Here's what food guides around the world look like

Canada's Food Guide has been given its first major overhaul in more than a decade. The update had beenin the works for years, and released today in Montreal.

Up until today, this is what Canada's Food Guide had looked like since 2007:

While waiting for the release of Canada's new guide, wechecked out the nearly 100 around the world from a list compiled by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

There is a lot ofdetailed information in them. Most carry the same main messages:

• Eat a variety of foods.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Get enough exercise.

And most tend to agree that eating morevegetables and whole grains is best, while consuming sugar and too muchfat especially processed fats is to be avoided.

But countries can get pretty creative when it comes togetting that information across.

Some food guides are shaped like buildings

Cambodia's guide is in the shape of anAngkor Wata temple complex that's one of the largest religious monuments in the world. The guidewas developed with the help of schoolchildren surveyed by the Ministry of Health about the foods they most commonly eat.

Benin's guide isa round traditional house with a thatch roof. The water in the entrance is there for two reasons: as a symbol of Beninese hospitality and a reminder that plenty of water should be consumedthroughout the day.

China's pagoda uses the traditional five levels to indicate how much of each food group should beeaten.

Others are shaped like foods native to the country

Antigua and Barbuda uses a pineapple, while Qatar's guide comes in the form of aseafood shell.

Most guides make daily exercise a main component

In fact, only 12make no mention of physical activity. Korea's is pretty obvious.

France has designed its guide as a staircase to hit home the message.

Japan's guide is in the shape of a spinning top a traditionaltoy in the country. It features a person running around a glass of water or tea, to represent the need for adequate physical activity.

There are countries with more than 1guide

And Canada is one of them. First published in 1942, Canada'scurrent guide is available in English and French, as well as10 other languages, including Chinese, Arabicand Punjabi.There is also a version designed specifically forInuit, First Nations and Mtis.

Venezuela alsohas two food guides:one for the general population and one for the country's Indigenous population. The main difference lies in the recommended protein sources, with a range of wild animals shown in the Indigenous one, and cuts of meat in the other.

Belgium also has two guides, one for its French-speaking population and one for the Flemish. TheFlemish food triangle focuses on foods that should be eaten often to occasionally. But what stands out isthered circle of foods beside it foodsit advises to eat as rarely as possible. It doesn't just feature the usualjunk-foodsuspects, such as sugary candy, fried foodsand alcohol. Italso includes what many people would consider good protein sources: processed meats, such as cold cuts and bacon.

In famous form, 1getsstraight to the point

Sweden's guide follows thatesthetic made so famous by Swedes (think Ikea).

These 2focus on how often to eat, rather than on how much to eat

Spain and Greece divide their pyramidsinto daily,weeklyandoccasional consumption groups.

And 1has attracted widespread praise

Brazil has been singled out by nutritionists and food scientists for its innovative approach. Instead of publishing a colourful picture of what you should eat more or less of, it has published guidelines on eating processed versus non-processed foods, andfocuses on making choices based on social and environmentalsustainability.

And because the guide is long (152 pages) and not likely to be read by most Brazilians, the government has also helpfully narrowed it down into a short, 10-step plan.