What is ‘Moderation’?
“Everything in moderation”. I have used this phrase countless times. But, what exactly does “moderation” mean? What is “moderation” a measure of when talking about food and diet? Scroll down to find out!
Moderation
Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. That is why you may hear the phrase “everything in moderation”. What exactly does it mean? By definition, moderation is “in a way that is reasonable and not excessive”. Excessive is the key word. Any food or nutrient in excess (or over the recommended amount) may have negative effects on health. The goal is to not have too much of something, but enough to retain the benefits.
Let us look at the science first. Everything we eat has three main nutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. These three nutrients provide the calories we need for energy. This energy is not always pushed out of our bodies immediately. It is stored until we need it. Energy from calories is stored in various places including our brain, organs, muscles, and fat tissue. Our brain, organs, and muscles cannot hold much energy, but our bodies still need to store it somewhere. All of the extra energy is therefore stored into our fat cells. This is a simple way of saying that the more calories we eat (that our bodies may not need right away), the more weight we gain.
🧐 DID YOU KNOW: 74% of adults in the United States were diagnosed with overweight or obesity. Overweight and obesity may cause an increased risk in heart disease, diabetes, liver disorders, and cancer.
Recommendations & Portion Size
It is important to follow recommendations for portion sizes of foods and beverages; and again, not to eat too much of one nutrient. Even if a food is labeled as “healthy”, it should be eaten at proper portions. *For example*: plain, unsalted nuts are a perfect protein-packed snack; however, they still have a lot of calories from the oils that are in them. If you eat a lot of nuts at one time, this is adding a lot of stored fat into your diet.
Stats: Adults consume less than recommended amounts of vegetables, fruits, dairy, whole grains, beans/lentils, and seafood. The food groups that meet or exceed recommended amounts are the grain group (mostly refined grains, not whole grains) and the protein group (meats, poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds, and soy). Adults consume over the recommended amount of added sugars as well, which has increased the amount of calories consumed per day by 330 calories for men and 250 calories for women. This may not sound like a lot, but the calories add up when consumed in excess on a daily basis. PLUS: Over 70% of adults exceed the recommendations for saturated fat. All these extra calories from over-eating and over-consuming sugars and fats can have a fatal health risk.
What’s the portion size then? Below is a chart of portion sizes recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture [USDA] and United States Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] known as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These guidelines are created for disease prevention and health promotion. The information is backed by scientific research and updated every five years. The focus is on nutrients as a whole and how they work together to promote physical and mental health. These recommendations are based on averages, with the understanding that the diet may need to be adjusted based on individual preferences, needs, culture, religion, and health status.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025
🌿This chart is adapted from the USDA and HHS Dietary Guidelines for Americans website [reference at end of blog]
Vegetables & Fruits: 1 cup = 1 cup raw or cooked vegetable/fruit; 1 cup vegetable/fruit juice; 2 cups leafy salad greens; 1/2 cup dried fruit/vegetable
Grains: 1 ounce = 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal; 1 ounce dry pasta or rice; 1 medium (1 ounce) slice bread, tortilla, or flatbread; 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal (about 1 cup of flaked cereal)
Dairy: 1 cup = 1 cup milk or yogurt, 1 1/2 ounces natural cheese such as cheddar cheese or 2 ounces of processed cheese
Protein: 1 ounce = 1 ounce lean meats, poultry, or seafood; 1 egg; 1⁄4 cup cooked beans or tofu; 1 tbsp nut or seed butter;
1/2 ounce nuts or seeds
What foods is this chart talking about?
Vegetables and Fruits: Phytochemicals (phy·to·chem·i·cal[s], pronounced fī-tō-ˈke-mi-kəl[s]) are nutrients that provide benefits to physical and mental health and are carried in the pigment (color) of vegetables and fruits. The goal is to “eat a rainbow” of colors in these two food groups.
vegetables included in the chart (all fresh, frozen, and no/low-sodium canned foods)
Dark-Green Vegetables| dark-green leafy vegetables (beet greens, bitter melon leaves, bok choy, chrysanthemum leaves, chard, cilantro, collards, cress, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, spinach, nettles, taro leaves, turnip greens, watercress), broccoli
Red and Orange Vegetables| carrots, red chili peppers, red or orange bell peppers, pimento, sweet potatoes, tomatoes/100% tomato juice, winter squash (acorn, butternut, kabocha, and pumpkin)
Beans, Peas, Lentils| black beans, black-eyed peas, bayo beans, brown beans, chickpeas [garbanzo beans], edamame, fava beans, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, navy beans, pinto beans, split peas, soybeans, white beans (dry or no/low-sodium canned) *does not include green beans or green peas*
Starchy Vegetables| breadfruit, cassava, corn, jicama, lotus root, lima beans, raw peas, plantains, white potatoes, tapioca, taro root (dasheen or yautia), water chestnuts, yam, yucca
Other Vegetables| artichoke, asparagus, avocado, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, beets, bitter melon, Brussels sprouts, cabbage (green, red, napa, savoy), cactus pads (nopales), cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chives, cucumber, eggplant, fennel bulb, garlic, ginger root, green beans, iceberg lettuce, kohlrabi, leeks, mushrooms, okra, onions, peppers (chili and bell types that are not red or orange in color), radicchio, sprouted beans, radish, rutabaga, seaweed, snow peas, summer squash, tomatillos, turnips, winter melons
fruits included in the chart (all fresh, frozen, canned without sugar or syrup, and 100% fruit juices)
Fruits| apples, apricots, Asian pears, bananas, berries (blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, currants, dewberries, huckleberries, kiwifruit, loganberries, mulberries, raspberries, and strawberries), citrus fruit (calamondin, grapefruit, kumquats, lemons, limes, mandarin oranges, pomelos, tangerines, and tangelos), cherries, dates, figs, grapes, guava, jackfruit, lychee, mangoes, melons (cantaloupe, casaba, honeydew, and watermelon), nectarines, papaya, passion fruit, peaches, pears, persimmons, pineapple, plums, pomegranates, prunes, raisins, rhubarb, sapote, soursop, starfruit, and tamarind
Grains: Half of the grains you eat for the day should be whole grains. Whole grains have the original nutrient content in them including fiber and B vitamins.
