2019 Canada’s Food Guide Food Classification System: Classification of foods and beverages into categories

Download in PDF format
(0.89 MB, 4 pages)

Published: September 2022

High-level category	Mid-level category	Low-level category	The lowest level category includes:
Vegetables and Fruit 1	Fruit 11	Fruit 1120	All types of fruit (not including juice). Includes fruit purees.
	Vegetables 12	Dark green vegetables 1210	Dark leafy greens and other vegetables that are dark green in color. Most are a good source of folate and provitamin A carotenoids.
		Deep yellow or orange vegetables 1220	Carrots, winter squash and other deep yellow or orange vegetables. Most are good sources of provitamin A carotenoids. (Note: sweet potatoes are a starchy vegetable)
		Starchy vegetables 1230	Potato, white and yellow corn, sweet potato, yam, parsnip, plantain, cassava, bread fruit, taro root, burdock root and lotus root. [> 10 g carbohydrate (excluding fibre) per RA]
		Other vegetables 1240	All remaining vegetables that do not fit into any of the other vegetable subgroups. Includes tomato sauce.
Whole Grain, whole grain foods and whole wheat foods 2	Whole grains (100%) 21	Whole grains (100%) 2100	All whole grains that are 100% whole grain
	Whole grain and whole wheat foods 22	Whole grain foods 2210	All grain products with whole grain as the first ingredient
	Whole grain and whole wheat foods 22	Whole wheat foods 2220	All grain products with whole wheat as the first ingredient
Protein foods 3 & 4	Plant-based protein foods 3	Plant-based yogurts 3200	Fortified Yogurt, yogurt drinks, kefir and similar products made from plant-based sources that contain protein
		Fortified plant-based cheeses (that contain sufficient protein) 3300	All cheese-like products made from plant-based sources that contain sufficient protein. Inspired by the Interim Marketing Authorization for products that are intended to resemble a ripened (mature) cheese, the protein content must be not less than 25g/100g. For products intended to resemble fresh cheese, the protein content must be not less than 15g/100g.
		Legumes 3400	Beans, dried peas, lentils, soybeans and tofu (excluding soy beverages) Note: Peanuts are in nuts, fresh peas are in other vegetables
		Simulated meats 3500	Simulated meat products such as veggie/meatless patties, nuggets. Foods are typically made with protein isolates. Simulated meats must have similar protein quality as the product they are simulating.
		Nuts and seeds 3600	All nuts and seeds, including peanuts.
		Other plant-based foods (that contain sufficient protein) 3700	All types of plant-based foods that are intended for use as alternatives to milk-based foods and that contain sufficient protein, e.g. Desserts, soups and sauces. Inspired by the Interim Marketing Authorization for products that resemble fresh cheese, the protein content must be not less than 15g/100g.
	Animal-based protein foods 4	Yogurts and kefir 4200	Yogurt, yogurt drinks, kefir and similar products made from the milk of cows, goats and other animals
		Cheeses 4300	All types of cheese made from the milk of animals such as cow, goat and buffalo cheese. Include cheese with ingredients such as herbs, flavourings, spices.
		Other milk-based foods 4400	All types of dairy-based desserts, soups and sauces
		Red meats 4500	All beef, pork, lamb and goat meat from domesticated animals
		Game meats 4600	Meat from all wild land and sea mammals
		Poultry and wild birds 4700	Meat from all types of birds
		Eggs 4710	All eggs
		Fish and shellfish 4800	All fish and shellfish
		Organ meats 4900	The organs of all wild and domesticated animals
Beverages 5	Beverages 51	Water 5110	All plain still waters (tap and bottled) and plain and unsweetened carbonated waters, with or without flavourings. Excludes sweetened waters.
		Fortified plant-based beverages (that contain sufficient protein) 5120	Fortified plant-based beverages, including soy, that are fortified with calcium and vitamin D and contain sufficient protein. Inspired by the Interim Marketing Authorization for plant-based beverages, the protein content must be not less than 2.5g/100mL.
		Non-Fortified plant-based beverages (that contain sufficient protein) 5130	Plant-based beverages, including soy, that contain sufficient protein but have not been fortified with additional micronutrients such as calcium or vitamin D. Inspired by the Interim Marketing Authorization for plant-based beverages, the protein content must be not less than 2.5g/100mL .
