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Proposed New Food Guide Tells Canadians to Cut Back on Sugar and Eat Better Fats

  • September 08, 2017

The new Canadian Food Guide is substantially changing its recommendations for the best things to eat for healthy living. According to CBS Canada, the guidelines advise Canadians to eat more fermented foods and less sugar, red meat, fatty meat, whole-fat dairy and processed foods. While dairy farmers and food manufacturers are already criticizing the new guidelines, interestingly, the group that created them was allowed to work “free of influence” from lobbyists.

I can’t help but applaud this group for refusing to consider industry influence in creating their new guidelines, as USDA policies are heavily influenced by the food industry, with farm economics and processed foods winners every time U.S. guidelines are revised. I also am excited to see that not only are Canadian guidelines rebuffing the sugar industry’s influence, but are actually suggesting that Canadians add more fermented foods to their diets.

As you know, I’m a huge fan of fermented foods, which contain beneficial bacteria that influence your body’s microbiome, which controls your metabolism, immune function and even inflammation. But that said, I’m distressed that a group with significant influence on what people eat is still not recognizing the real science behind eating more saturated, healthy fats, including full fat, organic dairy. In other words, as I explain in my book, “Fat for Fuel,” the way to healthy eating includes healthy, saturated fats.

To that end, I encourage you to add REAL FOOD to your diet; ditch processed foods (which contain excess added sugars to compensate for fats they don’t have); and to avoid sugars and grains. My updated nutrition plan can help you make food choices that feed your mitochondria — a key component to helping your body avoid virtually any chronic disease.