Slide show: Portion control for weight loss - Mayo Clinic

Portion size matters. Research has shown that people consistently eat more food when offered larger sized portions. So portion control is important when you're trying to lose weight and keep it off.

But you don't need to memorize a food list or carry around measuring cups to get a better handle on serving sizes. Instead, use common visual cues to remind yourself of appropriate serving sizes. How? Many foods match up to everyday objects.

For example, a medium pepper is about the size of a baseball and equals one vegetable serving. While not all foods perfectly match visual cues, this method can help you better judge serving sizes and practice portion control, which may help with weight loss.