A bowl of granola, high-fiber cereal, avocado on toast: three examples of breakfasts that you could consider a healthy option.
However, your nutritious start to the day may not be as healthy as you think, simply because you’re eating too much.
The United States is known for having larger portions than other nations, with foods and beverages available in enormous proportions, which may explain why nearly half of Americans are overweight or obese.
In the United States, a medium drink is 55 percent larger than a medium in the United Kingdom and a small is 89 percent larger.
An order of chicken nuggets from fast food giant McDonald’s in the US is double the size of the UK.
Chip bags and cereal boxes may advertise low calories on the front of their packaging.
However, the nutrition label on the back of the package often reveals that the low calorie count represents a minuscule serving size, such as just nine M&Ms or 11 cheddar and sour cream chips.
To illustrate how different perceived portion sizes are from those we’re told to limit ourselves to, DailyMail.com photographed both.
Slider images show the recommended serving size on the left and the amount the average American considers adequate on the right.
Malia Frey, health coach and personal trainer, said: “Granola is an easy food to eat without thinking, especially when consumed straight from the bag.” As a result, you may eat much more than just one serving.
Almond butter may have earned the reputation of being peanut butter’s “healthier cousin,” but experts told DailyMail.com that might not be entirely true.
Granola is a popular food to add to yogurt, trail mix, or just crunch on its own, but Americans easily overestimate serving size due to its calorie density.
“While many people consider granola a healthy food, some store-bought brands and even homemade mixes can be a major source of calories from sugar and fat,” said health coach and personal trainer Malia Frey.
To get 130 calories and 16 grams of fat, you can consume just one-third of a cup of a popular brand of organic oat granola.
Ms. Fey added: “Serving size is also an issue when evaluating the nutrition of granola. Some brands of granola list the serving size as a quarter cup. But many people eat much more than that. .
‘Granola is an easy food to eat without thinking, especially when consumed straight from the bag. As a result, you may eat much more than just one serving.’
Almond butter may have earned the reputation of being peanut butter’s “healthier cousin,” but experts have told DailyMail.com that might not be entirely true.
The food is extremely calorie-dense: The recommended two-tablespoon serving has 200 calories with 16 grams of fat.
Dr Carolyn Williams, dietitian and author of Meals that Heal, told DailyMail.com that the two foods are not that different.
Therefore, people who turn to almond butter may be overestimating the health benefits and underestimating the calories.
And those who believe almond butter is healthier may be more likely to overload on calories and gain weight.
The photo on the left shows an actual serving of M&M’s versus what the average American can take out of the bag.
The photo on the left shows a serving of 11 baked fries versus what the DailyMail.com team thought was a normal serving.
One serving of avocado is only one-third of the basic guacamole, but half an avocado is what most people use when preparing a meal.
The recommended serving size of cashews is a quarter cup, much less than most people consume as a snack.
While most people serve cereal until the bowl is full, the recommended serving size is much smaller.
The average American often reaches into a bag of chips or candy and grabs a handful of pieces or fills a large bowl with cereal without thinking that it is not an excess of food.
But those nine M&Ms have 140 calories and 14 grams of sugar. A handful-sized serving could contain up to three times as much, meaning you’re mindlessly consuming more than 400 calories and 24 grams of fat.
That’s the equivalent of a cheeseburger and a kids’ order of fries from McDonald’s.
The “healthier” baked potato chip alternative allows you to enjoy less than a dozen chips, which will cost you 120 calories. But the DailyMail.com team estimated that a serving size would be almost three times that, or 360 calories and 11 grams of fat.
Avocado is considered a “healthy fat” food, as long as it is consumed in moderation. Eating the fruit on toast, as a sandwich topping, or as a side dish for breakfast can be good for cholesterol levels only if you eat one-third of an avocado, which has about 80 calories.
But topping your omelet with just a few slices of avocado will exceed the recommended serving size.
The food is a good source of fiber and vitamins, but it lacks protein and eating avocado in excess can cause weight gain and nutrient deficits.
Cashews are considered to have a host of health benefits, including reducing inflammation, promoting heart and bone health, and improving brain function.
Like avocado, the walnut has a healthy portion of “good fat.”
But too much of a good thing is not always better. One serving of cashews has 190 calories and 14 grams of fat and 10 carbohydrates, but the recommendation is only between 15 and 20 nuts.
And popular grab-and-go snack packs, which deceptively exceed the recommended serving size, can contain more than 300 calories.
Serving size is especially important because 20 percent of the food’s fat content is saturated fat, which is higher than that of other nuts.
Cereals are a great way to start the day. There’s a flavor for everyone and a hard case for many meals. However, when serving breakfast, it can be tempting to fill your plate, thinking that one plate equals one serving, but that is far from the case.
The typical bowl in an American cupboard is much larger than the recommended serving, which is actually just one cup.
One cup of a popular honey oatmeal cereal contains 160 calories per cup serving, but when poured into a bowl the amount can be almost three times that.
Add a cup of whole milk and you’ll consume 630 calories, 100 carbs, and almost 30 grams of sugar in a single meal.
The serving size of pasta is just 2 ounces, much less than the typical half-box that typical American cooks make.
It’s been touted as the “golden liquid” that’s packed with miraculous benefits, but olive oil can be misleading when it comes to nutrition and serving size.
A popular ice cream advertises 350 calories per serving, but one pint actually contains three servings.
Pasta is a staple in any home, boil water and mix it with tomato sauce and you will have an easy, quick and tasty meal.
But Americans drastically overestimate how much of this food they should eat.
A serving of pasta is just 2 ounces, one-eighth of a standard 16-ounce box.
So while many Americans consume half a box, they are actually eating four times as much as recommended, which is about 800 calories and 168 carbs.
Almond butter may have earned the reputation of being peanut butter’s “healthier cousin,” but experts have told DailyMail.com that might not be entirely true.
The food is extremely calorie dense: two tablespoons provide 200 calories with 16 grams of fat.
And people who believe almond butter is healthier may make them more likely to overload on calories and gain weight.
Experts have told DailyMail.com that it’s easy for people to overestimate the size of a serving of almond butter and eat too much.
Fitness trainer Patrick Wilson echoed these thoughts in a 2021 TikTok: “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but almond butter is no better for weight loss than peanut butter.”
It’s been touted as the “golden liquid” that’s packed with miraculous benefits, but olive oil can be misleading when it comes to nutrition and serving size.
One tablespoon of the ingredient has 120 calories, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find an American measuring olive oil in the kitchen before drizzling it into a pan for cooking or pouring it over a salad as a dressing.
However, the oil is rich in healthy unsaturated fats and, unlike other cooking oils such as canola oil, has a wider variety of micronutrients such as potassium and vitamin K.
But it’s still extremely calorie dense and easy to overdo.
Ice cream is a sweet treat that everyone loves to enjoy from time to time. And while you may mindlessly move a spoon from the pint to your mouth while relaxing on the couch, you need to be mindful of how much you’re eating.
A popular chocolate brownie batter ice cream advertises 350 calories per serving; Once you look closer at the nutrition label, you’ll realize that the pint you just finished actually contained three servings, meaning you’ve consumed more than 1,000 calories.
Daily calorie needs vary by gender and height, but those servings could cost you more than half of your entire day’s calories.