Overview
Noom uses a color-coded system—green, yellow, and orange—to help guide your food choices based on calorie density and nutritional value. It’s designed to help you feel full, stay energized, and reach your goals without restrictive rules.
What to Know
- Foods are labeled green, yellow, or orange based on how many calories they provide per gram or mL
- Green foods are the most nutritious and least calorie-dense. Aim to eat these most often.
- Yellow foods are moderately calorie-dense. Enjoy in balanced portions.
- Orange foods are the most calorie-dense. Eat less often and in smaller amounts.
- You can look up any food’s color using the Food Lookup Tool in the Noom app.
How Food Colors Are Determined
Noom primarily uses calorie density (CD) to assign food colors:
- CD = Calories per serving / Grams per serving
Color Categories by Food Type:
| Type | Green (Low CD) | Yellow (Medium CD) | Orange (High CD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solid Foods | CD < 1.0 | 1.0 < CD < 2.4 | CD > 2.4 |
| Beverages | CD < 0.4 | 0.4 < CD < 0.5 | CD > 0.5 |
| Soups/Sauces/Spreads | CD < 0.5 | 0.5 < CD < 1.0 | CD > 1.0 |
| Water, tea, spices | No color assigned |
Special Adjustments (Beyond CD)
Some foods are adjusted based on their overall nutritional value:
Whole vs. Refined Grains
- Whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, etc. are often bumped down one color
- If CD < 2.4 → Green
- If CD > 2.4 → Yellow
Dairy
- Non-fat dairy → Green
- Low-fat dairy → Yellow
- Whole-fat dairy → Orange
Drinks with Artificial Sweeteners
- Diet sodas and artificially sweetened drinks are labeled Yellow, even with 0 calories, due to low satiety and high processing
Alcoholic Beverages and Sodas
- Adjusted up a color to encourage moderation
- Example: A soda that qualifies as Yellow by CD may be labeled Orange
Canned Fruits and Beans
- Categorized with soups/sauces since their listed weight includes water, which lowers CD
Common Food Examples by Color
| Green | Yellow | Orange |
|---|---|---|
| Spinach, broccoli, tofu | Avocado, black beans, corn | Nuts, nut butters, oils |
| Brown rice, quinoa | Pasta salad, hummus | Cookies, fries, soda, bacon |
| Non-fat yogurt, turkey | Low-fat yogurt, couscous | Full-fat dairy, chips, syrup |
| Grilled chicken, eggs | Whole-grain tortilla | Cake, muffins, sausage |
Remember: the goal isn’t to avoid orange foods, it’s to balance them with higher-volume, nutrient-dense options that help you feel full and energized.
What to Do
To look up a food’s color in the app:
- Open the Noom app
- Tap the Success Kit tab
- Tap Food Color Lookup
- Search by name or use the barcode scanner
- Tap any food to view its color and nutrition details
⚠️Note: Custom meals, recipes, and user-entered foods won’t show colors
To report a food color error:
- Log the food using the Log Meals card
- Select the meal (e.g., Lunch)
- Search and select the food
- Tap More in the top right
- Select Flag a Problem, choose the issue, and submit
To find your color budget:
- Tap the Log Your Meals card
- Log a meal to trigger the meal feedback screen
- Tap View Full Analysis (middle of the screen) or Analysis (top-right corner)
- You’ll see a breakdown of the color categories for the foods you logged
Need to Know More?
Q: What do the food colors mean again?
- Green = Most nutrient-dense, least calorie-dense → Eat freely
- Yellow = Moderate in calories or nutrients → Eat in balance
- Orange = More calorie-dense or less filling → Eat mindfully
Q: Where can I learn how to log or swap foods by color?
A: Use the Food Lookup Tool to search, scan, and find healthy swaps.
Want more detailed tracking?
If you’re aiming for specific nutrition goals like protein targets or macros, you can turn on Macro Tracking.
