The health of our children is at stake. Bill S-228 should be brought to a vote in the upper chamber
The Senate of Canada has several key roles and makes important contributions to the development of the country’s most pivotal public policy initiatives. But lately, several key government and private members’ bills have suffered the consequences of political theatre as we enter into the throes of an election year. In recent months, we’ve seen a…
There are far too many barriers to following Canada’s Food Guide, including the Gwyneth Paltrow effect
By Sylvain Charlebois Atlantic Institute for Market Studies and Simon Somogyi University of Guelph Will Canadians use the new version of Canada’s Food Guide and will it cost us more to follow the new recommendations it contains? The guide, introduced a few weeks ago, advocates a diet focused more on plant-based eating and reductions in…
Canada’s Food Guide plant-based diet is, for the most part, elitist. Many of us can't indulge because of a lack of access, affordability or convenience
When the prestigious medical journal The Lancet published a 51-page report recently laying out a plan for a sustainable “planetary diet” that transforms how we eat and live, it made a big splash. The group of 37 experts, all members of the EAT-Lancet Commission, were keen to recognize the urgent need to change our diets…
After years of celebrating our agricultural know-how, the guide has gone urban – and is more than a little patronizing
Say goodbye to the four food groups. Almost 12 years after the launch of the previous version, the new Canada’s Food Guide celebrates food by displaying a plate filled with greens, fruits, plant proteins and grains. And if you look very carefully, you’ll see a cup of yogurt alongside a piece of beef that looks…
New menu offers meal options with no artificial colours or flavours, a full serving of fruit and no added sugar
Iconic Canadian brand Tim Hortons continues to evolve and expand its offerings. The coffee and food establishment has announced it’s now offering a new Timmies Minis kids menu. “We asked parents and kids what was most important to them when selecting a kid's meal and the number one answer for both groups was taste,” said…
Health Stand Nutrition Consulting: achieving health without guilt or complexity
Andrea Holwegner is a nutrition and corporate wellness expert, food industry consultant, professional speaker and CEO (chief energy officer) of Health Stand Nutrition Consulting Inc. Tell me about your business and what you do? Holwegner: We specialize in achievement of health without guilt or complexity. We don’t just give you advice on what to eat,…
A new study indicates that 6.4 million Canadians have either adopted a meatless diet or are limiting the meat they eat
World Vegan Day falls on Nov. 1 so it seems like an appropriate time to note that Canadians are eating less meat. Beef consumption is down by 16 per cent or 94 million kilograms a year compared to 2010. And since 32.2 per cent of Canadians are thinking of reducing their meat consumption within the…
A strong economy gives us the time and money to think about the ethical, environmental and moral implications of our food choices
It seems the pleasure of eating is being overpowered by values-based food consumption. And it’s happening at an astonishing pace. Vegetarianism and veganism are coming into their own, allowing more people to ‘come out of the cupboard’ to speak openly about and affirm their commitment to a self-imposed diet. They’re doing it for animal welfare,…
Stick to the evidence when reporting on – and endorsing – food studies. We need real solutions to obesity and Type 2 diabetes, not sales jobs
Two of the best-known American food journalists have been telling readers lately that the DASH and Mediterranean diets aren’t best for our health. But the evidence tells a different story. The journalists are Gary Taubes, the author of The Case Against Sugar, and Nina Teicholz, the author of the bestselling The Big Fat Surprise. In their recent…
A recent poll by Dalhousie University suggests that our food choices are becoming more varied
Canadians love meat but other sources of protein are emerging as potent alternatives. Demand is up for vegetable proteins like pulses, as well as for fish and seafood. Loblaw has even started selling cricket flour and is trying to make insect consumption mainstream. That’s led some people to believe that vegetarian and vegan segments of the…
As long as you don't eat carbohydrates, fats and protein to extreme levels, you should be just fine
A plethora of ‘experts’ have provided nutritional advice that sounds definitive and evidence-based. Many of us have lived through vast recommendations: low fat, high fat; salt is a problem, salt is no problem; eggs are good, eggs are bad; butter is very bad, margarine is good, then butter is good again; high carbs, no carbs…
Malnutrition common problem for patients entering health care facilities in Canada – costing the system $2 billion annually
By Heather Keller and Leah Gramlich EvidenceNetwork.ca “You are what you eat,” or so the saying goes. We use this axiom in our developed country, where obesity is often top of mind, to remind ourselves that overeating will lead to a less healthy physique. However, this saying is also true for undereating or malnutrition –…
I’ve tried giving up wheat to lose a few pounds but I miss it too much when it disappears from my diet
We have a Norwegian international student staying with us for the year. Her English is quite advanced but occasionally she has to look things up on her phone to get the direct translation. The other day she had a question for me. “What do you call this kind of bun?” she asked, holding her phone…
Nutritionists have been telling us for years to load up on the low-fat products. Turns out that may have been a bad idea
McMaster University’s Population Health Research Institute just released a major study comparing the benefits of various diets around the world. After surveying 135,000 people over seven years in 18 countries, the study concluded that we should be eating more fats, more fruits and vegetables and fewer sugary carbohydrates. According to the lead author, Mahshid Dehgha,…
Pseudoscience and quackery love the food-is-medicine philosophy because it helps them sell their nutritional supplements, diet books and therapy sessions
Hippocrates supposedly said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” I disagree. Food is not medicine. I can hear people saying, “But Dylan, you have type 1 diabetes and a PhD in human nutritional sciences. Surely you of all people know that food has a powerful impact on health?” I do. But…
The Senate of Canada has several key roles and makes important contributions to the development of the country’s most pivotal public policy initiatives. But lately, several key government and private members’ bills have suffered the consequences of political theatre as we enter into the throes of an election year. In recent months, we’ve seen a…
