1. Eat a variety of healthy foods each day

2. Include lots of fibre in your diet

Fibre lowers ‘bad’ cholesterol, blood sugars and blood pressure. It can help keep your bowels regular. It can also keep you feeling full longer.

• Examples include colourful fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, low-sodium canned or dried), whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, oats, lentils, beans, chickpeas.

Healthy eating made simple Information for patients and families

Source: © All Rights Reserved: Canada’s Food Guide. Health Canada. Adapted and reproduced with permission from the Minister of Health, 2019.

3. Choose plant-based proteins more often

Plant proteins are very healthy. They are different from meat because they are low in saturated fat and high in qualities that can help lower your risk of heart disease.

• Examples include lentils, beans, chickpeas, tofu, nuts, seeds, fortified soy beverage.

If you do eat animal proteins, choose fish, shellfish, poultry, lean red meat, eggs and lower fat dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, kefir).

4. Drink mostly water

Drinking water is a great way to stay hydrated and quench your thirst, without calories.

Drinks that are sweetened with sugar add extra calories to your diet. They can make you gain weight and give you cavities. These drinks include juice, pop, fruit-flavoured drinks, sweetened milk and cold coffee drinks.

Limit alcohol. Men should drink no more than 2 drinks each day and women should have no more than 1 drink each day. Here is what counts as 1 drink:

• 1.5 ounces (43 mL) of hard liquor with 40% alcohol • 5 ounces (150 mL) of wine with 12% alcohol • 12 ounces (375 mL) of beer, cider or cooler with 5% alcohol

Limit caffeine. Drink no more than 3 or 4 cups of coffee each day. One cup is 8 ounces (250 mL), so have no more than 24 to 32 ounces (750 mL to 1 litre).

5. Limit intake of added sugars

Extra sugar can make you gain weight. It can also increase the fats in your blood and put you at risk for diabetes.

• Examples include drinks sweetened with sugar (cola, iced tea, fruit juice), sweet treats (chocolate, candy, pastries).

It is better to have less sugar than to choose sugar-free options sweetened with aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, sugar alcohols or stevia.

6. Limit processed and prepared foods

These foods often have high amounts of sodium (salt), sugar and saturated fat. Eating too much sodium, sugar and saturated fat can increase your risk of heart disease.

These foods may also contain trans fat, which increases the ‘bad’ cholesterol and decreases the ‘good’ cholesterol in your body. This can increase your risk of heart disease.

• Examples include snack foods (chips, crackers), store-bought baked foods (cookies, pastries, croissants), frozen meals, soups, sauces, gravies, deli meat.

Try healthy snacks instead. They can keep your energy levels up and give you the nutrients your body needs. Remember to keep portions small.

• Examples of healthy snacks include fresh fruit, vegetables and hummus, unsalted nuts, low-fat yogurt.

7. Cook at home most often

Eating at home gives you control over what you are eating. It is cheaper and helps you avoid processed foods. It may also create less food waste.

When you cook, use unsaturated fats that are liquid at room temperature (canola, avocado, safflower) and limit saturated fats that are solid at room temperature (butter, lard, coconut oil).

To make salad dressing, dip or marinade, choose olive, walnut or flaxseed oil.

Use steaming, boiling, roasting, baking or stir-frying. Avoid frying.

Limit how much salt you use when you cook and eat. Use herbs and spices instead.

8. Be mindful of what you are eating

Think carefully about what types of foods you are feeding your body and be aware of how much you are eating.

Focus on your food at mealtimes. Enjoy the taste, smell and how it feels in your mouth.

Pay attention to what your body is telling you. Recognize when you are hungry or full.

This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Ask your healthcare provider about this information if you have questions.

For more information, visit www.unlockfood.ca, www.heartandstroke.ca or www.dietitians.ca. You can speak to a Registered Dietitian for free at TeleHealth Ontario by calling 1-866-797-0000.

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Choose wisely. Read the label!

On foods with a label, you will see % Daily Value (%DV) of different nutrients for a portion of that food. The % Daily Value shows how much of each nutrient is in that portion compared to what the average person needs in a day. Use this information to make healthy choices.

Choose foods that have less than 5% DV of sodium (salt), total sugar or saturated fat in each portion. These foods only include a little of that nutrient. Avoid foods that have 15% DV or more of sodium (salt), total sugar or saturated fat. These foods have a lot of that nutrient.

Source: © All Rights Reserved: Percent Daily Value. Health Canada, modified 2019. Adapted and reproduced with permission from the Minister of Health, 2019.

Read the list of ingredients. The order of the list shows ingredients from most to least, by weight. This means that the food has the most of the first thing on the list and the least of the last thing. Avoid foods that list sugar or salt as one of the first few ingredients.