Be Free For Me Blog

FOOD GROUP

EXAMPLES

HEALTHY TIPS & NUTRITION FACTS

Grain Products

GF grain alternatives [e.g., amaranth, buckwheat, cornmeal, millet, Montina ™, oats (GF pure, uncontaminated), quinoa, rice (black, brown, red, white, wild), sorghum, teff]

GF breads, rolls, bagels, muffins

GF ready-to-eat cold cereals

GF hot cereals – e.g., amaranth; cornmeal; cream of buckwheat or brown rice or white rice; rolled oats (GF pure, uncontaminated), hominy or soy grits; rice flakes; soy flakes)

GF pasta -e.g., bean, 100% buckwheat, corn, pea, potato, quinoa/corn, quinoa/rice, soy, rice (brown, white, wild)

GF corn or rice tortillas

GF pancake and waffles

Popcorn

1.        Choose GF whole grains* more often  e.g., amaranth, buckwheat, cornmeal (whole grain- not degermed), millet, oats (GF pure, uncontaminated), quinoa, rice (black, brown, red, wild), sorghum, teff

2.       Choose enriched GF products more often. Not all GF breads, flours, cereals and pastas are enriched with iron and B vitamins and are often lower in fiber as many are made from refined flours and starches.

3.       Choose breads, rolls, bagels, muffins, cereals and pastas from flours and starches that are higher in fiber, protein and vitamins and minerals  e.g., amaranth, buckwheat, flax, legumes, mesquite, millet, Montina™, oats (GF pure, uncontaminated), quinoa, rice (brown), sorghum, teff

* Whole grains contain the entire grain seed (usually called the kernel) and consist of three parts- the bran, germ and endosperm. Refined grains have most of the bran and some of the germ removed which results in the loss of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutritional components.

FOOD GROUP

EXAMPLES

HEALTHY TIPS & NUTRITION FACTS

Fruits

Fresh, frozen or canned fruits and fruit juices

Dried fruits

1.       To get more fiber, choose fruit instead of juice.

2.       Choose unsweetened frozen fruit or canned fruit in 100% fruit juice or water.

3.       Choose orange-colored fruits (e.g., apricot, cantaloupe, orange, mango, nectarine, peach, red or pink grapefruit) more often as they are high in vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals (naturally occurring health compounds)

4.       Choose 100% fruit juice rather than fruit beverages which contain less juice and more added sugar.

5.       Some juices (e.g., orange) are enriched with calcium and/or vitamin D.

Vegetables

Fresh, frozen or canned vegetables and vegetable juices

Dried fruits

1.       Choose dark green and yellow/orange vegetables (e.g., broccoli, carrot, pumpkin, romaine lettuce, squash, sweet potato) more often as they are high in vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.

Milk Products

Milk (fluid and dried powdered)

Milk (lactose-free, lactose-reduced)

Cheese

Yogurt and yogurt-based beverages

Milk-based desserts (e.g., puddings made with milk, ice cream, frozen yogurt, ice milk)

1.       Choose lower-fat milk products more often.

2.       Milk and some yogurt products are enriched with vitamin D which is a key nutrient that aids in the absorption of calcium. Cheese, ice cream, commercial pudding cups and some yogurts are not enriched with vitamin D)

3.       Many brands of non-dairy beverages (e.g., nut, potato, rice, soy) and some orange/other fruit juices may be enriched with calcium and/or vitamin D but may not provide the other nutrients found in milk products.

Meats, Beans and Alternatives

Meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs

Legumes (dried beans, peas and lentils)

Nuts and seeds

GF tofu, GF tempeh, GF texturized vegetable protein, GF veggie burgers

1.       Choose leaner meats and poultry as well as legumes more often.

2.       Flax seeds and walnuts. Along with some fish (e.g., herring, salmon, trout) are high in omega-3 fatty acids which play a positive role in heart health.

3.       Some seeds and nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower) are good sources of vitamin E.

Oils*

* This group is in MyPyramid. Canada’s Food Guide does not specifically include this group.

Oils (e.g., canola, coconut, corn, cottonseed, olive, palm kernel, peanut, safflower, sesame seed, walnut)

Foods naturally high in oils (e.g., avocado, flax, nuts, olives, some fish)

Solid fat (butter, beef fat [tallow, suet], pork fat [lard], stick margarine, shortening)

Foods high in solid fats (e.g., many cheese, cream, well-marbled cuts of meat, regular ground beef, bacon, poultry skin)

1.        All oils and fats are a mixture of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids.

2.        Most oils( except coconut and palm kernel) contain more monounstarurated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

3.        Solid fats and coconut and palm kernel oils contain more saturated fatty acids and/or trans fats than unsaturated oils.

4.        Limit solid fats and coconut and palm kernel oils as saturated fats and trans fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the blood which are a factor in coronary heart disease.