Canada's Food Guide is a nutrition guide produced by Health Canada. Take a look at the diagram above from the Canada Food Guide. Notice the portions of each food group. Half of the plate is allocated to fruits and vegetables.
- Fruits and Vegetables are an essential element in eating healthier.
- Fruits and vegetables provide nutrients such as fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
- They are a part of every meal and should take up half of a plate when consumed in each meal.
- They can be consumed fresh, dried, frozen or canned.
- Frozen, dried, or canned fruit and vegetables may take longer to prepare, but can be just as healthy or healthier than fresh fruit and vegetables, and more convenient to include in meals such as smoothies.
- Keep in mind that frozen canned fruits and vegetables can contain added sugars, seasonings, breading or sauces.
- Healthy ways to cook vegetables include baking, roasting, steaming and stir-frying.
- Meals: Pre-packaged vegetables can be incorporated in salads, stir-fry's or casseroles such as carrots, green beans, and leafy greens.
- Dessert: Fruits such as oranges, bananas, pears, peaches and strawberries can be incorporated into fruit salads, baking and desserts.
For recipes which include the fruits and vegetables food group, check out https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/recipes/
Whole grain foods include nutrients such as fibre, vitamins, and minerals. They represent one quarter of the recommended diet from the Canada food guide.
- Whole grain foods are essential to a healthy diet. The high amount of fibre contained in whole grain foods helps reduce the risks of strokes, colon cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
- Keep in mind that refined grains will not include the whole grain. Refined grains have parts removed during their processing.
- Whole grain foods include:
- Quinoa
- Pasta (especially whole wheat)
- Bread (especially whole wheat)
- Oats or oatmeal
- Brown rice or wild rice
Be sure each of the foods contain the ingredients whole grain oats or whole grain wheat.
- Meals: Whole grain foods can be incorporated in many meals such as soups, salads and stir-fry's.
- They are healthier if you limit the use of sauces, spreads and salts. Whole grains can also be prepared with vegetables, vegetable oils, spices and herbs to add flavour.
For recipes following the whole grains food group, check out https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/recipes/
Protein foods contain significant nutrients including protein, vitamins, and minerals. They represent one quarter of the recommended diet from the Canada food guide.
Protein foods include:
- Meats such as lean cut, round or loin beef, pork or wild game. Skinless poultries such as chicken and turkey. Best prepared fresh or frozen without added sauces, gravies, sodium or saturated fats.
- Eggs.
- Fish and shellfish such as trout, shrimp, salmon, scallops, sardines, and mackerel. This is best served through canned fish packaged in water with limited sodium added. Can also be served fresh or frozen but best without deep frying, breading or batter.
- Beans such as black beans or kidney beans.
- Peas including chickpeas and split peas. And lentils including brown, green or red lentils. They are best served cleaned with water, dried, or canned without sodium.
- Soy is a significant source of protein. Soy beverages, tofu, soy beans constitute as a meat replacement, and are best prepared without or low sodium, and unsweetened.
- Nuts and seeds including peanuts, almonds, cashews, nut butters and sunflower seeds. They can be prepared dry roasted and without added sodium, sugars, and saturated fats.
- Dairy products that are lower in fat and unsweetened include milk, yogurt, and lower sodium cheeses.
- Proteins are best prepared through baking, grilling, roasting and poaching.
- Limiting the amount of salt, gravies, butters and sauces help with a healthier meal.
- Seasoning the protein foods with dried herbs, salsas, olive or canola oil, or lemon is a healthier alternative to add flavour.
- Plant based proteins are an excellent way to include more protein in a diet, as well as they include more fibre. Easy ways to incorporate plant based protein in meals is through:
- Tofu and lentils that can be added to soups, bowls, salads, stir-fries, casseroles and chili's.
- Beans and peas can be added to burritos, tacos, and hummus.
For recipes following the protein food group, check out https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/recipes/
Healthy fats are an important component to our diet. Choosing healthy fats over saturated fats can make a huge impact on health by reducing the risk of heart disease, which is one of the leading causes of death in Canada.
- Foods enriched with healthy fats include nuts, seeds, avocado, fatty fish including trout, salmon, herring and mackerel, vegetable oils such as olive oil, corn, canola, peanut, sesame, soybean, flaxseed, safflower, and sunflower, soft margarine
- Meats that are skinless, trimmed off from visible fats, drained from fats, extra lean or lean cut meats include pork loin, chicken breast, sirloin roast or steak, inside or outside round roast, lean ground poultry, wild game including deer, bison, moose, and caribou.
Incorporating healthy fats in meals can be as easy as adding seeds, vegetable oils, and nuts to salads and bowls. Replace saturated fats with canola, olive or flaxseed oil, balsamic or rice wine vinegars, lemon juice, mustard or dried herbs and garlic.
Saturated fats (fats to avoid) are in foods such as:
- Fatty meats including higher fat meats or processed meats.
- High fat dairy products including cream, canned coconut milk or cream, and ice cream.
- Processed foods such as French fries.
- Various tropical oils including palm oil and coconut oil
- Deep fried foods
- Cheeses or foods containing a lot of cheese.
- Oils including lard, ghee, butter, palm oil, coconut oil or hard margarine.
Easy fat substitutions to lead to a healthier diet include:
- Replace high fat dairy spreads such as cream cheese with nut butter.
- For dips, use tzatziki or hummus instead of spinach or artichoke dip.
- Replace butter with vegetable oils for cooking or spreads.
- Add flavours with vinegars or lemon juices.
For recipes following the healthy fats food group, check out https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/recipes/