Work out the red, amber and green colours for any food or drink from its nutrition label.
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UK criteria for foods (per 100 g)
| Green (low) | Amber (medium) | Red (high) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fat | 3 g or less | 3 to 17.5 g | Over 17.5 g, or over 21 g per portion |
| Saturates | 1.5 g or less | 1.5 to 5 g | Over 5 g, or over 6 g per portion |
| Sugars | 5 g or less | 5 to 22.5 g | Over 22.5 g, or over 27 g per portion |
| Salt | 0.3 g or less | 0.3 to 1.5 g | Over 1.5 g, or over 1.8 g per portion |
The per-portion red limits apply when a portion is over 100 g. Drinks use half the food values for fat, saturates and sugars per 100 ml, salt bands of 0.3 g and 0.75 g, and per-portion limits for portions over 150 ml.
Using the colours
- Compare similar products per 100 g to pick the one with more greens.
- A red doesn’t mean you can’t eat it, just that it’s best in smaller amounts or less often.
- Labels show sugars in total, including sugar from fruit and milk.
Frequently asked questions
What do the traffic light colours mean?
Green is low, amber is medium and red is high in fat, saturates, sugars or salt.
How do I convert sodium to salt?
Multiply sodium by 2.5.
Why is something red when the per 100 g figure is amber?
If a portion is large, the amount in one portion can pass the per-portion red limit.
Is anything stored?
No, it runs in your browser.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Front of pack nutrition labelling guidance
- Scottish Government: Front of pack criteria tables
- NHS: How to read food labels
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