Canada’s Food Guide

Eat well. Live well.

Eat a variety of healthy foods each day

(“Eat a variety of healthy foods each day.”)

Discover your food guide at Canada.ca/FoodGuide

 Healthy Food Choices
Making healthy food choices every day can help you develop a healthy eating pattern. A healthy eating
pattern helps you meet all your nutritional needs, makes you feel good and improves your overall health.

Many of the well-studied healthy eating patterns include mostly plant-based foods. Plant-based foods can
include vegetables/fruits, whole grain foods and plant-based protein foods.

Eating plant-based foods regularly can mean eating more fiber and less saturated fat. This can have a
positive effect on health, including a lowered risk of cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Most healthy eating patterns include little to no highly processed foods. The best healthy eating patterns
include foods that reflect your food choices related to taste, culture, budget and lifestyle.

1. Eat Vegetables and Fruits

Vegetables and fruits are an important part of a healthy eating pattern.

Eating a variety of vegetables and fruits may lower your risk of heart disease.
Vegetables and fruits have important nutrients such as:

 Fiber
 Carbohydrates
 Vitamins and Minerals
“From #SchoolFoodRules”
Make half of your plate vegetables and fruits every time you eat.
Include a variety of vegetables and fruits in your meals and snacks.

Replace juice with water. Fruit juice and fruit juice concentrates are high in sugars.
Choose whole or cut vegetables and fruits instead of juice.

Choosing and preparing healthy vegetables and fruits

1. Choose fresh vegetables and fruits that are different textures, colors and shapes to fit your taste
and to get all your vitamins and minerals. Eat the rainbow!
2. Choose frozen vegetables and fruits without added sugars or breading/rich sauces.
3. Choose canned vegetables and fruits with little to no added sodium or sugar. You can drain and
rinse canned vegetables to lower the sodium content. The % daily value helps you see if a food has
a little or a lot of a nutrient.
4. Dried fruit can be a part of healthy eating but it can stick to your teeth and cause cavities. The
water has been removed from dried fruit so this concentrates all the sugar and calories in a much
smaller package. They preserve well and are loaded with nutrients but beware that they are not
sugar coated. If you choose dried fruit, eat it with meals and don’t over eat them.
5. Try healthier cooking methods like baking, roasting, steaming or stir-frying. Enhance the flavor by
adding olive oil, lemon juice, flavored vinegar or fresh/dried herbs or spices
Snack ideas
Vegetables and fruits make quick and healthy snacks. There are lots to choose from and many
healthy ways to prepare them. Here are some snaking tips:
 Keep cut up fresh vegetables in the fridge for a quick and healthy snack.
(carrot sticks, cucumber slices, celery sticks, broccoli, peppers, etc…)
 Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter as an easy snack to grab.
 Add fruit to whole grain cereals or yogurt. Try: frozen berries, canned peaches, bananas…
 Freeze seedless grapes on a tray and enjoy them as a snack.

How to eat more vegetables

Here are some easy ways to eat more vegetables:

 Add canned pumpkin or squash purée to any soup to make it extra rich and creamy.
 Wash, chop and refrigerate or freeze extra vegetables when preparing meals so you have extra for
meals the next day.
 Use pre-bagged vegetables that can be quickly tossed in a salad, stir-fry or casserole.
Try: baby carrots, green beans or leafy greens
 Serve raw vegetables with your meals. Try: cucumber, cherry tomatoes or peppers
 Try new recipes that call for different types of leafy greens such as kale, spinach, Bok Choy,
Swiss chard or mixed salad greens
 Add frozen vegetables to soup or chili.

How to eat more fruits

Fruits are a delicious addition to your day. Here are some easy ways to eat more fruit:

 For dessert, choose oranges, berries, fruit salad, with little to no added sugars
 Add fresh fruits to salads. Try adding sliced pears, apples, peaches or strawberries
 Add frozen fruits to baking. Try adding frozen blueberries to your muffin recipe.
 Wash, cut and refrigerate extra fruit so you can have some on hand for meals and snacks.
2. Eat Whole Grain Foods

Whole grain foods are a healthier choice than refined grains because whole grain foods include all parts of
the grain. Refined grains have some parts of the grain removed during processing. Whole grain foods have
more fiber than refined grains and also have important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Eating
foods higher in fiber can help lower your risk of stroke, colon cancer, heart disease and type 2 Diabetes.

