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Nutrition & Dietetics vocabulary · Food Labels and Guidelines

Serving size

Meaning in nutrition & dietetics, with examples

nounCore term

In nutrition & dietetics, serving size means: A standard amount of a food, such as one cup or 30 grams, used on a nutrition label or in guidelines so that nutrient values can be shown and compared.

In Turkish: porsiyon miktarı, servis ölçüsü

How it is used

Seen on every Nutrition Facts label, next to 'servings per container'. Dietitians remind clients that the serving size is set by the manufacturer or by law, so it may be smaller than what people really eat. In dietary guidelines, servings are used to count food groups.

Example sentences

  1. The serving size on this bag of chips is 25 grams, but most people eat the whole 150-gram bag.

  2. Check the serving size before you compare the sugar content of two products.

Common collocations

  • servings per container
  • standard serving
  • per serving
  • recommended servings
  • portion sizeThe amount of a food that a person actually serves themselves or eats at one time. It may be bigger or smaller than the serving size printed on the label.
  • nutrition labelThe panel on packaged food that lists the energy and the amounts of nutrients, such as fat, carbohydrate, sugar, protein and salt, usually per 100 g and per serving.
  • daily valueA reference amount of a nutrient used on US Nutrition Facts labels. The percent daily value (%DV) shows how much one serving provides toward a typical day's needs.
  • food groupA category of foods with similar nutrients, such as vegetables, fruit, grains, protein foods and dairy, used in guidelines to describe a balanced diet.

More terms: Food Labels and Guidelines

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.