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Powell River residents react to changes in Canada’s Food Guide

New eating plan suggestions include filling half of plate with vegetables and fruit
Colleen Unger [left] and Christine Forrest
PLANT-BASED PREP: Christine Forrest [left] and Colleen Unger prepare a vegetarian meal in a local cooking class. Canada’s new food guide suggests Canadians emphasize fresh fruits, vegetables and plant-based sources of protein in their diets. Sara Donnelly photo

Canada’s new food guide, unveiled last week, is a major departure from previous versions.

Gone are specific food groups and serving sizes, which have been replaced by a simple image of a plate. Half of it is comprised of vegetables and fruit and a quarter each is reserved for grains and proteins emphasizing beans, nuts and legumes in addition to animal sources. The recommended beverage is water, replacing fruit juices and dairy.

Powell River-based registered holistic nutritionist Emma Levez Larocque said the changes, although not unexpected, were welcome.

“I wasn’t totally surprised but I was really delighted that Health Canada stood up and stuck to their guns and said ‘we’re going to give a food guide that is in the best interest of the health of Canadians instead of the best interest of business and industries,’” she added.

Levez Larocque made the shift to a plant-based diet 25 years ago and now passes on her firsthand knowledge to clients and participants in her cooking classes.

“I grew up on a very meat and potatoes diet and just decided to stop eating meat,” she said. “I actually did it completely wrong. I was eating a lot of mac and cheese and processed food, which is what I try to warn people away from now. The key is making sure you’re getting your main nutrients.”

By taking the emphasis off of animal-based proteins the new food guide helps to reinforce that quality nutrition can be achieved a number of ways.

“The typical question you get when you say you’re shifting to a plant-based diet is ‘where will you get your protein?’” said Larocque. “It’s such a huge misconception that you can’t get enough quality protein on a plant-based diet.”

Colleen Unger, a participant in Levez Larocque’s cooking class, said she is excited to see the changes to the food guide.

“It’s pretty awesome,” she added. “It makes us pay attention to what we’re putting into ourselves.”

Fellow class member Christine Forrest agreed.

“I believe a lot of our foods are preventative for diabetes and illness,” said Forrest. “As I’m getting older, I’m trying to put better fuel in my system.”

Other participants at the cooking class were curious to learn about different ways to eat.

“I just want to start eating a little bit healthier,” said Dean Thorsell, who is taking the class along with his mother. “I’m not a vegetarian but I thought maybe I should start eating more vegetables.”

Other changes to the food guide put an emphasis on lifestyle and behaviours around eating, such as cooking more often, enjoying meals with others when possible, reading food labels and being mindful of marketing around food.

“As veganism in particular has become more of a trend a lot of companies are putting out all kinds of products, the veggie sausages and cheeses and things like that,” said Levez Larocque.

“If you just replace the sausages and cheeses you’re eating in your regular diet with those products, then you’re not really going to be reaping the benefits of a plant-based diet because the benefit comes from the whole plant foods.”