That may not come as a surprise. But what you might not know is that one serving of potatoes according to the USDA food pyramid is half a cup. That's about half a potato, or ten fries. At first glance, the six to 11 servings of breads and pastas or two to three servings of meat might seem generous.

But in fact, the serving sizes referenced by the pyramid are much smaller than standard-issue American servings. One serving is a slice of bread (not two), 1/2 English muffin, 1/2 cup of carrots, 3/4 cup of fruit juice, or two to three ounces of meat. When was the last time you saw a ribeye steak the size of a deck of cards?

Consider these serving surprises dished out this January in the Journal of the American Medical Association (see bibliography):

Between 1977 and 1996, food portion sizes increased both inside and outside the home in all food categories except pizza.

In the same time period, the portion size of salty snacks increased by 93 calories, soft drinks by 49 calories, hamburgers by 97 calories, french fries by 68 calories, and Mexican food by 133 calories.

The biggest increases in portion sizes occurred at fast food restaurants, and this increase coincided with a great increase in fast food consumption by Americans.

Another recent study showed that most commercial food portions exceed the USDA standard portion sizes. Since you'd have to read the accompanying booklet to understand the small portion sizes referenced on the USDA food pyramid, many people might assume the recommending serving sizes are more like what they are being served.

What's more, serving sizes for a given food are often not the same between the USDA food pyramid and those universal "nutrition facts" labels - even though both are regulated by government agencies. (The Food and Drug Administration oversees food labeling.)

Willett's pyramid "addresses many concerns about the existing Pyramid, particularly the differences between good and bad fats and good and bad carbohydrates," Nestle says. "That's a plus. This still leaves portion sizes as a problem. Most people have difficulty grasping the concept that larger portions have more calories and that much larger portions have many more calories."

If you feel lost amid the pyramids, take a breath. In the end, Nestle says, the best nutrition advice is still the simplest. "I advise using good common sense," she says. "Eat less, be more active, and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Anything that contradicts that advice should be suspect."

--Sarah Goforth

Help yourself to a generous portion of bibliography. It's heart-healthy.

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