		Fortified Plant-based beverages (that do not contain sufficient protein) 5140	Almond, rice, coconut, and other plant-based beverages that are fortified but do not contain sufficient protein (less than 2.5g/100mL).
		Milks 5150	All animal-based milks such as cow, goat or buffalo milk as well as milk-based beverages. Includes skim milk powder
		Fruit juice 5160	All fruit juices without added sugars. Excludes juice drinks and cocktails with added sugars
		Vegetable juice 5170	Vegetable juice and cocktail
		Other beverages 5180	Includes plain coffee, tea, club soda, vitamin and flavoured waters, artificially sweetened beverages, juice drinks/cocktails, juice with sugars added and sodas. Non-fortified plant-based beverages (that are not a source of protein).
Other foods 6	Other plant-based foods (that do not contain sufficient protein) 61	Other plant-based foods (that do not contain sufficient protein) 6100	All types of plant-based foods that are intended for use as alternatives to milk-based foods and that do not contain sufficient protein (see criteria for 3300 and 3700) e.g. cheese, desserts, soups and sauces.
	Condiments, sauces and lower fat dressings 62	Condiments, sauces and lower fat dressings 6200	Condiments, sauces, pickled vegetables, lower fat dressings, fillings and seasonings with salt and sugar added, other foods with small RAs that accompany or add flavour to other foods
	Other snack foods 63	Other snack foods 6300	Chips, pretzels, extruded snacks. Includes sugar free versions of these snack foods.
	Higher sugar and/or higher fat foods 64	Higher sugar and/or higher fat foods 6400	higher fat and/or sugar foods where the first ingredient is either sugar or fat
	Non-whole grain and non-whole wheat foods 65	Enriched non-whole grain and non-whole wheat foods 6510	All enriched refined grain products that do not have whole grain or whole wheat as the first ingredient.
	Non-whole grain and non-whole wheat foods 65	Unenriched non-whole grain and non-whole wheat foods 6520	All unenriched refined grain products that do not have whole grain or whole wheat as the first ingredient. Includes cornmeal, tapioca and other plant-based starchy items.
	Processed meats 66	Processed meats 6600	All meats preserved by smoking, curing salting or the addition of chemical preservatives
Fats and oils 7	Unsaturated fats and oils 7110	Unsaturated fats and oils 7110	Oils, dressings and spreads that contain ≤ 2 grams saturated and trans fatty acids per reference amount. Small reference amounts are not adjusted.
Fats and oils 7	Saturated and trans fats and oils 7120	Saturated and trans fats and oils 7120	Animal fats, hydrogenated oils and tropical fats and spreads that contain > 2 grams saturated and trans fatty acids and fat per reference amount. Small reference amounts are not adjusted.
Other foods that are not classified 8	Baby and toddler foods 81	Baby and toddler foods 8100	Foods directed for consumption by infants and toddlers.
	Meal replacements and supplements 82	Meal replacements and supplements 8200	Meal replacements and foods considered to be supplements
	Alcoholic beverages 83	Alcoholic beverages 8300	All beverages with alcohol
	CNF Recipes 84	CNF Recipes 8400	CNF recipes only. These are mixed dishes that cannot be assigned a food grouping since they contain significant amounts of ingredients from different food groupings. In the CNF, ingredient proportions for recipes are not available so recipes cannot be taken apart.
	Miscellaneous foods 85	Miscellaneous foods (ingredients, herbs, spices, sugarless candies, unprepared mixes) 8500	Miscellaneous foods, ingredients, spices, herbs, unprepared soup mixes and any other product that cannot be classified in any other low-level group
Foods and beverages missing data for classification 9	Unclassified foods and beverages (due to missing data) 99	Unclassified foods and beverages (due to missing data) 9990	Foods that are missing nutrient data required for classification.

Report a problem or mistake on this page

Please select all that apply:

A link, button or video is not working

It has a spelling mistake

Information is missing

Information is outdated or wrong

I can't find what I'm looking for

Other issue not in this list

Date modified:: 2022-10-19

Language selection

Search

2019 Canada’s Food Guide Food Classification System: Classification of foods and beverages into categories

Thank you for your help!