FELDSTED: Whenever someone claims that one size fits all, advice from government included, you will probably be disappointed. So, adopt the Canada food guide at your peril

The brave new world of plant-based eating

Rita DeMontis ~~ Toronto Sun ~~ January 27, 2019

After years in the making, the new Canada’s Food Guide has exploded on the food scene, much like popcorn in a popper ... there’s a spanking new plate brimming with fruits, veggies … and very little else. Whole grains get to sit in the corner. Traditional protein is an afterthought (I like the visual of 1/4 of an egg – where’s the rest?)

... how is this brave new food guide going to impact on such institutions as soup kitchens and food banks? Oh, no canned meats or fish, please. I haven’t eaten in days yet what do you have back there in the way of a bag of plant-based fill-in-the-blanks.

... if a cow eats only grass, does the beef become a plant-based protein? Interesting concept.

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Another adventure in social engineering, by our federal government, is underway. This time they want to turn us all into low carbon, docile vegans.

Some years ago fat, in particular animal fat, was considered a public enemy. We were exhorted to eat only lean meats. That led to higher meat prices while thousands gritted their teeth and chocked down meat that had the consistency and flavour of a slab of sawdust. A side effect was constipation as our digestive tracts need grease to function properly. 

Thousands of people eat yogurt regularly to maintain healthy enzymes. 

Thousands of others enjoy a slice (or slab) of cheese with their burger, in a salad or as a snack. Imagine a potato salad without eggs and mayonnaise. 

We enter this world as omnivores, and we will eat anything we can get our hands on.

We start off on milk, plow our way through pureed cereals, and then veggies and fruits until we can manage regular foods including beet, pork, poultry and fish. Then we eat what we like, with an eye on balanced nutrition.

... if a cow eats only grass, does the beef become a plant-based protein? Interesting concept.

Decades of (failed) fad diets have shown us that moderation is a key to healthy eating. Smaller portions, avoiding sugar-laced and highly processed snacks and regular exercise (getting off your butt and moving your feet helps). 

You adopt the Canada food guide at your peril.

If the advice does not work for you, there is no recourse. Remember we all process foods differently. Some people can eat anything and stay slim, while others can gain weight from the aroma while walking past a smorgasbord.

Whenever someone claims that ‘one size fits all’, advice from government included, you will probably be disappointed.  

John Feldsted

Political Consultant & Strategist

Winnipeg, Manitoba


PLEASE NOTE ... an earlier column on the topic of the new food guide, by MP Dan Albas, ran on the blog January 23rd.  You can read his comments at https://acuriouslookatpoliticsinbc.blogspot.com/2019/01/dan-albas-do-you-prefer-food-guide.html