Can you guess how many servings are in one avocado?
Portion distortion in America is one of the main reasons why 70 percent of our country is considered overweight or obese. As the holidays approach filled with plenty of temptations for your taste buds it’s important to be aware of how much you’re actually eating.
A review published in the Journal of Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition showed that when people are presented with larger portions, they consumed more despite hunger levels and what their bodies actually needed for nourishment.
Avocado is considered a fat, and while it may be a “healthy fat” it is still a more concentrated source of calories when compared to protein and carbohydrates according to Tanya Zuckerbrot MS, RD, is a Registered Dietitian in New York City and the author of two bestselling diet books: The F-Factor Diet and The Miracle Carb Diet: Make Calories and Fat Disappear – with Fiber.
ANSWER: One avocado equals five servings
In fact, fats contain 9 calories per gram, which is more than double the 4 calories per gram that protein and carbs have. A serving of avocado is one fifth of an avocado, or about a 50-calorie portion–not a whole avocado. So that avocado toast comes in at around 400 calories and that’s not including the mimosa or whatever else you are consuming during that brunch
“The serving size that I don’t think anyone sticks to is one-fifth of a medium-sized avocado,” Keri Gans RD, the author of the Small Change Diet, tells Yahoo Health. “Most people think you’re supposed to eat the whole thing, like with any fruit.”
But consider that an avocado packs around 250 calories. “So it’s not the same as eating a whole peach, which is 60 calories. There’s a difference — and if you are watching your weight, you probably don’t want to eat an entire avocado,” Gans says.
LISTEN: November’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast Inspired by Ella Fitzgerald. We’re talking about encouraging people who have experienced diabetes health-related complications to stay healthy.
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