The Canadian government has just issued their new draft for healthy eating and will focus their new food guide more on plant-based foods.
After amassing several opinions in the Fall of 2016 regarding food guide recommendations, the government came up with their draft, considering the quality of the information they had received and the eating habits of fellow Canadians.
According to Huffington Post author Anna Pippus, an Animal Rights Lawyer and Director of Farmed Animal Advocacy at Animal Justice, the Government of Canada “has issued new draft healthy eating recommendations, which would overhaul the antiquated system of food categories – focusing instead on eating patterns – and emphasize the importance of including a ‘high proportion of plant-based foods.'”
In addition, dairy has been removed from the guide and the legumes have made it to the top, ranking higher than meats and alternatives.
“The draft food guide’s first, foundational recommendation establishes the importance of whole foods and specifies that plant-based foods (such as legumes) are a preferred source of protein,” Pippus continues in her article. “The recommendation is for ‘regular intake of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and protein-rich foods, especially plant-based sources of protein.'”
The new food guide also recommends consuming more plant-based fats than animal fats, while trying to avoid saturated fats as much as possible. The government also recommends drinking water for liquids.
The new guide also notes our impact on the environment and how we contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, soil degradation, habitat and water loss, and states that “diets higher in plant-based foods and lower in animal-based foods are associated with a lesser environmental impact.”
As the guide is just a draft, it has not been finalized yet. It is important for you to speak your opinion now and participate in the discussion so that your likes and dislikes about the new draft can be heard. At the end of the day, plant-based promotes a healthier Canada, and who would be a better role model than the government?
#foodguide #nutrition #plantbased
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