NUTRITION AND

THE CANADA FOOD

GUIDE
What do you already know about
nutrition?
 What is the Canada Food Guide?
• The Canada Food guide is a document focused on
nutrition. It recommends what, and often how much,
Canadians should eat in order to maintain a healthy and
nutritious diet.
 Protein
Foods

Fruits and
Vegetables

Whole Grain
Foods

Why do you think the three different food groups important?

Proteins
Proteins are important to eat because they are an
energy source for our bodies. Proteins are made
up of something called amino acids. Our bodies
rely on amino acids to repair and build bones and
muscles. They are also very important for
producing hormones. Hormones are important for
our bodies because they help with our brains
ability to function, help our moods, help our body
temperatures stay normal, and help our bodies to
develop and grow.
Whole Grain Foods
Whole grain foods are important to eat because
they contain proteins, fiber, and antioxidants.
Antioxidants fight things in our bodies called free
radicals, which can be harmful to our bodies. If
we end up with too many free radicals in our
body, we can get sick with things like diabetes,
heart disease, or cancer. Whole grain foods also
include some vitamins and minerals like iron,
which helps move oxygen from our lungs to the
rest of our body. Eating whole grains can also
help lower our likelihood of having heart disease,
diabetes, obesity, and some types of cancer.
Fruits and
Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are important to eat because
they are filled with vitamins and minerals, like
potassium, which helps your muscles to work.
Without these muscles working, we wouldn’t be
able to have our hearts beat or our lungs move for
us to breathe. Fruits and vegetables are also filled
with fibre, which keeps our guts healthy and
prevents constipation. Many fruits and vegetables
contain natural sugar, which our brains need to
function well. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables
can also make it less likely for you to get sick with
heart disease, a stroke, and some types of cancer.
What protein, whole grain, or fruit and
vegetable foods can you think of?
Do you notice anything about which
foods make up each section?
Which section do you think the following
food items belong to?

Proteins, whole grains, or fruit and

vegetables?