Ode to the Brazilian Food Guidelines: A Tribute to a Set of Food Guidelines you should all keep an eye on!

I tribute this blog to a few things:

• To set the record straight on Canada’s Food Guide….or at least my opinion of it in today’s food world.
• A set of food guidelines released in 2014 which are probably (in my professional opinion) the best food guidelines to adapt into your daily lives (to date).
• My other half…..and a new cultural cuisine I get to learn all about, from different ingredients, comfort meals and traditions.

If you are still unaware of what Canada’s Food Guide is — well, then I encourage you to not even dive into it. Many years ago when the Food Guide was released (2007), yes, I referred to it with my clients. In the recent years I have used it for one purpose, to identify foods with protein and foods with fibre, encouraging clients to always ensure these two components are met when they sit down to have a meal or a snack. Other than that it is not applicable in today’s nutrition world — I’m sorry to be so frank on the topic. Besides the fact that it is industry funded (I’ll let Yoni Freedhoff tell you about that one), and outdated (July 24, 2007), Canada’s Food Guide does not teach individuals about food energy and appropriate balance, what food does for our mind and body, and more importantly, the whole meaning of a mealtime – to take time out of your day and sit down away from distractions, and amongst company (or some music in the background if you are eating by yourself), and cherish and savour the food you are putting into your temple, remembering your cultural background that makes each cuisine different in this world. Yes, it is important to include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein (meats, poultry, seafood, dairy and alternatives, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, etc.) within your day, but it is more important to ensure that you are including balance within your meals. And I’m sorry, but potatoes (although a “vegetable”) do not balance out a meal when you have a burger (more starch and ok, protein in there too), with a large soda.

So, where can we divert our attention to? The Mediterranean lifestyle is one of great balanced food choices, but the Brazilian Food Guidelines which were released in 2014, by far take the top of the pedestal, and hopefully the Canadian Government has done some serious research before they decide to deliver the next set of guidelines here (apparently set to come through within the next year).

For many years, Brazilians actually faced issues of malnutrition and undernutrition, however it was noticed that rates of overweight and obesity sky rocketed within a short time frame. Standardizing to the 21^st-century way of the world — fast paced, too much convenience, “healthy” take-out and just not enough time to eat (hello people, do you know what’s responsible for fueling your day and more importantly your health?), Brazilian regulations needed to act quickly to help bring a country back to their roots, which is what I always encourage my network and clients to achieve. First on the list – no Guide! No one person is created the same as the next, and if we were all “told” or “asked” to conform to a certain way of eating, well don’t even get me started on the list of concerns of what that would bring about.

So what are the highlights? We can break them down into a few categories:

1. Food Intake
   1. Choose minimally processed foods more often. This allows you to stay within your cultural choices, sustain the environment which you live in, and support your community and local farmers more.
   2. Foods such as oils, fats, salt, and sugar are within our reach. Use them to flavor, but use them sparingly. Don’t omit or restrict, but rather, understand their purpose in food preparation and use in moderation.
   3. Processed foods are available and should be used minimally for what their purpose is. They are processed = changed from their original form, and therefore nutritional value is changed (often removed completely). They should never be the focus of a dish, but rather, similar to oils, fats, salt and sugar, should be used sparingly.
   4. Ultra-processed foods should be avoided– well, if processed changes the nutrition of food from its original form, you can bet that ultra-processed is just plain garbage. There, I said it.
2. Environment
   1. Take time to eat. Sit down and eat within pleasant environments. Be mindful while you eat, which means no TV, no screens – just you, your food and with good company. Sit down while you’re eating and avoid snacking in between meals too much or mindlessly (ie. When standing up, reading an article, in front of the TV).
   2. Access your local mom-and-pop grocery stores more often or farmer’s markets. The big box grocery stores that have BBQ’s next to the cottage cheese right before you hit the shampoo and conditioner are not locally supportive (so so sorry to break this news to you).
   3. If eating out of the home, do your research so that you can support the local vendors, the healthier choices and the balanced portions.
3. Food Skills and Culture
   1. Don’t be scared to cook!! You all have ingrained in you some food skills! Trust me. Know how to scramble an egg? Grate some cheese? Wash an apple? Cut a piece of bread? Guess what – that is a food skill. Exercise these critical life skills, or learn from others who may be a little more advanced. Talk to people. Use the world wide web to gain exposure and videos on these skills! They are the ones that are going to guarantee you a healthy life. TRUST ME!
   2. Prioritize your food preparation – including shopping, meal planning and including the whole family to support one another. This is actually key – if you’re not ready to prioritize this, then this may not be the article for you. But seriously – your health? Your one asset that should be #1 on your list. Ponder on that question for a minute.
4. Food Politics
   1. You know my take on marketing….especially within the food system. It’s not really there to educate you but rather sell a product. For the love of God, Health Canada “standards” aren’t even true regarding the words manufacturers can put on their products and be legit (ie. “0 g trans fat” can still have 0.2 g trans fat per serving). Educate yourself by sitting down with a regulated nutrition professional and educate your children. Please!

And to my other half, and his Brazilian roots! I mean, I love figuring out the multiple ways of how you can use cauliflower or minimizing the use of refined sugar in recipes by using natural sweeteners, but there is something beautiful about each culture and background that makes up the world we live in. Those culture-based cuisines are what we need to maintain to keep this world beautiful. Not only do I love using different flavours, ingredients and methods of preparing foods, but when you recognize the similarities in the cuisines, and how we are all connected there is a whole other level of gratitude!