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

 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

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

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