Health Canada creates debate as it prepares to release Food Guide makeover
-
Share on Facebook
-
Share on Twitter
- Copy Link
OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Guide has undergone a facelift that has come in for a critique of how the scalpel was wielded.
The new food guide has ditched the rainbow visual many Canadians associate with the dietary guide commonly used in daycares, schools, hospitals and dieticians. It’s expected to be published in late January.
The director general of nutritional policy and promotion at Health Canada, Hasan Hutchison, says it is exciting to get to the stage where the department can show Canadians and stakeholders the revamped guide.
The document pays particular attention to what Health Canada has noted as a majority of Canadians not eating enough vegetables, fruits and whole grains and shifts towards a higher proportion of plant-based foods, including plant-based sources of proteins.
The food guide wants to see Canadians eat more fibre-rich foods, eat less red meat, and replace foods that contain mostly saturated fat with foods that contain mostly unsaturated fat.
That has caused concern for industry players including the Dairy Farmers of Canada, who say the document would de-emphasize the scientifically proven nutritional value and health benefits of dairy products by eliminating the Milk and Alternatives group and actively advocating that Canadians shift towards consuming more plant-based sources of protein.
