Table 1.
National guide analyses: Canada, United Kingdom, United States
| Canada | United Kingdom | United States | |
| Name | Canada’s Food Guide | Eatwell Plate | My Plate |
| Agency | Health Canada | Food Standards Agency/National Health Service | USDA |
| Number of food categories | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Key messages | 1. Eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable each day. 2. Enjoy vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added fat, sugar, or salt. 3. Have vegetables and fruit more often than juice. | Try to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables | Increase vegetable and fruit intake. Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark-green, red, and orange vegetables and beans and peas. |
| Units | Servings, cups 1 cup = 250 mL | Portions (1 portion = 80 g) | Servings, cups 1 cup raw leafy vegetables = 84 g |
| Vegetable | – | 3 cups/d, 2400 kcal | |
| Fruit | – | 2 cups/d, 2400 kcal | |
| Vegetable and fruit | 7–8 servings (adult) 4–6 (children) | 5 portions/d (400 g/d) | – |
| Vegetable | One serving is: 1) 1 cup (250 mL) of raw green leafyvegetables, such as salad, spinach, collards; 2) 1/2 cup (125 mL) of other vegetables steamed, cooked, or raw, e.g., broccoli, snow peas, carrots; 3) 1/2 cup 100% vegetable juice | A portion is 80 g of these: 1) 3 heaped tablespoons of vegetables (raw, cooked, frozen, tinned); 2) 3 heaped tablespoonsof beans and pulses (beans and pulses count a maximum of 1 portion/d); and 3) a dessert bowl of salad | 1 cup green salad; 1 baked potato; 1/2 cup cooked broccoli; 1/2 cup serving of other vegetable; 1/2 cup tomato juice |
| Fruit | One serving is: 1) 1 piece of fruit (e.g., apple, pear, 2) 1/2 cup fruit, e.g., melons, cantaloupe; 3) 1/2 cup fruit juice | A portion is 80 g or any of these: 1) 1 apple, banana, pear, orange, or other similar-size fruit; 2) 3 heaped tablespoons of fruit salad (fresh or tinned in fruit juice) or stewed fruit; 3) 1 handful of grapes, cherries, or berries; 4) a glass (150 mL) of fruit juice (counts as a maximum of 1 portion/d) | 1/2 cup fresh fruit; 1 medium size fruit; 1/2 cup fruit juice |
| Juice | 100%, 1/2 cup | 1 glass (150 mL) of fruit juice counts as 1 portion, but juice can only count a maximum of 1 portion/d | 100% fruit juice. 1 cup. No limits |
| Categories | 1. Dark green 2. Orange | – | 1) Dark green; 2) red/orange; 3) beans/peas; 4) starchy; 5) other vegetables |
| Potatoes included? | Yes | No. Potatoes not included (considered starchy food) | Yes |
| Legumes included? | Yes | Beans and pulses count only 1 portion/d, no matter how many one eats | Yes (protein category as well), but should be counted in only one category |
| Intake estimates | 5.16 servings (Stat Canada, 2004) | Men: 3.5 portions; women: 3.8 portions | 4.7 servings (NHANES 1999–2000) |