Choosing and preparing healthy whole grain foods

Enjoy a variety of whole grain foods such as:

 quinoa
 whole grain pasta
 whole grain bread
 whole oats or oatmeal
 whole grain brown or wild rice

Eat less grain foods that have a lot of added

sodium, sugar or saturated fat such as:

 breads / bagels / waffles

 muffins
 crackers
 pasta dishes

Preparing whole grain foods (“Whole grains work for you”)

Whole grain foods can be tasty and nutritious without adding highly processed sauces and spreads. Enjoy
the true taste of whole grain foods. Try healthier ways to prepare your whole grain foods by:

 leaving out or reducing the amount of salt added during preparation

 limiting the amount of sauce or spreads you add
 adding vegetables, vegetable oils, spices and herbs to enhance flavors

How to include more whole grain foods

 Whole grain foods make quick and healthy snacks. There are lots of choices and many ways to
enjoy them. Try whole grain cereals, crackers or baked pita “chips”.
 Try a new whole grain each week: buckwheat, amaranth, faro, freekah.
 Mix different whole grain cereals in your bowl and enjoy with milk or unsweetened plant-based
beverages.
 Start your day with a bowl of oatmeal, whole grain cereal or whole grain toast
 Keep a variety of whole grain foods in your pantry. Try: oats, quinoa, brown rice, whole grain pasta

 To increase the amount of whole grain foods in your recipes, try adding:
-barley, bulgur and quinoa to soups, salads and stir-fries
-brown or wild rice to white rice for more fiber and a nutty flavor
3. Eat Protein Foods
Protein foods, including plant-based protein foods, are an important part of healthy eating.
Protein foods have important nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals. Include foods such as
beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, lean meats and poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk and dairy products.
Choose protein foods that come from plants more often. Plant-based protein foods can provide more
fiber and less saturated fat than other types of protein foods. This can be beneficial for your heart health.
You don’t need to eat large amounts of protein foods to meet your nutritional needs.

Choosing and preparing healthy protein foods

There are many different types of protein foods to choose from. Make healthier choices.

Beans, peas and lentils

Dried beans, peas and lentils to soak and cook at home
Low sodium canned beans, peas and lentils, or rinse and drain them to reduce the amount of sodium
Nuts and seeds
Dry roasted nuts and seeds without added: sugars, fats (oils) and sodium
Peanut butter or other nut butters that list peanuts or nuts as the only ingredient.
Fish and shellfish
Canned fish with little to no added sodium
Fresh or frozen fish and shellfish that has not been: breaded, battered or deep-fried
Lean meats
Skinless poultry / Lean cuts of meat such as round and loin
Fresh or frozen meat, and poultry without rich sauces or with little or no added sodium / fat
Milk and dairy products
Lower fat cheeses
Unsweetened lower fat yogurt / milk
Fortified soy beverages and products
Low sodium soy products
Unsweetened fortified soy beverages

Preparing protein foods

Try healthier ways to prepare your food by: (“The essential guide to plant-based protein”)

 draining off extra fat after cooking / trimming visible fat from meat
 removing skin from poultry before cooking
 limiting the amount of sauces, butter or gravy

Try cooking methods that use little or no added saturated fat. These include methods such as baking,
grilling, roasting or poaching.
Enhance the flavor by seasoning with herbs, lemon or salsas or using small amounts of oils with healthy
fats such as olive oil.
Snack ideas
Protein foods make healthy and delicious snacks. Try these quick and tasty options:

 nuts and seeds

 hard-boiled eggs
 oven roasted chickpeas
 hummus with fresh veggies
 peanut butter on celery sticks
 lower fat yogurt with fresh fruit

How to eat more protein foods that come from plants

Here are some easy ways to eat more protein foods that come from plants:

 Add soft tofu to a blended soup to make it thicker and creamier.

 Try a bean salad, lentil and rice pilaf or a bowl of vegetarian chili for lunch.
 Make your own trail mix by combining your favorite whole grain cereal with a handful of nuts/seeds.
 Spread hummus on the inside of a whole grain pita and fill with vegetables such as romaine lettuce
and shredded carrots.

Each week, plan a couple of meatless meals. As your main course, try using:

 beans in a burrito
 tofu in a vegetable stir-fry
 chickpeas and beans in tacos
 lentils in a soup, stew or casserole

4. Choose Foods with Healthy Fats

Saturated fat is solid at room temperature and comes mostly from animal products such as butter, milk and
meat fat. Unsaturated fat is liquid at room temperature and comes mostly from plants such as sunflower,
corn, olive, almonds, etc.… In addition, fish produce unsaturated fat in their cells. The bulk of your fat in
your diet should come from unsaturated fats, including fish oils. Trans-fats should be avoided all together!
The type of fat you eat over time is more important for health than the total amount of fat you eat.

