During the period set aside for input to the proposed changes to Canada’s Food Guide, dairy farmers in this country, raised their concerns with Health Canada. The issues are legion for consumers. Some of the key points about the suggested changes were analyzed by nutritionists and dietitians from Dairy Farmers of Canada and presented to Health Canada.
Their concerns are legion. Pitched battles have gone on between these two groups for decades. The farmers on the one hand trying to clear up consumer confusion and Health Canada on the other hand, using the shotgun approach to solve dietary disasters, that just keep on happening to consumers of this country.
One example of this surrounds the issue of calcium in milk and the need for Canadians, especially children and young women to consume more dairy products to prevent the Osteoporosis nightmare that seems to be facing us. Instead of raising a red flag and getting consumers real information about calcium, how it is absorbed and from what, they decided to allow every company who wanted to take advantage of this, to add this vital element to their product.
Now we have water with calcium, antacids, orange juice and who knows what else out there, confusing the nutritional picture even more.
When recent research suggested this approach has not been successful, the whole house of cards collapsed and left consumers (women!) with calcium deficiencies, who thought they were doing the right thing to protect themselves, upset and totally bewildered about their next steps.
So, for the record, below are some of the strong recommendations Dairy Farmers of Canada have made to Health Canada about the Food Guide. Let’s hope they are listening this time!
Format and Cover:
There is too much emphasis on soy products and on vegetarian eating on the cover.
Milk Products:
Fortified plant-based beverages don’t belong in the Milk Product category.
Fortified soy beverages should be put in the Meat and Alternatives group with the other soy products (tofu and soybeans) or addressed elsewhere in the 8-page document.
Not all plant-based beverages are fortified and this creates a risk for increased consumer confusion.
Fortified plant-based beverages are not as nutritious as milk. The calcium in milk is better absorbed.
Cheese is a nutritious part of Canadians’ diets and should be moved closer to the front.
Oils & Fats section:
Instead of writing down a specific amount of fat to consume, it is better to tell consumers to consume a variety of added fats and oils in moderation and to choose oils and fats that are not hydrogenated.
The message about butter is unnecessarily negative. Butter has a place in a healthy diet in moderation. Dietitians maintain that all foods can fit in a healthy diet and that the key is variety and moderation.
The issue of hydrogenated fats is not adequately addressed. Fast foods supply a lot of trans fats and many soft margarines are hydrogenated.
The message about high fat baked goods, snack foods and deep-fried foods needs to be better addressed in the Food Guide.
Their concerns are legion. Pitched battles have gone on between these two groups for decades. The farmers on the one hand trying to clear up consumer confusion and Health Canada on the other hand, using the shotgun approach to solve dietary disasters, that just keep on happening to consumers of this country.
One example of this surrounds the issue of calcium in milk and the need for Canadians, especially children and young women to consume more dairy products to prevent the Osteoporosis nightmare that seems to be facing us. Instead of raising a red flag and getting consumers real information about calcium, how it is absorbed and from what, they decided to allow every company who wanted to take advantage of this, to add this vital element to their product.
Now we have water with calcium, antacids, orange juice and who knows what else out there, confusing the nutritional picture even more.
When recent research suggested this approach has not been successful, the whole house of cards collapsed and left consumers (women!) with calcium deficiencies, who thought they were doing the right thing to protect themselves, upset and totally bewildered about their next steps.
So, for the record, below are some of the strong recommendations Dairy Farmers of Canada have made to Health Canada about the Food Guide. Let’s hope they are listening this time!
Format and Cover:
There is too much emphasis on soy products and on vegetarian eating on the cover.
Milk Products:
Fortified plant-based beverages don’t belong in the Milk Product category.
Fortified soy beverages should be put in the Meat and Alternatives group with the other soy products (tofu and soybeans) or addressed elsewhere in the 8-page document.
Not all plant-based beverages are fortified and this creates a risk for increased consumer confusion.
Fortified plant-based beverages are not as nutritious as milk. The calcium in milk is better absorbed.
Cheese is a nutritious part of Canadians’ diets and should be moved closer to the front.
Oils & Fats section:
Instead of writing down a specific amount of fat to consume, it is better to tell consumers to consume a variety of added fats and oils in moderation and to choose oils and fats that are not hydrogenated.
The message about butter is unnecessarily negative. Butter has a place in a healthy diet in moderation. Dietitians maintain that all foods can fit in a healthy diet and that the key is variety and moderation.
The issue of hydrogenated fats is not adequately addressed. Fast foods supply a lot of trans fats and many soft margarines are hydrogenated.
The message about high fat baked goods, snack foods and deep-fried foods needs to be better addressed in the Food Guide.
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