Ah, the Canada Food Guide… the “bible” of healthy eating. Most of us have a general idea of recommended eating habits… sugar bad, veggies good… but let’s take a closer look at what the recommendations really are.
First, depending on your age and sex, your personal recommendations will vary slightly. Below is a quick guide for recommended servings: (I’ve only included the vegetable and fruit recommendations, as the Canada Food Guide is going through an overhaul.) You can read about it here: http://www.citynews.ca/2017/07/17/first-canada-food-guide-overhaul-decade-sees-shift-away-meat-dairy/ )
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Children
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Teens
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Adults
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Age in Years
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2-3
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4-8
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9-13
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14-18 years
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19-50
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51+ years
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Sex
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Girls and Boys
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Females
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Males
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Females
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Males
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Females
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Males
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Vegetables and Fruit
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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7-8
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8-10
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7
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7
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Eight servings of fruits and vegetables can seem like an unattainable goal, but when you break it down it’s really not that bad. 8 servings is the equivalent of 4 cups… so really, you’re having 2 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit.
For your fruit intake, typically an averaged sized apple would equal ½ cup… larger ones however can be as much as one full cup. Also, 100% pure fruit juice would count toward your fruit intake, and a typical sized glass is 8 ounces… or one cup. (Just be sure to avoid the fruit juices that add sugar!)
For your veggie intake, two corn-on-the-cobs would give you a cup of vegetables already. There are vegetable juices, like V8, which will supply a serving or two of veggies for you too. Or, if you want to get it all done in one shot, a large garden salad chock-full of fresh veggies can supply you the day’s total in one meal!
When it comes to the food guide, it’s not about completely overhauling the way you eat… it can be simple changes that make all the difference in the world for you, so you can end up being a healthier version of you without feeling like you have to work hard for it!
Have you found ways to incorporate more fruits and veggies into your diet? We’d love to hear from you!
Image by silviarita from Pixabay