Food Guide Facts: Background for Educators and Communicators

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11. Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating with Canadian Foods

This fact sheet shows how the lower-fat foods, whole and enriched grains, dark green and orange vegetables and orange fruit can be applied using Canadian foods. By buying Canadian, consumers can get high-quality, wholesome foods and support Canada's food industry.

To Identify Canadian Foods:

• Check for Country of Origin information, Product of Canada, or the Canada Grade name on signs and product labels.
• Check labels for the name and address of a Canadian manufacturer or processor.
• If consumers are unsure whether a product is Canadian, their retailer may be able to provide the information on request. This will also let the store know its customers want to buy Canadian.

Grain Products
The Food Guide emphasizes Grain Products, particularly whole grain and enriched ones. The Prairies are noted for wheat, oats and barley. Other Canadian products are corn, rye, buckwheat and wild rice. Processed grains include: (1) flour; (2) hot and cold breakfast cereals; (3) many types of pasta; and (4) bakery products (e.g., white, specialty and whole grain breads and rolls; cookies, crackers and biscuits).

Whole wheat flour is a source of B vitamins, iron and fibre. Canadian white flour is enriched with thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and iron so that all baked goods contain these nutrients. Pasta and breakfast cereals may be enriched with nutrients. Advise consumers to look for "enriched" on labels.

Vegetables & Fruit
The Food Guide promotes Vegetables & Fruit, particularly dark green and orange vegetables and orange fruit. Canadian produce can be enjoyed all year:

• freshly picked in season (see table on reverse side);
• fresh from controlled-atmosphere storage (e.g., carrots, cabbage, potatoes and apples);
• fresh and ripe from hot houses (e.g., tomatoes and cucumbers);
• frozen, canned and as juice.

Fresh and processed vegetables are sources of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Choosing different forms adds variety to healthy eating. The convenience of canned and frozen forms suits today's lifestyles. Frozen vegetables are easy in a stir-fry - no washing, trimming or chopping. Processed vegetables are also available with added seasonings and sauces, with other vegetables or as part of frozen ready-to-heat meals. Many have microwave instructions. Consumers can check labels to make lower-fat choices more often.

Milk Products
The Food Guide encourages consumers to select a variety of Milk Products, making the lower-fat choices more often. The assortment of Canadian products is wide:

• skim, 1%, 2%, whole and chocolate milk, and buttermilk;
• evaporated skim, 2% and whole milk; milk powders and UHT milk; creams, and
• regular and light sour cream;
• regular and lower-fat yogourts in plain and fruit flavours;
• regular and lower-fat cheeses and cheese products (Cheddar and most European-type cheeses such as blue, muenster, brie and feta are made in Canada.);
• ice cream, light ice cream, ice milk, frozen yogourt and other frozen desserts, some of which are lower fat; and
• regular and light ready-to-serve puddings.

Meat & Alternatives
The Food Guide recommends two to three servings a day of foods from the Meat & Alternatives group. Consumers are encouraged to choose lower-fat foods in this group more often.

• The red meat grading systems, breeding and feeding practices, and better retail trimming have progressively reduced the fat content of Canadian meats.
• Beef, pork, veal and poultry are available all year. Lamb is most plentiful from September to December. Lean ground meat and preportioned cuts offer convenience and variety.
• Eggs make a quick, economical meal.
• There are regular and lower-fat processed meats, such as deli meats, wieners and sausage.
• There is access to over 100 species of fish and shellfish.
• Meat, poultry, egg and seafood products are available in canned, frozen, ready-to-heat/serve and microwaveable forms. Consumers can check the label for fat content.
• Beans, peas and lentils are economical low-fat/high-carbohydrate and fibre choices. They are sold dried, canned, and in prepared soups, salad toppings and snack foods.

Varieties of Canadian Beans, Peas and Lentils

• navy beans and coloured beans (e.g., pinto, black, pink, small red, dark red kidney and large white);
• yellow and green field peas (whole or split); and
• Canadian lentils, which are green in colour.

Other Foods
There are many Canadian products in the Other Foods category which add variety and interest to healthy eating. Examples include butter, vegetable oil and margarine, salad dressing, condiments and sauces, herbs and spices, sugars, syrups, honey and honey blends, maple syrup, jams, jellies, native-to-Canada preserves, confectionery products, beverages and snack foods.

The Food Guide recommends using Other Foods higher in fat and Calories in moderation. Canadian manufacturers provide lower-fat versions of products like mayonnaise, butter, margarine, salad dressing, snack foods and products that are unsalted and lower in salt or sodium.

Developed in cooperation with Agriculture Canada.