Recommended Healthy Portion Sizes for Vegans and Vegetarians

It seems that many people today, with the various diets and lifestyles, lack the essential understanding and awareness of recommended serving sizes. Often we we will look at that handy and insightful nutrition information label, but we'll overlook the little part that tells us exactly how much of the product the nutrition facts actually apply to. In general and contrary to the common assumption among many people, the 'Nutrition Facts Label Serving Size' is not related to the 'Food Pyramid' recommended servings.



It appears that today the serving sizes that are being printed on products in the US "are more uniform and reflect the amounts people actually eat" (according to the FDA website). A level of concern about this may not be unfounded, especially considering rumors you may have seen on several websites (I have been unable to prove or disprove them) stating such unbelievable statistics as 40 percent of the average diet in America being comprised of dairy and only 8 percent being fresh fruit!



However, glancing at a few products, the serving sizes do seem reasonable so far, for instance 5 crackers amount to one serving. Therefore it would seem they may be studying the healthier half of the American population to derive these portions. There's no justifiable cause for over reaction to the aforementioned FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) statement at the current time. Thank goodness.



Still, I would like to provide for you a basic outline of suggested daily servings and portion examples for a balanced plant-based diet (source cited below):



Breads/Grains - 6 to 11 servings daily - 1 oz ready-to-eat cereal - 5 or 6 small crackers - 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice, pasta, noodles - 1 slice of bread - 1/2 hamburger bun, English muffin ~ 1 small roll, muffin, biscuit



Vegetables - 3 to 5 servings daily 1/2 cup cooked beans, peas, legumes - 1 cup raw leafy vegetables - 1/2 cup cooked or raw vegetables - 3/4 cup vegetable juice



Fruits - 2 to 4 servings daily 1/4 cup dried fruit - 1/2 cup chopped fruit - 1 melon wedge - 3/4 cup fruit juice - 1/2 grapefruit - 1 medium apple, banana, orange



"Protein or Meat Group" Substitution - 2 to 3 servings daily 2 tablespoons peanut butter - 2 tablespoons nuts or seeds - 1/4 cup tofu or tempeh - 1 cup soy milk - 1 egg or 2 egg whites - 1/2 cup cooked dry beans or peas.



Milk/Yoghurt/Cheese - 2 to 3 servings daily 1 cup milk - 1.5 oz natural cheese - 2 oz processed cheese - 1 cup or 8 oz yoghurt

(To maintain a vegan diet you can substitute these animal products with nuts and seeds, tofu, kale, edible seaweeds, watercress, parsley, dried figs, or calcium fortified soy milk for example)



Fats, Oils, Sweets which are low in hydrogenated, saturated, and trans fats, to be used sparingly of course!



Credit to source: "Vegetarian Diet Information" (copyright 2003-2008)

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What Kind of Foods to Eat With Type 2 Diabetes? - Recommended Fruits For Diabetes Diet

This is understood that biggest reason of the likelihood of fruits is that these are sweet? So if a person is suffering from diabetes, it makes the person to wonder whether there are certain fruits that are better for his medical condition than others. People are in dilemma that what kind of foods they should eat with type 2 diabetes? Which fruits must the diabetics incorporate in their diabetic diet? To know the answer read through the following passages.

The answer is simple. The best fruits for diabetics are either frozen or fresh. The worst fruits for diabetics are the canned one or the ones with added sugar in them. As we know whenever we buy the canned fruit it is labeled either heavy syrup or light syrup. The diabetics must understand that fruits are delicious and there isn't any need of adding more sugar.

Even more important than the kind of fruit here is the quantity of the fruit a diabetic eats. The American Diabetes Association has recommended that fruit is a replacement of starches. Both carbohydrates and glucose behave like sugars within the body. You'll be surprised to know that if you take fruit as desert after a full meal, you must cut down the quantity of pasta or rice.

Dried foods are not the preferred choices for diabetics. They contain more sugar and calories as these are the concentrated form of fresh fruits. So a diabetic must incorporate fewer dried fruits like dried figs, dried cranberries, raisins and dried peaches in his meal plan.

The serving size of different fruits are mentioned here for your ease

1 small fresh fruit means 1 serving

2 Tbsp dried fruit means 1 serving

1 cup melon means 1 serving

1 cup raspberries means 1 serving

1/2 cup fruit juice means 1 serving

I have reversed my diabetes and in order to reverse yours, check a detailed list of high protein, low carbohydrate and low fat foods. Your diabetes reversal is just a click ahead, so take your first step by visiting Foods That Lower Blood Sugar [http://www.warningsignsofdiabetes.com/Diabetic-Foods-That-Control-the-Warning-Signs-of-Diabetes.html] and say good bye to diabetes.

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