Portion Control

PORTION SIZES AND DIABETES

It isn’t always easy to get portion sizes right, and it can make managing your weight and blood glucose levels more difficult. Whether you’ve got Type 1 or Type 2, it’s good to stay clued up on carb portion sizes. We’ve created a guide with some tips and tricks to help you along the way.

Getting your portion sizes right

Using everyday items and household utensils to get your portion sizes right can be really useful. It’s an easy way to visualise what a portion should look like.

Starchy food

Includes rice, pasta, bread and chapattis for energy. Choose wholegrain where possible.

Dairy food

Includes milk, cheese and yoghurt for calcium, which is essential for strong bones and teeth.

Meat, fish, eggs, pulses, beans and nuts

These foods are high in protein, essential to build and replace muscle.

Fruit

Provides you with important vitamins, minerals and fibre that help protect you against stroke, high blood pressure, heart disease and certain cancers

Vegetables

An important source of fibre, minerals and vitamins.

Top tips for managing portion sizes

• Use smaller plates and bowls to help make your portion sizes look bigger.
• Weigh food if you find it hard to gauge portion sizes. Foods like muesli, pasta and rice can be difficult to get right at first, so try using the same container to measure out certain foods.
• Be mindful of what you’re eating. It takes about 20 minutes before your brain registers that you’re full, so eat slowly, putting your knife and fork down in between mouthfuls.