Final answer:
Knowing what a serving size is is crucial for creating nutritionally balanced meals and avoiding overeating following the MyPlate guidelines. The MyPlate visual guide assists in ensuring the correct proportions of each food group, while nutrition labels provide detailed nutrient information to aid in meal planning and portion control.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding what a serving is according to MyPlate and nutrition labels is essential for maintaining a healthy diet and practicing portion control. A serving size is a standardized measurement that helps individuals determine the appropriate amount of food to consume from the different food groups: vegetables, fruits, grains, proteins, dairy, and oils. This helps ensure that meals are nutritionally balanced and portions are not super-sized, thus aiding in the prevention of overeating and promoting overall health.
MyPlate provides a visual guide illustrating the relative proportions of each food group that should be included in a meal. It recommends making half your plate fruits and vegetables and balancing the other half with grains and proteins, with a slightly greater emphasis on grains. Accompanying each meal with a serving of dairy is also suggested to complete the nutritional requirements. Nutrition facts labels complement this by detailing the nutrient content and ingredients in packaged foods, helping one to make informed choices and abide by serving sizes.