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Canada’s New Food Guide:
Our country’s rapid increase in heart-disease, type II diabetes, and other obesity-related health problems has prompted Health Canada to make some significant changes to the food guide that we have been using for the last fifteen years. With advice on portion sizes, physical activity and food quality, this new publication is certainly more functional than its ancestors. But is it enough to change the way that we think about food?
The new Guide promises to help meet vitamin, mineral, and other nutrient needs, reduce the risk of obesity, type II diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer, and osteoporosis, and to contribute to overall health and vitality. It’s a tall order, and even with the added targeted advice that this edition offers, some critics feel as though the guide lacks the necessary detail to fully address these issues. Others healthcare professionals are hopeful that these new guidelines will force our country’s hand into putting down the Twinkie and picking up a carrot.
Of all the changes that were implemented into the new guide, the most dramatic is the domination of the food rainbow by the Fruits and Vegetables arc. Your mom always told you to eat your veggies, and now the government is on her side. Furthermore, the guide recommends that at least one of your vegetables should be of a green leafy variety- it’s practically a conspiracy!
Grains and cereals have taken a step down, with a decrease in servings, (a loss to be mourned by carbohydrate addicts alike across the country), and more significant emphasis is placed on food quality. The focus has shifted to selecting whole grains, and higher fiber cereal options, while limiting highly processed options.
It appears as though the government is finally laying down the law, so to speak, discouraging foods high in sugar, salt or fat. Hard and fast restrictions on fat and oil consumption are outlined, specifying no more than 2-3 tablespoons of unsaturated oil (e.g., olive, canola oil) per day. On a positive note, they aren’t expecting you to go the battle alone and provide plenty of practical examples of natural, high nutrient options.
Much of the guesswork regarding serving ranges has also been taken out of the equation. Rather than guessing at where in a serving range you fall (should you eat 5 or 12 grain servings a day?), the guide specifies how many servings you should consume for your age and gender. An interactive web option called “My Food Guide” is available on the Health Canada website, where you can create your own, personalized food guide. This interactive program specifies how many servings from each food group you should be consuming, and allows you to make food selections for each category based on your personal preferences and offers more culturally relevant foods.
With a section on beverages stating that water should be used to satisfy thirst, and “energy drinks” should be avoided due to their high calorie content and a separate activity guide encouraging all adults to perform 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity per day, it is evident that the purpose of the new food guide is not just to educate Canadians on the four food groups, but as a tool to promote overall health and wellness. The food guide used to be a loose measure of the ratio between food groups, now it’s about finding balance between food in, and energy expended. And as personal trainers, that’s what we like to see!
