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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNew Food Guide could spell end of chocolate milk wars - Ottawa Citizen - 10/02/2018 - Ottawa Citizen - 10/02/201810/3/2018 New Food Guide could spell end of chocolate milk wars I Ottawa Citizen New Food Guide could spell end of chocolate milk wars ELIZABETH PAYNE (HTTPS://OTTAWACITIZEN.COM/AUTHOR/EPAYNE58) Updated: October 2, 2018 Canada's chocolate milk wars could soon be over. Chocolate milk, along with fruit juice, is expected to get a thumbs down as healthy foods in the new Canadian Food Guide set to be released beginning this fall. That could eventually end debates about whether chocolate milk should be routinely offered to schoolchildren. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/new-food-gu ide-could-spel I -end -of -chocolate -mil k -wars 1/7 10/3/2018 New Food Guide could spell end of chocolate milk wars I Ottawa Citizen Canada's previous Food Guide, issued in 2007, termed chocolate milk a suitable alternative for dairy and juice a suitable alternative to whole fruit, both of which were considered a healthy part of a daily diet. Those recommendations became the focus of criticism. Ottawa obesity expert Yoni Freedhoff termed the 2007 food guide "obesigenic", partly based on chocolate milk. Whether chocolate milk should be regularly offered in schools became a focus of the recent provincial election in New Brunswick. The Conservatives, who won 22 seats in the election, vowed to relax nutrition guidelines in schools in the province. The Liberals, who won 21 seats, had vowed to ban chocolate milk in schools, along with other sugary drinks. Freedhoff, who was part of a panel on the upcoming Food Guide at a Centre for Health Science and Law conference Tuesday in Ottawa, said a clear statement from the federal government about chocolate milk would make a difference to debates about chocolate milk in school. "If the Food Guide had said, 'This is something that should be limited in children, that should be considered a treat, this would be a non -issue," Freedhoff said. He added that is what he expects to happen when the new guide is released. "I would be flabbergasted if the new Food Guide did not state that sugar sweetened milks are beverages that should be explicitly limited in children. Should it say that, it would follow that school chocolate milk programs would be on school boards' chopping blocks — though I'd also bet it will take a fair bit of time until it is universally removed." The people drafting the new Food Guide did recommend chocolate milk and fruit juices be limited for children as part of its recommendations sent out for consultation. But Hasan Hutchinson, who is the director general of the office of nutrition policy and promotion at Health Canada, said nothing is final until the guide is approved and released by the federal government. Freedhoff, founder and medical director of the Bariatric Medical Institute in Ottawa, called the idea that children should be offered chocolate milk daily "backwards:" A small, 250 ml chocolate milk carton, consumed daily during a 180 -day school year, provides a child with 10 pounds, or 24 cups, of sugar, he said. Chocolate milk has twice the calories of Coke and Gatorade, although it contains more nutrients, and 20 per cent more sugar. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/new-food-gu ide-could-spel I -end -of -chocolate -mil k -wars 2/7 10/3/2018 New Food Guide could spell end of chocolate milk wars I Ottawa Citizen Considering chocolate milk a reasonable alternative to milk products, he said, is like considering apple pie an alternative to an apple. "If you wouldn't give a kid who doesn't like applies pie every day, perhaps you shouldn't give that same kid chocolate milk every day." The re -think of chocolate milk and fruit juice is just a small part of the new, updated and redefined guide, expected to be released in several parts beginning later this year. Hutchinson said the new guide will be dramatically different from the six- page document with a graphic rainbow design on front that was released in 2007. "We were hearing the existing Food Guide was not enough detail for policy- makers and way too much detail for most Canadians. We have gone in quite a different direction," he said. "We decided to explode it apart and instead of having one six pager we will have a whole suite of food guide products:" The guide will be digital first, said Hutchinson, and will include interactive, easily accessible tools. The version of the guide for consumers will contain dietary guidelines as well as tools and resources they can use to apply the guidelines at home, while shopping and dining out, among other things. The Food Guide will no longer contain recommended portion sizes, said Hutchinson. "We heard very strongly from people that they just found that confusing and we heard from dietitians that is what people had the most trouble with:" The new Food Guide will focus on proportions, rather than portion sizes, he said. "If we could get people to make half their plates fruit and vegetables, I think a lot of the problems would go away." The guide will include more details for health professionals, policy -makers and institutions that prepare food. It will also include a new focus on how people eat and the importance of selecting, preparing and sharing food. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/new-food-gu ide-could-spel I -end -of -chocolate -mil k -wars 3/7 10/3/2018 New Food Guide could spell end of chocolate milk wars I Ottawa Citizen Hutchinson said there is growing research about distracted eating — specifically that people tend to eat more when they are watching television or looking at mobile phones or other screens. The overall message to consumers will be to be mindful of what and how they eat and to be given a sense of the foods they should have lots of compared with the foods that can "disrupt healthy eating". The guide will be a living document, said Hutchinson, that can be adapted regularly based on new research. Freedhoff said he believes the Food Guide is important, but more for policy development and practices than for individuals. "Do we really think people are going to be using these documents on a day- to-day basis to change their dietary habits? I am skeptical." TRENDING STORIES o. New Food Guide could spell end of chocolate milk wars Canadas chocolate milk wars could soon be over. Chocolate milk, along with fruit juice, is expected to get a thumbs down a... https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/new-food-gu ide-could-spel I -end -of -chocolate -mil k -wars 4/7 10/3/2018 New Food Guide could spell end of chocolate milk wars I Ottawa Citizen < Previous This Week's Flyers ilillnnn�illillilillillillillillillillI grew n��m� � ....■ ... MW ��w � ��� � /; � ± ✓( �'� "'w° �V � p/i' i////%ilii %'i Pr �. ;99- sang. -,muun , AVE, ee. MEMMEMP 11 lover four, IIF lllyeur Comments M�/ Next > MMYMPWRIMMMER RIPMEMPPM II°Illoveur four, IIF lllyeur Hoveur, f"our, III:::'lllyeur Flowered by We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page (http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/story.html?id-7195492) for more information. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/new-food-gu ide-could-spel I -end -of -chocolate -mil k -wars 5/7 10/3/2018 New Food Guide could spell end of chocolate milk wars i Ottawa Citizen 3 Comments Add a comment... i Rob VandenBoogaard People actually think chocolate milk is healthy ? Like • Reply • 7h IdBill McLennan , nice plastic straw in the drink pictured. Like • Reply • 10h 5 Jeff Brock Bill & Rob - My homemade low sugar malted chocolate milk without a plastic straw (tsk, tsk, tsk) is a wonderful, low sugar, high protein dessert drink to replace those even almost more delicious desserts we all crave! The healthy choice of a real life doctor! Y'all know where to find me for the recipe! Like • Reply • 1 h Les Segal the moral busy body's strike again Like • Reply • 8h Jeff Brock Les - the moral fascists is more like it - MOT Jeff here! Like • Reply • 1 h Facehook Comments Plllugin 011 ,,,, f, f ! 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