This yr was marked by ever-increasing meals costs, new meals labelling rules and in addition encouraging information about eating regimen and well being.
Right here’s a roundup of 4 tales that stood out in 2022, together with take-aways for 2023 and past.
Meals inflation prime of thoughts
This yr Canada noticed the very best fee of meals inflation since 1981. Rising meals prices led many Canadians to make adjustments to the way in which they store for, put together and retailer meals.
Knowledge reported from the Agri-Meals Analytics Lab at Dalhousie College revealed that many patrons are shopping for much less meals, utilizing extra coupons and extra typically buying privately-labelled retailer manufacturers. 4 out of 10 Canadians additionally say they’re lowering meals waste.
Finances-minded consuming additionally meant many individuals swapped purple meat for cheaper protein sources and turned to tinned fish for his or her omega-3 fat. Some additionally skipped meals.
Anticipate to proceed to really feel the consequences of meals inflation subsequent yr. Canada’s Meals Worth Report 2023 has forecasted an total 5 to 7 per cent soar in meals costs this winter.
The worth of recent greens is anticipated to rise probably the most (6 to eight per cent), a cause so as to add frozen greens to your grocery listing in 2023.
In line with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, director of Dalhousie’s Agri-Meals Analytics Lab, “costs within the frozen produce aisle are traditionally far more secure attributable to a extra constant provide chain.”
Frozen greens can have the next nutrient content material than their recent out-of-season counterparts since they’re flash-frozen proper after harvest. Utilizing frozen greens additionally helps scale back meals waste.
Entrance-of-package vitamin labels introduced
In July, Well being Canada regulated front-of-package (FOP) vitamin labels to assist shoppers make more healthy meals selections. The brand new necessary “high-in” label will seem on prepackaged meals that meet or exceed 15 per cent of the every day worth (DV) for saturated fats, sodium and/or sugars.
That’s excellent news since Canadians get practically half of their every day energy from ultra-processed meals, which add extra saturated fats, sodium and sugars to our eating regimen.
A excessive consumption of those vitamins is related to an elevated danger of coronary heart illness, stroke, Kind 2 diabetes and weight problems. Rising proof additionally suggests {that a} poor eating regimen contributes to despair and anxiousness.
Meals producers have till Jan. 1, 2026, to adjust to the brand new rules. Within the meantime, use the DV percentages on vitamin labels to get a way of how a lot sodium, saturated fats and sugars are in a product; 15 per cent or extra is taken into account loads.
New stricter alcohol pointers
In August, the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse and Habit proposed new Low-Threat Alcohol Ingesting Tips (LRDG) that will have shocked many individuals.
The advisory group recommends that adults, women and men, restrict alcohol consumption to 2 normal drinks per week (e.g., 12 ounces of 5 per cent beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits).
This recommendation is a placing departure from Canada’s authentic LRDG, launched in 2011, which set a restrict of 10 drinks every week for girls and 15 every week for males.
The brand new steering is predicated on a evaluation of over 5,000 research that discovered common alcohol consumption is tied to an elevated danger of coronary heart illness, stroke, a number of cancers, mental-health issues, damage and violence. All ranges of alcohol consumption are related to some danger.
For minimal to low danger of detrimental well being penalties, the up to date recommendation is to eat not more than two drinks every week. A weekly consumption of three to 6 drinks is related to a reasonable danger; exceeding six drinks every week steeply will increase the danger.
The ultimate LRDG are to be launched on Jan. 17, 2023.
Mediterranean eating regimen continues to earn prime rating
It was an excellent yr for the well-researched Mediterranean eating regimen. In January, the U.S. Information and World Report, as soon as once more, rated it the very best total eating regimen for 2022.
Quite a few research have discovered the Mediterranean eating regimen lowers the danger of coronary heart illness, stroke, diabetes, despair and dementia.
In Could, an Australian research added to rising proof that the eating regimen additionally helps deal with despair. Amongst younger males with reasonable to extreme despair, those that adhered to the consuming sample for 12 weeks had important reductions in despair, with 35 per cent reporting low to minimal signs.
This yr two research linked a “inexperienced” Mediterranean eating regimen – one excessive in polyphenols from inexperienced tea, walnuts and a inexperienced shake made with water lentils – to wholesome mind growing old and lowered visceral fats, a dangerous fats saved across the liver, the pancreas and the intestines.
Make 2023 the yr you undertake the Mediterranean eating regimen. Embody olive oil, entire grains, fruits, greens, beans, nuts, and herbs and spices in your every day eating regimen. If you do eat purple meat, have small parts.
Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based personal apply dietitian, is director of meals and vitamin at Medcan. Comply with her on Twitter @LeslieBeckRD
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