These foods contain healthy fats:

 Nuts and Nut Butters

 Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, flax, chia, hemp…)
 Avocado
 Fatty fish (trout, salmon, herring, mackerel)
 Oils (olive, peanut, avocado, almond, sesame, flaxseed)
 Eggs and lean meats in smaller amount
(“Healthy fats vs. unhealthy fats”)
Tips for Fats

When using fats to heat and cook food, use small amounts of these saturated fats because they are
stable at high temperatures and won’t go rancid: (you don’t want to eat a lot of saturated fat in your diet)

 coconut oil
 butter
 ghee / lard
 olive oil (is unsaturated but can be used at low temperatures)

Limit these fatty foods in your diet:

 cream
 higher fat meats
 processed meats like sliced deli meats and sausages
 some frozen desserts like ice cream and bakery products
 most deep fried foods, like French fries
 Foods containing a lot of cheese

Choose lean cuts of meat and skinless poultry. Trim off as much of the visible fat as possible. Drain fat
from cooked ground meat. Buy lean or extra lean cuts of meat.

Healthy Fat Swaps / Snacks

 On your toast/bagels, replace cream cheese with nut butters.

 For dipping, try making your own hummus or tzatziki to replace spinach or artichoke dip.
 On bread or rolls, replace butter with olive oil flavored with balsamic vinegar.
 Include small amounts of nuts as a snack.
 Try pumpkin or sunflower seeds. Toast them for a snack or add them to salads.
 Make your own salad dressing with olive or flaxseed oil. Add balsamic, rice wine or other vinegars.
Flavor with lemon juice, dry or Dijon mustard, garlic and herbs.

5. Limit Highly Processed Foods

Our food environment is changing. Highly processed foods are readily available and people are eating
more of them. Eating highly processed foods increases your intake of sodium, sugars or saturated fat.
Eating too much sodium, sugars or saturated fat can increase your risk of chronic disease. If you
eat highly processed foods, try to eat them less often, in smaller amounts or replace them with healthier
options. Here are ways to limit processed foods:

 Replace sugary drinks with water

 Do not keep highly processed foods at home (chocolate, candies, ice cream, chips, pizza)
 Choose healthier menu options when eating out
 Make healthier choices, such as leftover baked chicken instead of deli meats
 Make homemade versions of your favorite highly processed foods:
Try a healthy muffin recipe to replace store-bought muffins
Freeze meal-sized portions of healthy recipes to replace frozen dinners
 Stock your kitchen with healthy snacks: nuts, fruit, hard-boiled eggs, etc…
 Plan your meals and snacks in advance
 Use the food label when grocery shopping to make informed choices
Sugars: Eating and drinking a lot of foods and drinks with added sugars has been linked to an increased
risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes or cavities.

Sodium: A higher sodium intake can lead to higher blood pressure, which may lead to heart disease.
Sodium is often added to foods to preserve them and for taste. Highly processed foods are the main source
of sodium for Canadians.

Saturated fat: Replacing foods that have mostly saturated fat with foods that have healthy fats can help
lower the risk of heart disease.

Processed meats: Processed meats can be high in both sodium and saturated fat. Eating too much has
been linked to a higher risk of colorectal cancer (can also be called colon cancer or rectal cancer).

How to make healthier choices about eating out

Be mindful about the decision to eat out.

Think about why you are eating outside of the home.
There may be ways to reduce the likelihood of eating out.
(“Eating out shouldn’t shorten your life”)

- Try to plan ahead so that you are not tempted by coffee shops, vending machines or fast foods.
- Carry snacks from home and a reusable water bottle instead of buying them when you are out.
- Instead of going to a restaurant to socialize, host a games night or organize an active outing.

Make informed decisions, even before you arrive. Plan ahead when choosing where to eat. Check
online menus for nutrition information. Try to decide what you’re going to eat before walking into the
cafeteria or food court. This may help you from choosing less healthy options.

Think about portions. If the meal you want is only available in large portions, try sharing it with a friend or
family member. Ask for a “take-home package” if you are served more food than you need to eat.
 Nutrition Fact Sheet
Nutrition is a vital component of wellness. The amount and kinds of food you eat affect your energy level, well-being,
and over-all health. Here are the six classes of essential nutrients, along with their role and sources:

Macronutrient
(Needed in large
What Is Their Role Good Sources
amounts)

Carbohydrate is your major source of energy for the body, brain Simple carbohydrates:
and muscles during exercise. There are 2 types: Fresh fruit (Bananas)
Simple Carbohydrates. These taste sweet, digest quickly and Honey
Carbo- provide a quick energy hit. Some sources like sugar, fructose, Certain vegetables
Complex Carbohydrates:
hydrates sucrose found in sweetened foods, candy and soft drinks contain
empty calories (provide energy but few nutrients) Whole grains
Legumes
Complex Carbohydrates. Take longer to digest, have more
(4 Cal/g) Certain Fruits
nutrients and are often rich in fiber. They are less sweet, make you
Vegetables/ Root veggies
feel full, prevent constipation and reduce dietary cholesterol.
Nuts and legumes

