Why did Canada change its food guide in 2019?

December 18, 2025 •

3 min read

In 2015, sugary drinks were the main source of total sugars in the diets of many Canadians, a factor among others that precipitated the country's need for updated dietary guidance. This and other outdated recommendations in the previous guide led to a major overhaul, resulting in the new, modernized Canada's Food Guide in 2019.

Quick Summary

The 2019 revision of Canada's Food Guide prioritized evidence-based research, emphasizing a plate model with more fruits, vegetables, and plant-based proteins. It eliminated confusing serving sizes and reduced industry influence, while also promoting healthy eating behaviours beyond just what foods are consumed.

Key Points

Evidence-Based Decisions: The 2019 guide was developed using a comprehensive review of scientific evidence, intentionally minimizing influence from food and beverage industry lobbying.
Simplified Plate Model: The confusing rainbow of four food groups and specific serving counts was replaced by a visually intuitive plate model emphasizing proportions of fruits/vegetables, whole grains, and protein foods.
Promotion of Plant-Based Proteins: The revised guide explicitly recommends choosing plant-based proteins more often, merging the old meat and dairy categories into a single 'Protein Foods' group.
Focus on Healthy Habits: The updated guide broadens its scope to include advice on mindful eating, cooking more often, enjoying food, and eating with others, recognizing that healthy eating is more than just the food itself.
Water as the Preferred Drink: The new guide recommends water as the beverage of choice and discourages sugary drinks, which contrasts with the previous guide's stance on items like fruit juice.
Reduced Ultra-Processed Foods: The 2019 guide provides clearer warnings and recommendations to limit the consumption of highly processed foods that are high in sugar, sodium, and saturated fat.

The 2019 revision of Canada's Food Guide marked the most significant overhaul in decades, fundamentally changing how Health Canada communicates healthy eating recommendations to the public. The decision to change the guide was driven by a need to reflect modern nutritional science, improve clarity for consumers, and reduce the historical influence of industry lobbying. The old, rainbow-based guide with its complicated serving sizes was replaced by a simple plate model, emphasizing proportions over precise measurements. This shift aimed to provide more practical and actionable advice for everyday life.

Shifting to an Evidence-Based Foundation

One of the most critical reasons for the change was the commitment to creating a thoroughly evidence-based guide, free from commercial bias. Health Canada made a deliberate decision to exclude industry representatives from discussions when drafting the new dietary guidelines. This transparency was a direct response to past criticisms that previous versions of the guide may have been influenced by lobbying from the meat and dairy industries. The new recommendations are instead based on a comprehensive review of scientific reports and studies from leading health organizations.

The Move from Food Groups to Proportions

Canadians previously navigated a four-food-group system, complete with specific, and often confusing, serving sizes for different age and gender demographics. The new guide simplifies this immensely, visualizing proportions on a plate: half vegetables and fruits, one-quarter whole grain foods, and one-quarter protein foods. This visual cue is easier to understand and apply to daily meals than calculating servings of 'Milk and Alternatives' or 'Bread and Cereals'.

De-emphasizing Meat and Dairy

The most prominent and controversial change was the de-emphasis of meat and dairy. Previously, 'Milk and Alternatives' and 'Meat and Alternatives' were separate, central pillars of the food guide. In the 2019 revision, they were merged into a single 'Protein Foods' category, with a strong recommendation to "consume plant-based more often". This shift aligns with modern research highlighting the health benefits of plant-based proteins, including lower saturated fat intake and higher fibre consumption, which are linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. The move faced criticism from the meat and dairy industries, who argued it was detrimental to Canadian health and their businesses.

Introducing New Healthy Eating Habits

Beyond what to eat, the new guide places a significant emphasis on how to eat. Drawing inspiration from international best practices, it includes advice on food behaviours that are crucial for a healthy lifestyle. These behavioural recommendations cover a broader, more holistic approach to eating, rather than solely focusing on nutrients.

Mindful Eating: Paying attention to hunger and fullness cues.
Cooking More Often: A practical way to control sodium, sugar, and saturated fat intake.
Enjoying Food: Encouraging positive cultural and social relationships with food.
Eating Meals with Others: Sharing food promotes a sense of community and well-being.

Comparison: Old (2007) vs. New (2019) Food Guide


Feature	Old (2007) Guide	New (2019) Guide
Visual Representation	Rainbow graphic with four distinct food groups.	Simple plate model showing proportions.
Food Groups	Four groups: Vegetables and Fruit; Grain Products; Milk and Alternatives; Meat and Alternatives.	Three groups: Vegetables and Fruits; Whole Grain Foods; Protein Foods.
Quantity Guidance	Specific daily serving numbers and sizes for different demographics.	Emphasis on proportions (half, quarter, quarter) and overall eating patterns, not serving counts.
Protein Emphasis	Meat and dairy were prominent, separate categories.	Plant-based proteins are explicitly recommended more often than animal-based.
Beverage Recommendations	100% fruit juice was counted as a fruit serving; milk and sugary drinks often included.	Explicitly recommends water as the beverage of choice and warns against sugary drinks.
Industry Influence	Historically influenced by food industry lobbying.	Conscious effort to exclude industry influence during development.

Conclusion

The 2019 update to Canada's Food Guide was a comprehensive and necessary modernization of the nation's dietary advice. By moving away from confusing serving sizes and a potentially biased structure, and towards an evidence-based, simplified plate model, Health Canada provided Canadians with more practical tools for healthy eating. The new emphasis on mindful eating and plant-based proteins reflects current nutritional science and addresses the evolving health landscape. While initially a departure from the familiar, the changes empower Canadians to make healthier choices by focusing on proportions and overall eating habits, ultimately contributing to better public health outcomes.

For more detailed information on the scientific and policy-making process behind the changes, you can refer to the official Health Canada documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most significant visual change is the replacement of the multi-coloured rainbow with a simple, easy-to-understand plate model that illustrates the recommended proportions of different food types at mealtime.

The guide promotes plant-based proteins more often because they tend to be higher in fibre and lower in saturated fat, which is linked to reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.

No, Health Canada explicitly chose to base the 2019 guide on scientific evidence and excluded industry representatives from the policy-drafting table, a departure from how previous guides were created.

Serving sizes were removed because Health Canada heard feedback that Canadians found them confusing and difficult to apply in their daily lives. The new approach focuses on proportions and overall eating patterns instead.

The new guide prominently features water as the beverage of choice, advising Canadians to replace sugary drinks with it to promote hydration and reduce sugar intake.

The guide now advises on how to eat, with recommendations to be mindful of your eating habits, cook more often, enjoy your food, and eat meals with others.

The focus on limiting highly processed foods addresses their high content of sodium, sugars, and saturated fat, which has been linked to increased risks of chronic diseases like obesity and cardiovascular issues.