The long awaited reveal from Health Canada has finally come and we are excited to see this new and improved version of Canada’s Food Guide.
With beautiful graphics and simple messages, the Food Guide provides a helpful tool for Canadians to navigate the complex landscape of food and nutrition. The new Food Guide is different than the previous versions in several important ways. It does away with the traditional food groups and serving sizes, which were often confusing, and instead incorporates the ‘plate model’ which has long been used by dietitians and educators as a way to understand portions and meal balance.
The key messages of the new Guide include:
- Fill half your plate with a variety of fruits and vegetables.
- Fill a quarter of your plate with protein-rich foods like lean meats, fish and legumes.
- Fill a quarter of your plate with whole grains like brown rice, quinoa etc.
- Choose whole foods most often, avoiding too many processed foods and beverages which contribute to excess sodium, saturated fat and added sugars.
The Food Guide also discusses how we eat, a topic that is often forgotten in our fast-paced culture. It reminds us of the importance of enjoying food, cooking more, eating with others and eating mindfully. Mindful eating is about enjoying food by slowing down, savoring each bite and listening to your body’s hunger and satiety cues.
While the Food Guide doesn’t replace tailored nutrition advice from a Registered Dietitian, it can be a great starting point for learning about healthy eating. For more information on Canada’s Food Guide, check out: https://food-guide.canada.ca/
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