Healthy eating is one of the most important things you can do to improve your general health.Nutritious, balanced meals and healthy snacks may reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by helping you increase your intake of heart-healthy nutrients, manage your weight, keep your blood pressure down, control your blood sugar levels, and lower your cholesterol.
A healthy eating plan may also boost your overall feeling of well-being, giving you more energy and vitality. It may make you look better and feel good about yourself, inside and out.
With the vast array of food choices available today, it's difficult to know where to begin. You may wish to start by aiming to include items from the four food groups: vegetables and fruit, whole-grain products, lower-fat milk products and alternatives, and lower-fat meat and alternatives. It's easier than ever to plan your meals and snacks around a wide variety of delicious and heart-healthy foods.
By following the recommendations in Canada's Food Guide, you can be assured you'll meet your daily requirements for vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, helping you to achieve overall health and vitality. You'll also reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease.
Eating plenty of vegetables and fruit. Every day, include a dark green (such as broccoli, asparagus and romaine lettuce) and an orange (such as carrots and sweet potato) vegetable.
Making half of your grain products whole grain (such as brown and wild rice, bulgur, quinoa and oatmeal) each day.
Serving fish twice a week (such as rainbow trout, salmon and sardines). See Health Canada's advice on limiting exposure to mercury from certain types of fish.
Including beans, lentils and tofu (meat alternatives) more often in your diet.
Drinking lower fat milk and milk alternatives such as fortified soy beverages. Be aware that other fortified drinks such as orange juice, rice, almond and potato do not contain the same level of protein found in milk or soy.
Using unsaturated oils such as canola, olive, and soybean as well as non-hydrogenated margarines (no more than 30 to 45 mL/2 to 3 tbsp a day).
Taking a Vitamin D supplement if you are over the age of 50. If you are planning on becoming pregnant, take a multivitamin that contains folic acid. Once pregnant, your supplements should also contain iron.
Being active for 30 to 60 minutes every day, most days of the week. Children need physical activity for 60 to 90 minutes every day.
The new Food Guide also recommends limiting:foods and beverages high in calories, fat, sugar or saltsaturated fats from fatty meats, butter, lard, shortening and hard margarinestrans fats in such foods as doughnuts, cookies and other baked goodssalt (sodium)sugar in such items as soft drinks and desserts
Canada's Food Guide also outlines the number of servings we should eat from each of the four food groups and provides guidance on portion sizes. The recommended number of serving sizes is based on age and gender.For more information read Canada's Food Guide www.healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide
Grocery shopping for healthy foods can sometimes be complicated and time-consuming. Health Check, the Heart and Stroke Foundation's not-for-profit food information program, can help you choose foods in grocery stores and restaurants that can be part of a healthy diet.
Health Check's nutrient standards are based on Canada's Food GuideEvery food product and menu item in the Health Check program must earn the right to display the Health Check symbol by meeting specific nutrient standards based on Canada's Food Guide.
Our team of registered dietitians and a volunteer Technical Advisory Committee of independent nutrition experts from across Canada develop our nutrient standards, which reflect the latest science that supports healthy eating recommendations for Canadians. Food companies and restaurants play no part in setting these standards.
