Breaking Down the Color System
Noom uses a unique color system to help you easily understand what’s in the foods you’re eating, and to help guide you toward healthy food choices. Our color system breaks all foods down into orange, yellow, and green categories based on calorie density.
- Green foods are the least calorie-dense and/or contain the highest concentration of healthy nutrients. Green foods (like veggies or whole grains) should make up the bulk of your diet.
- Yellow foods (like lean meats and starches) have more calories and/or fewer healthy nutrients per serving than green foods and should be incorporated into moderate proportions.
- Orange foods (like red meats and desserts) are the most calorie-dense and/or have the least healthy nutrients and should be eaten less frequently and in smaller portions.
We put together a handy list of green, yellow, and orange food options to help guide you in your food choices:
| Green | Yellow | Orange |
|---|---|---|
| Spinach | Grilled chicken | Oils (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc.) |
| Broccoli | Turkey breast | Seeds (chia, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, etc.) |
| Bell peppers | Salmon | Nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc.) |
| Cucumbers | Lean ground beef | Nut butters (peanut, almond, coconut, etc.) |
| Tomatoes | Eggs | Raisins |
| Apples | Low-fat yogurt | |
| Bananas | Low-fat cheese | |
| Strawberries | Black beans | |
| Tofu | Chickpeas | |
| Non-fat yogurt | Avocado | |
| Non-fat cheese | Whole grain tortilla | |
| Skim milk | ||
| Unsweetened almond milk | ||
| Oatmeal | ||
| Brown rice | ||
| Whole grain bread | ||
| Quinoa | ||
| Tuna (canned in water) |
*It’s important to remember that “orange” doesn’t mean bad and “green” doesn’t mean good. We like to think of our color system as a portion guide. “Orange” foods can raise a “red flag” for foods that contain a lot of calories without filling you up. So while you can eat “green” foods in larger quantities, you need to be more mindful of how much “orange” food you’re eating.
