You Ask, I Answer: Serving Sizes (Part 2)

I have some follow-up questions.

Does one piece of low moisture mozzarella string cheese count towards a protein? Two tablespoons of peanut butter: is that one serving?

I am using My Calorie Counter to help me track all this but they max me out at 50 grams of protein per day. I'm always hungry and have NO problem meeting my protein intake in grams, but I’m not sure about the servings.

My big thing is I don't like most veggies or fish. I do like celery, carrots, corn, cucumbers, spinach lettuce, romaine lettuce and trying to make sure I get all my "servings per day in" has been difficult.

-- Jessica Hubbs
Louisville, KY

The concept that appears to be getting lost here is that most foods are a combination of various nutrients.

Whole grains, for example, offer carbohydrates and protein. Low-fat milk offers fat, carbohydrates, and protein. Cheese offers fat and protein.

If we are talking USDA (MyPyramid) standards, string cheese counts as dairy.

If you were using the exchange system -- mostly used for meal planning with diabetes patients -- cheese would count as a meat.

Remember, there is no “protein” group in the USDA pyramid.

In any case, one piece of string cheese clocks in at about 7 grams of protein... so it can be equated to one ounce of meat.

That is not the same as a serving, since it takes three ounces of meat to constitute one serving.

If your head is spinning, you are not alone. The USDA has received plenty of flack for developing a system that can be intimidating and ultimately frustrates people.

As far as peanut butter, that technically DOES belong in the "meat/meat alternatives" group. Two tablespoons account for one serving.

If you are given a gram goal (ie: 50 grams of protein), focus on that, rather than the servings. Unless you are familiar with USDA's figures, you will find yourself completely confused.

In terms of your vegetable "quota", keep in mind that one serving of cooked vegetables is a mere half cup.

Meanwhile, one medium-sized piece of fruit accounts for one serving of that group. If you are talking berries, just half a cup equals one serving.

It really isn't that much food if you spread it throughout the day.

A banana in the morning and an apple as a late-night snack knocks off the fruit servings.

Then, dip half a cup of cucumbers (1 serving) in hummus for an afternoon snack, and throw in half a cup of carrots and half a cup of steamed spinach into a stirfry and you’ve got three vegetable servings in a flash.