Healthy eating can make you feel, look and perform better. Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating is designed to help you choose foods that will give you the energy and nutrients you need to be healthy. Here are some tips to help you use the food guide to develop your own healthy eating habits.
Choose a variety of foods
- Choose at least one food from each of the four food groups—Grain products, Vegetables and fruits, Milk products and Meats and alternates—at every meal.
- Plan your meals around the lower fat food groups, Grain Products and Vegetables and Fruits.
Eat regular meals and snacks throughout the day
- Most people feel and work best when they eat three meals and one to three snacks each day.
- Eat breakfast everyday. Choose foods you like. Breakfast doesn’t have to be toast or cereal!
- Use the serving sizes in the food guide to help you eat the right amount of food for you.
Drink more water
- Drink at least six to eight glasses of fluid each day from water, juice and milk.
- Your body needs water and other fluids to help digest food, cool the body and move nutrients and wastes through the body.
Eat less fat
- Choose lean meats, poultry and fish (not more than 100–300 gm total per day) and lower fat milk products such as 1% or skim milk and yogurt. Eat cheese in small amounts. If you want a lower fat cheese, choose cheese with less than 20% milk fat.
- Spread it thin. A little margarine, butter, oil, salad dressings, cream cheese and fat spreads goes a long way.
- Cook with very little or no added fat. Bake, broil, barbeque and boil food instead of frying.
- When you eat higher fat foods such as pastries, deep fried foods, gravies, sauces and cream, have small servings.
- Order lower fat foods in restaurants. Ask to have foods prepared with no added fat. Most restaurants will be happy to do this for you.
Eat more fibre
- Your body takes longer to digest high fibre foods. When you eat more fibre, you will feel full for longer.
- You need about 25 to 35 grams of fibre each day. For more information on adding fibre to your diet, see the fact sheets on fibre which are available from your public health centre.
- Eat whole grain breads, cereals, legumes (beans, peas and lentils), vegetables and fruits at each meal and for snacks.
- Eat a high fibre cereal every day. Eat it on its own or add it to another favorite cereal.
- Add a scoop of raisins, a banana, or strawberries to your cereal.
- Use bran or wheat germ in hamburger patties, coating mixes and baking and add it to cereal.
- Gradually increase the amount of fibre you eat and include it often in your meals to lessen gas and bloating.
- Fibre holds fluid to keep stools soft. Drink at least six to eight cups of fluid (water, juice or milk) each day.
Eat less sugar, alcohol and caffeine
Eat less salt
- Everyone should cut back on the amount of salt they eat. Most people only need the amount of sodium found in 1/25 of a teaspoon of salt but many of us eat one to three teaspoons of salt every day.
- Cook with very little salt and use none at the table. Use herbs and spices to flavor foods instead of salt.
- Eat less processed and packaged foods such as lunch meats, soups, snack foods, salted crackers, pickles, ketchup, soya sauce and salad dressings.
- Eat less fast food. These foods often contain a lot of salt and fat.
Maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle
- Eat the amount of food that you need to stay at a healthy weight. A healthy weight will lower your risk of health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
- Use the Body Mass Index (BMI) to know if you are at a healthy weight. Remember, healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes.
- For more information, see the BMI fact sheet available from your public health centre.
- Make physical activity part of your life every day. Exercise helps to strengthen your heart, lungs and muscles. Being active will also help you maintain your weight and give you energy. Don’t know where to start? Try walking. It’s easy and doesn’t require anything other than a good pair of shoes.
For More Information
If you need health information and advice or have questions about Capital Health services and programs, you can call Capital Health Link at 408-LINK (408-5465). This phone line is answered by registered nurses 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Disclaimer
Reviewed by Alberta clinical experts. Brought to you by HealthLink Alberta. Copyright.
This material is designed for information purposes only. It should not be used in place of medical advice, instruction and/or treatment. For more health advice call Capital Health Link at 780-408-LINK (5465) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In Alberta, call Toll-free: 1-866-408-LINK (5465)
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