PNF - The serving size secret you must know - By Samantha Abbott

The serving size secret you must know…

Quick Quiz: How many portions are in a bag of snack-size whole grain crackers? Or a small bottle of locally pressed juice? Or a lunchbox pack of granola bars?

Hint: It’s not “one.” Often, the above products contain two or two-and-a-half servings per package.

Can you eat just one?

Sure, you could go ahead and enjoy just half the bag, but are you really going to do that?

Don’t beat yourself up if the answer is no: If you place food in front of most people, they tend to eat it all. It’s just the way we’re wired.

The perils of supersizing 

Eating too much food in one sitting is hard on your body. Here’s why:

Food is meant to be spread throughout the day. Overdosing on too much food at one time causes pain, upset and sluggish digestion. 

A surge of glucose is released into your blood. Your pancreas has to work overtime, pumping insulin through the body to absorb all that extra glucose. This can make you feel spacey, weak, irritable or headachy.

Thinking there is some type of emergency, your adrenal glands go into “fight or flight” mode and release adrenaline and cortisol, which is the body’s natural response to stress.

When your blood sugar levels finally plummet, you experience wicked cravings for more food—specifically simple carbs or sweets.

Research has found that immune system function is affected for at least five hours after consuming large amounts of simple carbohydrates.

5 tips to kick portion distortion

Don’t over order – go for salads, soups, and appetizers, which are typically more reasonably sized than entrees.

Choose high-fiber foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains to keep you feeling full and energized.

Chew well to aid digestion and give your brain time to register you’re full before you overeat.

Get enough water. Often we mistake thirst for hunger. 

Carry your own snacks. Stock up on snack-sized containers and fill them with baby carrots, air-popped popcorn or nuts.

February Recipe

From twopeasandtheirpod.com

Zucchini Noodles with Pesto

Serves: 4          Prep Time: 15 minutes  Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

4 small zucchini, ends trimmed

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cherry or grape tomatoes

Pine nuts (optional)

Directions:

Use a mandoline or julienne peeler to slice the zucchini into noodles. Set aside. 

Combine the basil and garlic in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the lemon juice and Parmesan cheese. Pulse until blended. Season with salt and pepper. 

Combine the zucchini noodles and pesto. Toss until zucchini noodles are well coated. Top with tomatoes, and pine nuts, if using. Served either room temperature or chilled. 

Note: if you want to cook the noodles, you can. Just add the zucchini pesto noodles to a skillet and sauté them up over medium heat. It only takes a few minutes. 

Samantha Abbott received her training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where she learned about more than one hundred dietary theories and studied a variety of practical lifestyle coaching methods. FMI, visit PNF.