The hand method: how to estimate portions without scales

What is the hand method, and why does it work?

The hand method uses your palm, fist, two cupped hands and fingers as units of measurement for serving each food group. It works because hand size is proportional to your body. The British Nutrition Foundation explains in its portion guide that hand measures give larger people larger portions and smaller people smaller portions [1].

Studies support it, with some caveats. In a study of more than a thousand Japanese adults, portions estimated using the fist and palm corresponded reasonably well to weighed portions [2]. The match was better for fruit and worse for cooked or mixed vegetables [2]. In another study, four out of five estimates based on finger width were within 25% of the actual weight [3]. For foods without a fixed shape, such as rice, estimates using the fist were considerably less accurate [3]. It is enough to help you eat well, but not to count grams.

How to measure vegetables and fruit with your hands

Vegetables take up the most space on the plate. A portion is what fits in your two open hands held together like a bowl. This works for cooked vegetables (green beans, courgette, spinach, broccoli) and salad. With leafy greens, you can serve yourself more without worry.

Measure fruit using one cupped hand, which is equivalent to one medium piece (apple, orange, pear or peach) or two small ones (mandarins, plums or kiwis) [1]. For chopped fruit, such as melon or strawberries, use whatever fills that hand.

Spanish dietary guidelines recommend at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day [4]. In consultations, we usually suggest around three pieces of fruit . You can have it for dessert, mid-morning or as an afternoon snack; the timing does not change its value. Whole fruit is more filling than juice.

How to measure carbohydrates with your fist

Measure rice, pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, couscous or quinoa with a closed fist, always after cooking, because they absorb water and gain weight as they cook [1]. For bread, use a medium slice about the size of your fist.

The fist is the measure we use in consultations when the goal is weight loss. The British guide is designed for an adult woman maintaining her weight on around 2,000 kcal a day [1]. For cooked pasta and rice, it suggests more: what fits in two cupped hands, about 180 g [1]. The same guide notes that smaller people, or those who want to lose weight, may need smaller portions [1].

If you train or have a very active job, your portion will be closer to two hands; if you move very little, closer to a fist. Choose wholegrain options when you can, as in the weight-loss diet.

How to measure protein with your palm

Measure lean meat, fish, chicken or tofu using the palm of your hand, from the wrist to the base of your fingers, with the thickness of your little finger. The British guide uses a similar reference: half a hand for a chicken breast or steak, and between half a hand and a whole hand for white fish [1].

If you choose eggs, a portion is two [1]. Cooked pulses (lentils, chickpeas, beans) provide both carbohydrates and protein. A fist or cupped hand of pulses can count as the protein or the carbohydrate portion of the meal, depending on how you build the rest of the plate.

Mature or semi-mature cheese, which is higher in fat, is measured using your index and middle fingers together. This is close to two thumbs, about 30 g, using the same reference [1].

How to measure oil and nuts with your fingers

Extra virgin olive oil is our reference fat for cooking and dressing, and also the most energy-dense food on the plate. Measure a teaspoon using the first joint of your index finger, or a tablespoon using your whole thumb. This measure does not apply to butter, which is for occasional use .

Measure plain or roasted nuts and seeds using the hollow of your palm, about 20 g [1]. Sugar has no hand measure because it is not a food group that needs to be eaten every day .

How does the hand method work with the plate method?

They complement each other. The plate method sets the proportions of each group (half a plate of vegetables, a quarter of protein and a quarter of carbohydrates). Your hand sets the amount to suit your body.

Together, a main meal looks like this: half a plate with two hands of vegetables, a quarter with a palm of meat, fish or tofu, and the other quarter with a fist of rice, pasta or potatoes. Use a thumb of oil for cooking or dressing.

Can the hand method help you lose weight without feeling hungry?

Yes, without weighing anything. Two hands of vegetables and a palm of protein at each main meal add volume with fewer calories and help you feel fuller. We explain this in our guide to reducing calories without feeling hungry. The British guide warns that it is not designed as a weight-loss plan, although portion control can help you eat less [1]. Your hand provides a guide, and you adjust the plan with your dietitian.

At Alimmenta, we aim for a weight-loss rate of around half a kilo a week and do not recommend diets below 1,200 kcal a day. Going below this amount requires medical supervision and can cause nutrient deficiencies. The hand method helps create this moderate deficit without becoming obsessed with numbers. If you want to gain weight, the same measures are a starting point and you increase the portions. This is how we work in our weight-gain nutrition service.

What mistakes do we see in consultations?

We hear three common missteps with the hand method almost every week.

• Measuring rice or pasta before cooking. A fist of raw rice fills considerably more than a fist once cooked, so the portion grows without you noticing.
• Measuring the plate correctly but forgetting what goes with it. Bread, salad dressing and picking at food while cooking all count too, and are not usually measured by hand.
• Using your hand as a fixed rule. If a fist feels too small one evening because you trained or ate very little at lunchtime, adjust it. Your hand is a guide, and your hunger matters too.

When is the hand method not enough, and when should you weigh food?

The hand method is an estimate, and some situations call for greater precision. Weighing food for a while as part of a structured plan makes sense if:

• You have diabetes treated with insulin or medicines that can make your blood sugar too low. Ask your healthcare team how to measure the carbohydrates in each meal.
• You have kidney disease and need to measure nutrients. Your nephrologist or dietitian will tell you how much protein, potassium, phosphorus and other minerals are right for you at your stage.
• You train towards performance goals that require specific amounts

In some cases, the opposite applies. If scales or measurements cause you distress, or you have a history of an eating disorder, neither weighing nor measuring by hand is the first step. The psychology and nutrition team will decide this with you . Children need different portions, and this guide, like the British guide, is intended for adults [1].