Good question ... food portions are always a headache!
The inability to quantitatively standardize the portions is due to the heterogeneity of nutritional needs, which vary according to: sex, age, constitution, morphological type, level of physical activity, state of health or illness, etc.
However, in the case of "nutritionally unbalanced" preparations such as carbonara (too much fat), the recommendation is always to "not exaggerate", avoid absolute restrictions but preferring "moderate portions". Easy to say!
This is why I will give an example of "normal portion" below, or estimated on the characteristics mentioned and referring to an average Italian adult.
So let's assume that our subject needs 2200kcal per day, of which 40%, that is 880kcal, should be consumed for lunch (the average meal more abundant of the day). It is certain that, in total, a vegetable side dish (50g of lettuce with 10g of extra virgin olive oil), two slices of bread as an accompaniment (50g of white bread), probably a glass of wine (120ml of Sangiovese) and a piece of fruit (100g of any apple, with peel).
It goes without saying that, in the event that you only eat a plate of spaghetti carbonara or in the event that a complete lunch takes place, the portion changes considerably!
Well, in the first case, knowing that spaghetti absorb water for about 140-150% of the initial weight, a portion of carbonara pasta for this subject should include:
80g of semolina pasta (spaghetti), 60g of pork cheek, 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of egg white, 15g (1 and a half tablespoons) of grated pecorino and 10g (1 tablespoon) of extra virgin olive oil; Total 894kcal, with respectively 62% fat, 28% carbohydrate and 10% protein. A real disaster!
On the contrary, in the second hypothesis, since adding the other foods of the meal the 1190kcal are easily exceeded (almost 300kcal more than necessary!), The weights of the first course should be reduced to: 50g of semolina pasta (spaghetti), 40g of pork cheek, 1/2 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon of egg white, 5g (1 teaspoon) of grated pecorino and 5g (1 teaspoon) of extra virgin olive oil; Total 896kcal.
A big difference!
