Canada's Food Guide

Canada's Food Guide is a diet planning tool produced by Health Canada. It is the second most requested Canadian government publication behind the Income Tax Forms.

Recommended intake
It advises consumption from four food groups: Grain products, vegetables and fruit, milk products, and meat and alternatives. Any foods not accurately described by these food groups are termed "other", and are advised to be consumed in moderation.

For example, 35 year old women should aim to have these numbers of servings, according to the Food Guide:


 * 7-8 vegetables and fruit
 * 6-7 grain products
 * 2 milk or alternatives
 * 2 meat or alternatives
 * 30 - 45 mL (2 to 3 Tbsp) of unsaturated oils and fats

Depending on one's age and activity level they can aim to consume a number of servings per food group that is high or low in the range provided. For example, male teenagers could aim for higher numbers whereas elderly individuals could choose a number of servings that are lower in the range.

The food guide is complemented by Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living.

The new food guide has the vegetables at the top of the rainbow, and has much more detailed information. The new guide comes in at 6 pages.

History
Canada's Official Food Rules was the title of the first national dietary guide in Canada which was published in July 1942. This was updated in 1944 and retitled Canada's Food Rules. After another revision in 1949, twelve years elapsed before the publication became known as Canada's Food Guide in 1961. Further revisions were issued in 1977, 1982 and 1992, the last of which was retitled Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating.

2007 update
A new version of the Food Guide was announced by Health Minister Tony Clement on 5 February 2007, reverting to its previous title Canada's Food Guide. For the first time, it recommends people include a small amount of unsaturated fat in their diet. It also encourages physical activity: 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity daily for adults and at least 90 minutes a day for youth. For the first time, the Guide recommends vitamin supplements for certain categories of people.

The new Guide has been criticized for overemphasizing red meat, ignoring total calories and not going far enough to recommend healthy foods, for example only suggesting that "at least half" of grain products be whole grain.

For a summary of the allegations of food industry involvement and a detailed discussion of the purported nutritional deficiencies of the new Guide, please see Canada's Food Guide to Unhealthy Eating.