Health Canada has released Canada’s new Food Guide as part of their healthy eating strategy. The Food Guide is designed to help you choose foods that improve your health, meet your nutrient needs and reduce your risk of nutrition-related chronic diseases and conditions.

The new Food Guide reflects up-to-date scientific evidence on food and nutrition and provides guidance on healthy eating for all Canadians. The Food Guide sets the foundation for healthy eating policy in Canada and impacts the food that is provided in schools, hospitals and more.

Here is a summary of the key messages from Canada’s new Food Guide: 

• Make it a habit to eat a variety of healthy foods each day
  • Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, whole grain foods and protein foods. Choose protein foods that come from plants more often
  • Limit highly processed foods. If you choose these foods, eat them less often and in small amounts
  • Make water your drink of choice
  • Use food labels
  • Be aware that food marketing can influence your choices

• Healthy eating is more than the foods you eat. It is also about where, when, why and how you eat
  • Be mindful of your eating habits
  • Cook more often
  • Enjoy your food
  • Eat meals with others

Health Canada is currently determining what further guidance may be needed for health professionals and policy makers on amounts and types of food for specific populations and settings.

The B.C. government will be reviewing all provincial healthy eating policies, guidelines and resources for alignment with the new dietary guidance from Health Canada. In the meantime, our resources remain safe, trusted sources of information.

The Canada’s Food Guide is now mobile-friendly and provides accessible, relevant and useful healthy eating information. If you have questions about Canada’s new Food Guide or any other food and nutrition topic, contact a HealthLink BC registered dietitian at 8-1-1 or by email at Email a HealthLink BC Dietitian.