Traffic light labelling
Traffic light labelling now appears on many foods and helps you to see at a glance how healthy or unhealthy it is for you, as well as helping you to compare differences between brands.
The traffic light colours correspond to the amount of energy, fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt display this information in different ways, however they all comply to the same set of criteria and therefore the colours all mean the same thing.
A red light means a high amount of that nutrient. It is fine to have foods high in fat, salt and sugar occasionally as a treat, but keen an eye on how often you are choosing these foods, or eat them in smaller quantities.
An amber light means it's ok to have, but try to go for green on that nutrient some of the time. Green lights mean the food is low in this nutrient and therefore good.
Most foods will have a mix of coloured lights, so if comparing different brands of food, choose one with the most green and amber lights and fewer red lights.
Remember, you don't need to avoid all foods high in fat, sugar or salt - it's the overall balance of your diet that counts. Eaten occasionally, or in small amounts, they won't significantly affect your overall diet. If the traffic light label doesn't tell you enough, check the back of packs for detailed information.
Can't I just look for 'healthy' logos instead?
Healthy eating logos can help identify healthier options - but you still have to think about how the food fits into your diet. Foods may be lower in fat, sugar or salt, or higher in fibre - not necessarily all of these. And it's not essential to live on foods with a healthy eating logo - a healthy diet is made up of a variety of foods and balancing choices is more important than focusing on low-fat, low-sugar foods alone.
Products labelled 'low' contain less of a nutrient than those labelled 'reduced' - but whether a food is labelled 'diet', 'light', 'low' or 'reduced', all of them are a healthier choice than standard versions of the same food.
Also bear in mind that some foods are naturally low in fat, sugar or salt, or high in fibre. Starchy foods like cereals and pasta are always low in fat, yet some brands are sold with the claim 'low-fat food'.