Food and Nutrition
Eating a variety of foods every day supports your health and well-being. Making healthy eating habits a part of your life now will help to form life-long habits.
Following Canada’s food guide will help you have a healthy, well-balanced pattern of eating.
Choose a variety of foods from Canada’s food guide:
Healthy eating is more than the foods you eat. It is also about enjoying your food, eating with others and cooking more often.
Setting personal goals can help you improve your eating habits.
Choose small changes that work for you. Visit Healthy Eating Starts Here for tips and resources on healthy eating.
Choose Here are some tips to get you started:
You can meet most of your vitamin and mineral needs by following Canada’s food guide. See information on recommended vitamin and mineral supplements below.
It’s recommended that all people who could become pregnant take a multivitamin with 0.4 mg (400 mcg) of folic acid every day.
It’s recommended that all adults take a supplement of 400 IU of vitamin D every day.
Read and follow the instructions on the label. Take the dose recommended on the label.
Check the expiry date before you buy or take any supplements.
Choose a product that you will finish before the expiry date.
Discard the product if the expiration date has passed.
Fluids help you digest your food and move nutrients around your body. The fluid you drink also helps carry waste out of your body.
Most adults should try to take in about 9-12 cups (2.25-3 L) of fluid every day. This includes all beverages, soups, coffee, tea and the water that is part of foods like vegetables and fruit. Your fluid needs depend on your age, gender, body size and activity level.
There are times when you may need more fluid. On a hot day or if you’re very active, drink more to replace the fluid you lose through sweat.
Herer are a few tips for choosing healthy drinks:
Drinks with added sugar include regular soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened hot and cold drinks (e.g. hot chocolate or coffee drinks) or slush drinks.
Too much caffeine can have a negative effect on your health. Learn more about the amount of caffeine in different foods and beverages here.
A foodborne illness occurs when harmful germs, such as bacteria, parasites, or viruses, contaminate the food that you eat, making you sick. These germs may get into food when it’s prepared, processed, or if it’s washed with contaminated water.
When in doubt, throw it out: If you aren’t sure if a food is safe, don’t eat it.
Practicing safe food handling at home, such as thoroughly and regularly washing hands, sanitizing surfaces, and using clean utensils and cooking equipment, can help you avoid foodborne illnesses that can affect your health.
There are two ways that foodborne illnesses occur:
The first symptom of foodborne illness is usually diarrhea. You may also feel sick to your stomach, vomit, have stomach cramps, fever, and in severe cases, blood in your stool. Excessive diarrhea and vomiting can cause dehydration.
While most people recover relatively quickly from food poisoning, some may experience lasting health effects. If you suspect you have a foodborne illness, consult your healthcare provider or call Health Link at 811 for guidance.
Report suspected foodborne illness to Alberta Health Services, Environmental Public Health through their online portal.
For more information on food poisoning symptoms, see Foodborne Illness and Safe Food Handling.
Germs can’t rapidly grow at temperatures that are too cold or hot. Maintaining proper cooking and storage temperatures is important to minimize the risk of foodborne illness. Here are some guidelines to follow:
Cross-contamination can happen when germs are transferred from one surface to another, potentially contaminating food. For example, if you’re handling raw meat and then pick up vegetables or touch the fridge door, you could transfer the germs on your hands to the other food or surfaces you touch.
Foods that carry the highest risk for food poisoning are raw meat and raw eggs. Here are some ways to prevent cross-contamination:
Check for expiry and best-before dates. Don’t buy foods past the expiry date.
Expiry dates are specific to perishable items, especially those that may pose health risks if consumed after the date. Consuming foods past their expiry date can lead to foodborne illnesses.
Best-before dates provide information on freshness and the potential shelf life of foods. While taste and texture may decrease over time, these dates do not reflect product safety.
When buying food, consider the following factors to reduce your risk of a foodborne illness:
Practice safe food handling when grocery shopping by picking up refrigerated and frozen foods last. Then, if available pack these items in insulated bags/containers and head straight home to store your groceries properly.
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