What does one portion really look like?

Use our interactive guide below to find out the recommended portion sizes for different types of food.

You should eat a number of portions from each food group every day. The daily portions are based on a calorie intake for people who want to lose weight. For more information, check out our portion table.

Salad leaves

Two heaped handfuls, or 80g/2.8oz, is one portion of salad leaves. You can up your daily vegetable intake by adding a generous side of healthy green leaves to your dinner plate, giving your body a boost of vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Women and men should aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and veg every day.

>>Try a fresh garden salad

Root vegetables

Help yourself to three heaped tablespoons of root vegetables as one of your daily veggie portions. Add a burst of colour to your cooking by combining vegetables like carrots, beetroots, sweet potatoes and parsnips into a tasty and healthy medley, or blend them into a delicious soup.

Women and men should aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and veg every day.

>> Make our mixed vegetable and bean soup

Small fruits

Grab a handful of small fruits, like grapes, as one of your daily fruit portions. As well as fresh fruit, you could have three heaped tablespoons of tinned fruit, or one heaped tablespoon of dried fruit, as a portion of your fruit intake.

Women and men should aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and veg every day.

>> Sample these frozen yoghurt-coated strawberries

Eggs

How do you like your eggs in the morning? Whether they’re boiled, poached or baked, two eggs counts as one of your daily portions of protein-rich foods. Try serving your eggs with healthy vegetables or baked beans to add some bulk to your brunch.

Women should eat two portions of protein-rich foods every day, and men should eat three portions.

>> Make our baked beans with poached eggs

Beans or pulses

Three heaped tablespoons of beans or pulses counts as one of your portions. Why not add some vibrant colour to your bean-based dishes by mixing it up with kidney beans, broad beans, black-eye beans, red lentils or chickpeas?

Women should eat two portions of protein-rich foods every day, and men should eat three portions.

>> Get our chilli con carne recipe

Meat – chicken

Measure out a portion of chicken by placing it flat on your hand – if it’s the size of your palm, then it counts as one portion. Make sure to remove the skin and all visible fat from your piece of chicken, leaving the healthiest parts for you to enjoy.

Women should eat two portions of protein-rich foods every day, and men should eat three portions.

>> Sample this chicken and vegetable traybake

Cooked pasta

Two tablespoons of cooked pasta, or one handful of uncooked pasta, counts as one of your daily portions of starchy foods. If you’re a pasta-lover, choose wholegrain options where possible for extra fibre, vitamins and minerals.

Women should eat seven portions of starchy carbohydrates every day, and men should eat eight portions.

>> Try our tagliatelle with salmon and courgettes

Bread

One slice of bread counts as one of your daily portions of starchy foods. You can benefit from extra fibre, vitamins and minerals if you choose wholemeal, granary and seeded varieties.

Women should eat seven portions of starchy carbohydrates every day, and men should eat eight portions.

>> Enjoy this simple and delicious wholemeal soda bread

Rice

Enjoy two heaped tablespoons of rice as a portion of starchy food. Brown rice is recommended as a healthier option as it contains more fibre, vitamins and minerals than non-wholegrain options.

Women should eat seven portions of starchy carbohydrates every day, and men should eat eight portions.

>> Get the recipe for tuna and courgette risotto

Oil

One teaspoon of oil counts as a portion. Be careful not to use too much oil when cooking and baking, or for dressing a salad, as even healthy oils, like rapeseed and olive oil, are high in fat and calories.

Women should eat one portion of oil and spreads every day, and men should eat two portions.

>> Find out if coconut oil is good for your heart

Butter

Whether you’re spreading it on toast or making a sauce, one teaspoon of butter counts as a portion. Butter is high in saturated fat – swap it for olive or rapeseed oil when cooking, or use a vegetable oil spread for toast.

Women should eat one portion of oil and spreads every day, and men should eat two portions.

>> Learn the truth about fat

Low-fat spread

Two teaspoons of low-fat spread counts as one of your portions, which is twice as much as a portion of butter. Try this as an easy swap for the butter on your toast, to help keep your cholesterol levels in check.

Women should eat one portion of oil and spreads every day, and men should eat two portions.

>> Find out more about fat and saturated fat

Cheese

One portion of cheese is the length of your index finger and the height of your fingertip. Cheese can be high in saturated fat – try sticking to reduced-fat versions of your favourites, or choosing lower-fat cheeses like feta and mozzarella. Grating cheese can also help you eat less.

Women and men should eat three portions of dairy or alternatives every day.

>> Enjoy our healthy macaroni cheese

Milk or alternative

One glass (200ml) of milk counts as a portion. If you drink whole milk, try switching to semi-skimmed as it contains about half as much fat. If you use dairy alternatives, such as soya, oat, nut and rice milks, choose the unsweetened, calcium-fortified versions.

Women and men should eat three portions of dairy or alternatives every day.

>> Discover what you need to know about milk

Low-fat natural yoghurt

You can have four tablespoons of low-fat natural yoghurt as one portion. Sticking to low-fat yoghurt is the healthiest option – a portion of standard natural yoghurt is three tablespoons, while for crème fraiche a portion is just two teaspoons.

Women and men should eat three portions of dairy or alternatives every day.

>> Try out our fruity yoghurt glory

For more information on managing your weight visit: bhf.org.uk/myweight