is a fundamental step to immediately establish a healthy relationship with food and good eating habits.

Some examples of foods you can measure with your hands, according to the British Nutrition Foundation :

• Leafy vegetables: 80g are equivalent to two open and coupled hands;
• Dried fruit: 30g= a handful;
• Chocolate: 30g= an index;
• Bread: 50g= palm of the hand;
• Pasta/rice: 80g= 2 handfuls.

Francesca Giopp for Madegus