Food Guide Facts: Background for Educators and Communicators

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6. A Closer Look at Other Foods

This fact sheet explains how Other Foods are part of healthy eating.

In contrast to previous Food Guides that were designed to meet basic nutrient needs only, Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating gives guidance on the complete selection of all foods for a day. This is why a category of Other Foods is included on the bar side of the Food Guide.

Other Foods are a broad range of food items that Canadians commonly eat or drink that do not belong in one of the four food groups.

Other Foods as Part of Healthy Eating

No one food, either from the Other Foods category or a food group, should be positioned as bad or harmful to health. Healthy eating habits are not created or destroyed by any one food, meal or even a day's meals. It is the average of what people eat over time or the pattern of eating that is important to health.

The Other Foods Category Includes:

• Foods that are mostly fats and oils: butter, margarine, cooking oils, mayonnaise, oil-based salad dressings, shortening, lard;
• Foods that are mostly sugar: most jams, jelly, all forms of sugar including honey and syrups, candy, marshmallows, sherbet, popsicles;
• High-Fat and/or High-Salt Snack Foods: potato chips, pretzels, corn chips, cheese-flavoured puffs;
• Beverages: water, coffee, tea, soft drinks, fruit-flavoured drinks, alcohol; and
• Herbs, Spices and Condiments: oregano, pepper, salt, mustard, relish, ketchup, steak sauces, horseradish, chili sauce, pickles, soya sauce.

As with foods in the four food groups, the diverse range of Other Foods adds taste to and enhances the enjoyment of eating.

The nutritional contribution of Other Foods is varied. For instance:

• Other Foods that are mostly fat and the high-fat and/or high-salt snack foods are high in fat and contribute some essential nutrients. For example, fats and oils are important sources of essential fatty acids and margarine is also a source of vitamin D;
• Other Foods that are mostly sugar and some beverages such as fruit-flavoured and regular soft drinks contribute energy but contain few nutrients; and
• water, coffee, tea, diet soft drinks, condiments, herbs and spices contribute few nutrients or Calories (kilojoules).

Water as an Other Food

Water is essential to life. The need for water is governed by thirst and is met through water-containing foods such as fruit, milk and beverages including coffee, tea and soft drinks.

Although it is not absolutely essential to drink plain water, consumers should be encouraged to consider plain water as an energy-free way to quench thirst and replenish body fluids, especially after strenuous work or physical activity.

In areas where the drinking water is not fluoridated, fluoride supplements may be considered for children three years of age and older at high risk of dental decay, in consultation with a dental health professional.

Moderation as It Applies to Some Other Foods

Alcohol in Moderation
Canada's Drug Strategy, supported by Health Canada and its many partners, has developed a position on the meaning of moderate alcohol consumption.

Canada's Drug Strategy complements the Nutrition Recommendations and
considers the impact of alcohol in a broader sense by taking into account the many issues related to alcohol consumption.

Since alcohol can adversely affect the unborn child and there has been no safe level of alcohol intake established during pregnancy, pregnant women are advised to avoid alcohol altogether.

Consumers can be encouraged to:

• use alcohol in moderation; and
• choose for themselves and offer to others:
  • non-alcoholic or alcohol-reduced beers or wines; and
  • non-alcoholic beverages like soda water, flavoured mineral water, juices and soft drinks.

What is moderate consumption?

For most adults, moderate consumption of alcohol is no more than 1 drink a day and no more than 7 drinks a week. More than 4 drinks on any one occasion or more than 14 drinks in a week are considered a risk to health and safety.

One drink is:

• 1 bottle (350 mL/12 oz.) of beer (5% alcohol);
• 150 mL/5 oz. wine (10%-14% alcohol); or
• 50 mL/1 1/2 oz. spirits (40% alcohol).

Caffeine* in Moderation
Caffeine is found in foods such as coffee, tea, cocoa and in a number of drugs. For most people, intakes up to 400 - 450 mg of caffeine per day do not increase the risk of heart disease, hypertension or adverse effects on pregnancy or the fetus.

Useful points to communicate:

• Mugs of coffee usually hold more than a 175 mL/6 oz. cup of coffee and may contribute closer to 200 mg of caffeine per mug.
• It is important to moderate intakes of caffeine, particularly during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• Caffeine will cross the placenta as well as appear in breast milk giving rise to the typical stimulant effects for which caffeine is known.

Salt in Moderation
Canadians generally consume more sodium than is required. Salt, used in the preparation of foods both at home and in the manufacture of foods commercially, contributes most of the sodium consumed. To moderate their intake of salt, consumers can choose highly salted snack foods less often; reduce the amounts they use of regular salt, seasoning salts, salted condiments and salty sauces like soya; and taste foods before salting. Also, consumers can check labels when shopping to choose foods that are unsalted and lower in salt or sodium.

Fat in Moderation
Reducing fat intake is a major goal of the Nutrition Recommendations. Other Foods that are mostly fat and high-fat snack foods should be eaten in moderation.

Sugar in Moderation
The Food Guide does not specifically recommend a reduction in sugar intake. However, the principle of moderation can apply to sugar intake, particularly for people with lower energy needs.

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* Caffeine. 1992. Issue paper available from: Health Protection Branch, Health Canada.