Traffic Lights For Nutrition
Remember the food pyramid? For years Nutrition Australia have promoted their food pyramid as an easy guide to the types of foods, and the amounts of those foods, that we should include in our diets every day for good nutrition. Over the years the pyramid has changed to reflect the latest information.
The food pyramid has always been in the fore front of my mind when planning and thinking about nutrition. A quick glance tells you all you need to know. But recently, I came across The Traffic Light System as a new way to consider nutrition. I hadn’t heard of it previously, and it really appealed to me.
The Victorian Healthy Eating Advisory Service have classified foods according to traffic light colours.
Green – Best Choices
The foods in this category are the healthiest choices that we can make. To have a healthy diet, we should ensure that foods in the green category make up the most of our diet as they contain the following:
- nutrients important to good health
- lower in saturated fat, sugars, and less salt
- less calorie dense
- higher in fibre
The types of food included in the green category are:
- grains and cereals,
- vegetables
- fruit
- legumes and beans
- milk, yoghurt cheese or their alternatives,
- lean meat and poultry
- fish
- eggs
- tofu
- nuts and seeds
- water
Image: Healthy Eating Advisory Service
Amber – Choose Carefully
Foods in the amber category are what I refer to as occasional foods. There can be good nutrients in these foods but should be eaten in moderation. Amber foods should not be the main foods in a nutrition plan due to the following:
- moderate amounts of saturated fat, sugars and salt
- calorie dense
The types of food included in the amber category are:
- grains – could include breads such as scrolls, twists etc. Also included are cereals that don’t fit into the green category
- fruit and vegetables, including canned fruits, dried fruits, fruit juices with no added sugar, ice blocks, crushes, gelatos etc that contain no added sugar, vegetables roasted in oil, pickled vegetables and olives
- regular fat milks, yoghurts, cheeses, flavoured milks, custards
- meat and poultry with fat or with skin on, fish canned in brine or oil, processed meat products such as burgers and patties
- nuts and seeds, salted, and nut and seed pastes with salt and sugar or oil
- mono or polyunsaturated margarines and oils
- takeaway foods such as dims sims and pizza with reduced fat cheese
- ready to eat meals
- savoury snack foods such as biscuits and crispbreads
- muffins and scones with added fruits
- plain sweet biscuits
- icecreams and dairy desserts with reduced fat milk
Image: Healthy Eating Advisory Service
Red – Limit These Foods
These foods are not essential to a healthy diet and should be consumed only rarely due to the following:
- Very calorie dense
- Very high in saturated fats, sugars and salt
- Very little nutritional value
The types of foods included in the red category are:
- confectionary of all kinds
- saturated, trans fats and oils
- fried foods
- frozen icecreams
- soft drinks, milk shakes, sweetened juices, alcoholic drinks
- take away and snack foods such as pastries, sausages, processed meats, sweet biscuits, cakes and slices,
- icecreams and dairy snacks high in sugar
Image: Healthy Eating Advisory Service
I’m sure you will agree that the above information is common sense and most of us understand it already. However, to me, this traffic system shows very clearly how to make choices best for our health. Children would find it a fun way to understand food choices.
Do you agree? I’d love you to join in the conversation and promise to reply to all comments. I love it when we interact.
sources: Healthy Eating Advisory Service and Nutrition Australia
Hi, Jennifer – I haven’t seen this Traffic Light System before. It makes great sense and serves as a quick and easy reminder for us. It’s a great tool for me to print out and keep on my fridge! 🙂
Pleased the post was useful for you Donna. Thanks for dropping by once again
I have been using the Noom app, and it uses the traffic light system. it is very easy to follow!
I must check Noom out. It pops up in my feed quite often. Thanks for the tip
The traffic light aspect is so easy. Thank you. Until you had put this up I had never looked at it like this. Thank you. # #MLSTL
My pleasure Bree. Thanks for dropping by
Hi Jennifer, thanks for a timely post as my good intentions lately have been slipping. But yes, I so agree with this type of eating and think that the more intentionally we eat, the better off we are. Feeding our bodies because they are amazing, and thinking about what we are putting into them is much better than any diet. Thanks for the simple to think about and put in place reminders today #MLSTL and Shared on SM
We’re on the same wave length Jo. Thanks for dropping by
I find it really interesting that people have to be taught basic stuff like this – it seems so logical to me, but obviously there’s a need for it to be put out into the community in an understandable way.
Thanks for linking up with us at MLSTL and I’ve shared on my SM 🙂
Leanne it also amazes me that this isn’t common knowledge. Thanks for visiting
It absolutely is common sense & simple. The complexity begins when our heads become involved. Mindset. Sigh.
Mindset Jo! That’s a whole other challenge
I just transitioned to intuitive eating, and in the early stages the focus is not on nutrition as much as shaking the diet mentality and learning to listen to your body. However, I always make sure that I have plenty of healthy foods on hand, so that I have that option when I am hungry. As often as not, fresh produce, lean meat, and whole grains are what my body craves, but when a donut or a bagel is what I want, I have it guilt-free. #MLSTL
I agree Christie. Keeping healthy foods on hand is key. But we also need our ocassional treats
I have seen something similar Jennifer and try to follow these guidelines. Thanks for the reminder . I have shared for #mlstl
Thanks for popping in Deb. And welcome home