grains included in the chart
Whole Grains| amaranth, barley (not pearled), brown rice, buckwheat, bulgur, millet, oats, popcorn, quinoa, dark rye, triticale, whole-grain cornmeal, whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat chapati, whole-grain cereals and crackers, wild rice
Refined Grains| white breads, refined-grain cereals and crackers, corn grits, cream of rice, cream of wheat, barley (pearled), masa, pasta, and white rice *refined-grain choices should be enriched*
Dairy: Try to choose dairy products with no fat (skim) or a low-fat (1%) content.
dairy included in the chart
Dairy| all fluid, dry, or evaporated milk (cow milk, almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, cashew milk, lactose-free/lactose-reduced products, fortified soy beverages [soy milk]), buttermilk, yogurt, kefir, frozen yogurt, dairy desserts, cheeses (brie, camembert, cheddar, cottage cheese, colby, feta, fontina, goat, gouda, gruyere, limburger, Mexican cheeses, monterey, mozzarella, muenster, parmesan, provolone, ricotta, Swiss) *most choices should be fat-free or low-fat; cream, sour cream, and cream cheese are not included due to their low calcium content*
Protein: It is best to have a diet that is at least 2/3’s plant-based (meaning your protein should come from beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, and soy). If your diet does consist of meat products, they should be low-fat/lean. Poultry should be eaten without the skin (to lower the fat content).
protein foods included in the chart
Meats, Poultry, Eggs| meat (beef, goat, lamb, pork, and game meat [bear, bison, deer, elk, moose, opossum, rabbit, raccoon, squirrel]), poultry (chicken, cornish hens, dove, duck, game birds [ostrich, pheasant, and quail], goose, turkey), organ meats (brain, chitterlings, giblets, gizzard, heart, kidney, liver, stomach, sweetbreads, tongue, tripe), eggs (chicken and other bird’s eggs) *meats and poultry should be lean or low-fat*
Seafood| anchovy, black sea bass, catfish, clams, cod, crab, crawfish, flounder, haddock, hake, herring, lobster, mackerel, mullet, oyster, perch, pollock, salmon, sardine, scallop, shrimp, sole, squid, tilapia, freshwater trout, light tuna, whiting (all lower in methylmercury)
Nuts, Seeds, Soy Products| nuts/seeds (tree nuts, peanuts), nut butters, seeds (chia, flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower), seed butters (sesame/tahini, sunflower), soy products (tofu, tempeh, soy flour, soy protein isolate, soy concentrate)
Beans, Peas, Lentils| considered part of the protein foods group and vegetable group
🌿The information above is adapted from the USDA and HHS Dietary Guidelines for Americans website [reference at end of blog]
Other Recommendations (added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium)
Added Sugars
There are natural sugars in foods. Foods in the grain group, dairy products, and fruit have natural sugars in them. It is definitely OKAY to eat these foods since they have other benefits. The foods you want to limit are ones with added sugars in them – which is exactly as it sounds – manufacturer’s ADD sugar or sugar products into food, beverages, and supplements. As mentioned above, adults consume over the recommended amount of added sugars. Added sugars should be LESS THAN 10% of your total calories for the day.
The chart to the right shows you how many grams that is for your diet. Added sugars are now on most food labels.
Saturated Fats
Saturated fats are naturally found in animal products (including meat, poultry, and dairy foods). Plant products with higher amounts of saturated fat are coconut and palm oil. Other oils may have very small amounts of saturated fat. Saturated fat should also be LESS THAN 10% of your total calories for the day (like added sugars). However, fat has more calories than sugar and therefore the amount of grams per day is lower than that of added sugars.
The chart to the right shows you how many grams that is for your diet. The amount of saturated fat can also be found on food labels.
+do not go over these many grams of added sugars per day according to your calorie level
+do not go over these many grams of saturated fat per day according to your calorie level
Sodium
High amounts of sodium in the diet could lead to an increased risk in heart disease including potential outcomes of a heart attack or stroke. Wherever sodium goes, water tends to follow – meaning the more salt you eat, the more water is held in your body. An overload of water in your system could lead to worsening heart problems, kidney disorders, and liver function (if you already have been diagnosed with these conditions). The recommended amount of sodium per day is 2,300mg. You can lower your sodium intake by eating whole, non-processed foods, such as fruits, fresh vegetables and frozen or canned vegetables without added salt, fresh meats, and unsalted plant-protein products. Try not to eat as much processed food items.
You now know what portion size is right for you! So next time someone tells you eat “in moderation”, you will know exactly what they are talking about! 🌿
Referenced: U.S. Department of Agriculture & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020). Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans-2020-2025.pdf | Merriam-Webster. (2022). In moderation. Dictionary, Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20moderation