Fats provide more than twice the energy than carbs and protein. Unsaturated Fats:
Fats dissolve vitamins (A, D, E and K) and bring them to your Vegetable oils (olive)
cells. Fats are necessary to grow and repair your cells. Fats Avocados
insulate, support and cushion organs. Fats delay hunger and Seeds, nuts
satiate appetite. Fats are made up of: Fish / seafood
Fats Unsaturated fats: liquid at room temperature and comes from
Saturated Fats:
plants (sunflowers, olives, almonds). Fish also produce unsaturated
fat in their cells. They protect your arteries and provide essential (Use sparingly)
(9 Cal/g) Coconut oil / butter
fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6). Mostly consume this type.
Meat products
Saturated Fat: solid at room temperature and comes from animal Dairy products
products (lard, butter, milk and meat fat). If you consume high
levels of saturated fat, you will produce more cholesterol which can
clog your arteries and cause heart disease. Minimize use of these.
Trans Fats: should never be consumed. Not safe to eat!

Protein is the major substance required to build and repair Complete Proteins:
tissue, maintain chemical balance, and regulate the formation of (mostly animal based)
hormones, antibodies and enzymes. It is a source of energy, but Fish, eggs, dairy, meat
Protein only if the levels of carbohydrates and fats are not sufficient. Quinoa, protein powders
Once digested, proteins are broken down into 20 amino acids, nine Soybeans
(4 Cal/g) of which are essential because your body cannot make them.
Foods containing all 9 essential amino acids are complete proteins. Incomplete Proteins:
Foods containing some, but not all, are called incomplete proteins. (mostly plant based)
By eating a variety of plant-based proteins, you can get all your Beans, nuts, rice, lentils
amino acids you need.

(Le Masurier 331-333) and (Chevalier 217)

Micronutrient
(Needed in relatively
What Is Their Role Good Sources
small amounts)

Vitamins promote (initiate or speed up) specific chemical reactions Abundant in fruits,
within cells. They facilitate energy production without being energy vegetables, and grains;
sources. also found in meat and
Vitamins Some vitamins also form substances that act as antioxidants, which
help preserve healthy cells in the body (vitamin E, vitamin C, and
dairy products.

vitamin A derivative beta-carotene).

They are essential for the immune system to function properly.

Minerals come from the elements in the earth’s crust and are in Found in almost all foods
all plants and animals. They help regulate the body’s functions; in varying amounts.
aid in growth and maintenance of body tissues; act as catalyst for
Minerals
the release of energy. You need 25 minerals in varying amounts. Eating a wide variety of
Examples: foods ensures getting all
- Calcium for building and maintaining your strong teeth & bones. the minerals you need.
- Sodium to regulate internal water balance / helps nerve function
- Iron for proper formation and functioning of your red blood cells.
(getting adequate vitamin C helps your body absorb iron)

Water is essential because it makes up 50-60% of your body weight: Tap or bottled water
- It carries the other nutrients to your cells /transports chemicals Fruits and vegetables
Water - Carries away waste through perspiration, urine, stools and breath. Various drinks
- Helps regulate your body temperature.
- Provides a medium for chemical reactions

Another Essential Part of a Healthy Diet

Fiber is a type of complex carbohydrate that your body cannot

digest. It supplies no energy but is essential to your health: Skin of fresh fruit
Soluble fiber binds with cholesterol molecules and carries them Raw vegetables
into the feces, lowering the bad cholesterol in your body. It slows Nuts, seeds
the absorption of sugar to help improve blood sugar levels. Whole-grains products
Fiber Insoluble fiber makes the stools softer, improving elimination and Wheat bran
the time that toxins are in contact with your intestinal wall. It helps Oats, barley
prevent intestinal problems, constipation and hemorrhoids. Legumes (peas, beans)
Psyllium
Fiber is loaded with vitamins E and B and it reduces the risk of
certain types of cancer. We need to eat more high-fiber foods
more often, because most of us do not eat enough in our diet.

(Le Masurier 333-335) and (Chevalier 218)

WORK CITED:

Chevalier, Richard. Ready, Set, Get Healthy! English Adaptation by Karen Oljemark, Pearson ERPI, 2019.

“Healthy food choices.” Government of Canada. 2019, https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/healthy-food-choices/

Le Masurier, Guy C., Corbin, Charles B., Baker, Kellie. Byl, John. Fitness for Life Canada: preparing teens for healthy,
active lifestyles. Human Kinetics, 2017.

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