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  1. Canada.ca
  2. Health
  3. Food and nutrition
  4. Canada's food guide
  5. Healthy eating recommendations
Canada’s food guide

Make it a habit to eat vegetables, fruits, whole grains and protein foods

Healthy eating is a habit. Eat vegetables and fruits, whole grain foods and protein foods as part of a healthy eating pattern to maintain your health.

On this page

  • Benefits of healthy eating patterns
  • How to follow a healthy eating pattern

Benefits of healthy eating patterns

Making healthy food choices can help you develop a healthy eating pattern. A healthy eating pattern helps you improve your overall health.

The term eating pattern refers to what you eat and drink on a regular basis. In a healthy eating pattern, all the foods and drinks work together to:

  • help you feel good
  • maintain your health
  • meet your nutritional needs

Many of the well-studied healthy eating patterns include mostly plant-based foods.

Plant-based foods can include:

  • vegetables and fruits
  • whole grain foods
  • plant-based protein foods

Eating plant-based foods regularly can mean eating more fibre and less saturated fat. This can have a positive effect on health, including a lowered risk of:

  • cancer
  • heart disease
  • type 2 diabetes

Most healthy eating patterns include few or no highly processed foods.

How to develop a healthy eating pattern

You can develop a healthy eating pattern by:

  • Eating more vegetables and fruits, especially those that are:
    • dark green such as broccoli and bok choy
    • orange such as carrots and sweet potato
  • Selecting whole grain varieties of grain foods such as:
    • whole grain pasta
    • whole grain bread
    • whole oats or oatmeal
    • whole grain brown or wild rice
  • Replacing dairy products that are higher in saturated fat, sodium, and sugars with healthier varieties such as:
    • lower fat unsweetened yogurt
    • lower fat and lower sodium cheeses
    • lower fat white milk and unsweetened plant-based beverages
  • Replacing meats higher in saturated fat with leaner varieties such as:
    • eggs
    • wild game
    • skinless poultry
    • fish and shellfish
  • Replacing some of the meat in your meals with plant-based protein foods such as:
    • tofu
    • nuts
    • seeds
    • legumes
  • Limiting highly processed foods such as:
    • preserves like jams and jellies
    • desserts like ice cream and chocolates
    • salty snacks like potato chips and pretzels
    • processed meats like bacon and sausages
    • sugars and syrups like honey and molasses
    • bakery products like cookies and croissants
    • sauces, dressings, dips, gravies and condiments
    • sugary drinks like juice and sweetened coffee and tea

The best healthy eating patterns include foods that reflect your food choices related to:

  • taste
  • culture
  • budget
  • lifestyle

Make a healthy choice

What you eat on a regular basis matters for your health.

  • Choose foods that have little to no added sodium, sugars or saturated fat.
  • Compare the nutrition facts table on foods to choose products that are lower in sodium, sugars or saturated fat.

Further reading

  • Recipes
  • Cook more often
  • Healthy eating on a budget
  • Limit highly processed foods
  • Diets and food trends
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Date modified:
2022-05-24

Section Menu

  • Healthy food choices
  • Eat a variety of healthy foods
    Expand
    • Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits
    • Eat whole grain foods
    • Eat protein foods
    • Choose foods with healthy fats
  • Limit highly processed foods
    Expand
    • Prepare foods with healthy ingredients
    • Choose healthier menu options
  • Make water your drink of choice
    Expand
    • Replace sugary drinks
      Expand
      • Sugary drinks and your teen
  • Use food labels
  • Be aware of food marketing
    Expand
    • Limit kids’ exposure to food marketing
  • Healthy eating habits
  • Be mindful of your eating habits
    Expand
    • Take time to eat
    • Notice your hunger cues
  • Cook more often
    Expand
    • Plan what you eat
    • Involve others
  • Enjoy your food
    Expand
    • Include culture and food traditions
  • Eat meals with others
Use Canada’s food guide plate to make any meal
Transcript | With described video
Turkey and vegetable pita

For recipes and more food guide resources visit:

Canada.ca/FoodGuide

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