I have known a lot of nutritionists in my lifetime due to my work with poverty reduction organizations, and I truly like most of those I’ve met. So, this rant is not about individual people. This rant is about the organization that represents nutritionists overall and goes after the keto diet as an evil derailing of nutrition. They declare keto cannot be healthy because it does not follow the Canadian food guide. But, maybe the way this organization has been looking at food is wrong. Maybe it’s time to change the food guide.
The History of the Canadian Food Guide
There is an interesting article on the Canadian government website called “History of Canada’s Food Guides: from 1942 to 2007.”
- 1942
- 1 Dairy
- 6 Fruit and vegetables (including one serving of tomato and one serving of potatoes)
- 5-7 Cereal and bread
- 1 Protein (including 3-4 eggs per week)
- 1977
- 1 Dairy
- 4-5 Fruit and vegetables
- 3-5 Cereal and bread
- 2 Protein
- 1992
- Limit dairy
- 5-10 Fruit and vegetables
- 5-12 Grains
- 2-3 Protein
- 2007
- Limit dairy
- Most fruit and vegetables
- Second most grains
- Proteins smallest
- 2019
- 1/2 Plate fruit and vegetables
- 1/4 Plate protein
- 1/4 Plate whole grains
So, let’s look at this information. What incredible changes have been made over the years! Some are based on what foods are available at certain points in our history. Other changes are based on advances in science. But, here’s the thing – it’s changed. A lot.
When I grew up, I learned about the 1992 food guide. That one had anywhere from 5 to 12 servings of grains a day! Should you eat eggs? Yes, and then no, and then…maybe? Should you eat bread? Absolutely…not! Dairy should definitely be eaten daily in 1942, and by the time 2019 comes around, it’s just not mentioned.
Who Knows Best?
It’s no wonder that my mother’s idea of nutritious food is so different than mine! Then you add to the fact that wheat has been modified to make it more viable for farmers. More can be grown in a smaller area. That’s great for farmers, but it also means that more people are having wheat sensitivities.
Nutritionists are very sure in the information they provide. The issue is, we all have different information, depending on our ages and the information we’ve received over the years. The food guide I learned is very different from the food guide my mother learned, and different again from the food guide our daughter learned.
My Issues with the Canadian Food Guide
Who is to say that this latest food guide is the right one? How can an organization be so sure they are right when the information has changed every time a new guide comes out? What’s to say that my choice of eating keto is wrong?
And that is my issue with the whole thing. This attitude of “we are right and you are wrong.” That’s what upsets me. Because, things change over the years. Even the information they provide has changed over the years.
My Choice, My Right
I have the right to make an informed decision about my body and my health. I’m sorry that I don’t have complete faith in a system that has changed its mind so often over the years. For me, keto works. I feel better, I am not hungry all the time, and I have a good level of consistent energy. My blood work is good. Cholesterol is fine, sugar levels are great, and my thyroid levels are stable.
So, thank you for your concern, Dieticians of Canada, but I’m good. Yes, I’ve gone out on my own a little bit. I appreciate your past guidance, but your information doesn’t work for me. Keto works for me. The next time I want your opinion, I’ll be sure to ask.
Wendy
