Q: I know that portion sizes are important, but do I have to measure everything I eat? What do I do when eating out?

A:   For many people, changing the size of their portions is one of the most significant steps they can take toward more healthful eating. Studies show that most of us don't estimate food portions accurately. With a little practice, however, people can improve their accuracy substantially.

You don't need to use measuring cups. One trick is to compare food portions to known objects to help estimate how much food is in front of you. For example, use your hand size. For the average adult, a rounded handful is about a half-cup and a fist is about one cup.

You can also make portion comparisons to other things that you're familiar with, like a deck of cards, a computer mouse or a checkbook. All three of these are the same size as a three-ounce serving of meat, poultry, or fish, which is considered one standard serving.

An ounce of cheese - also a standard serving - looks like four dice, but you might see how your thumb or fingers compares to this size for an easy, always-with-you comparison tool.

Another way that studies show you can improve your ability to estimate food portions is simply to practice. Serve yourself typical portions of foods you normally eat and measure them. Then scoop out half-cup, one-cup and two-cup portions of the same foods and see how they look on a plate, in the bowls you usually use, or in drinking containers.

After a few tries, you should find your ability to estimate how much food you've taken improving.

When you're at home or in a restaurant, you should soon be eating only what you need - not everything on your plate.

Q:   Are tomatoes the only source of lycopene in foods?

A:   Tomatoes may be the most widely available source of lycopene, but they're not the only one. The red/pink pigment in watermelon, guava, and red and pink grapefruit signals the presence of lycopene.

You should try to include foods with lycopene in your diet on a regular basis, because it is a natural antioxidant that can neutralize unstable molecules that might otherwise damage our cells. Several studies link a greater consumption of foods high in lycopene with a lower risk for prostate cancer and possibly other cancers.

More research is needed before firm conclusions can be made. While lycopene is available in supplements, keep in mind that the possible benefits from lycopene were found in research using real foods.

Q:   Are there nutritional differences between different types of olive oil?

A:   All olive oils provide monounsaturated fat, which is linked to health benefits. To get the highest levels of protective plant compounds that are also in olive oil, choose "extra virgin" or "virgin" oils. These are the least processed forms.

Different brands, which are produced from olives grown under varying conditions, may differ in their levels of plant compounds or phytochemicals, but all extra virgin or virgin oils are good choices.

Olive oil labeled "pure" is high in healthful monounsaturated fat, but it has lost protective plant compounds in refining. "Light" olive oil is only lighter in flavor and color, not fat or calorie content.

Although some people may want light olive oil for baking or recipes where a robust olive oil flavor is undesirable, so many of the protective phytochemicals have been removed during refining that canola oil could be a healthier alternative.

Canola oil provides some omega-3 fat and more vitamin E.

Q:   Are roasted vegetables made with a lot of oil?

They don't need to be.  Roasting is a terrific way to prepare many vegetables, because it intensifies flavors and brings out a natural sweetness. To roast vegetables, cut them into bite-sized chunks, place them in a thin layer on a large baking tray and drizzle them very lightly with olive oil, or lightly coat with a cooking oil spray.

Bake them at 400 or 425 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are lightly browned and tender, but not mushy. The baking time will vary with the vegetables you use.

You can serve the roasted vegetables straight from the oven as a side dish, or let them cool to room temperature before splashing them with balsamic vinegar to make a roasted vegetable salad. 

You can also turn them into a vegetarian main dish by adding some toasted nuts and a little Parmesan cheese and serving it with whole-grain bread.  Roasted vegetables are also great as pizza toppings or pita fillings.  When you want to eat hearty portions, roasted vegetables are a wonderful dish to make.

Editor's Note: This article was written by Karen Collins, a well-known dietitian and nutritionist with the American Institute for Cancer Research. To ask a registered dietitian questions about diet, nutrition and cancer, call the institute's hotline, (800) 843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST weekdays, or click here.

Source: American Institute for Cancer Research
Posted by: Steve Smith
Website: www.aicr.org

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