Making wise food choices can have long-term benefits to your overall health and can help you maintain a healthy weight. Canadians have a brand new tool to help them make the best food choices: Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide. Health Canada developed the new Guide with many partners across the country. It includes a wide range of foods that reflect Canada's diverse population and changing tastes, and can also be tailored to meet the needs of specific groups such as children, teens, adults, women and men.
Updated Guide has new features
Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide is significantly different from the 1992 version in the following ways:
- Portion sizes and numbers of recommended servings – clear guidance by age group and sex
- Vegetables and fruits – New positioning on the outer-most arc of the Food Guide rainbow, highlighting the importance of this food group in health promotion and disease prevention
- Oils and fats – Guidance on the kinds and amounts that will reduce intake of saturated and trans fats
- Physical activity – More central focus, given the strong relationship between eating well and being active on feeling good, promoting healthy weight and building strong bones
- Sodium, fat and sugar – Specific guidance on reducing these in food choices
- Special focus on key nutrients – Some key nutrients may be deficient in the daily diet.
A vitamin D supplement of 10 µg (400 IU) is now recommended as a single supplement or component of a multivitamin supplement by those over 50 years.
Because of the more limited exposure to sunlight given Canada's latitude, it is important for this age group to include a supplement, in addition to choosing foods with either naturally occurring vitamin D (salmon, sardines, eggs) or foods that are fortified (milk, margarine, soy beverages). A multi-supplement with folic acid is also recommended for pregnant women, those that could become pregnant or those that are breastfeeding.
Web tools put wise food choices at your fingertips
The new Food Guide shows you how to personalize your food choices based on your age and sex. For instance, preschoolers require less food than teenagers, and men need more food than women of the same age to satisfy nutritional needs.
The new Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide includes a range of web tools to help you plan your meals and snacks:
- Build your own Food Guide with the foods that you like.
- Track your day's food and activity choices and compare them to the guidelines laid out by the new Food Guide with EATracker.
"Build your own Food Guide with the food you like!"
|
The Guide also helps you to:
How much food is the right amount?
A Food Guide Serving is a specific amount of food. It is used to show the number of choices you need each day from each food group.
A Food Guide Serving may not be the same as the amount of food you put on your plate:
For example, a cup of carrots on your dinner plate is equal to two Food Guide Servings. Learn more about Food Guide Servings:
What types of food are best to eat?
Vegetables and Fruit provide fibre and important vitamins and minerals. Eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable each day. Choose vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added fat, sugar or salt. Have vegetables and fruit more often than juice.
Grain Products provide fibre, B vitamins and iron. Make at least half of your grain products whole grain each day. Choose grain products that are lower in fat, sugar or salt.
Milk and Alternatives provide protein, vitamins A and D, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Choose skim, 1% or 2% milk, or fortified soy beverages as an alternative to milk. Compare the Nutrition Facts table on yogurt or cheese labels to make lower fat choices.
Meat and Alternatives are a source of protein, iron, B vitamins and zinc. Choose meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu often. Have at least two Food Guide Servings of fish each week including char, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines and trout. Select lean meat and alternatives prepared with little or no added fat or salt.
Quick everyday tips
- Include a small amount – 30 to 45 mL (2 to 3 tablespoons) - of unsaturated fat each day. Use vegetable oils such as canola, olive and soybean.
Choose soft margarines or vegetable oils that are low in saturated and trans fats.
Limit butter, hard margarine, lard and shortening.
- Satisfy your thirst with water.
It's a calorie-free way to quench your thirst. Drink more water in hot weather or when you are very active.
- Limit foods and beverages that are high in calories, fat, sugar or salt (sodium).
These foods and beverages can contribute extra calories, fat, sugar or salt (sodium) to your daily intake.
- Be active everyday to help maintain a healthy weight.
|
This article was prepared by 
