Noom Green Food List: Complete Guide of 170+ Foods

Noom doesn’t provide an extensive list of green foods, so I’ve compiled a list of over 170 green foods.  Below, you can download this list and reference it as a cheat sheet when meal planning.

Want to learn more about Noom? Check out my Noom Review.

What Are Noom Green Foods?

Green foods in the Noom app are foods that have a low-calorie density. 

In addition to minimal calories, most Green foods on Noom are quite high in nutrients. 

Noom explains that: 

“Foods that fall into the green category should be consumed in larger quantities than foods that are less nutritious and higher in calories.”  

The less nutritious and higher calorie foods are considered yellow foods and orange in the Noom app

Note: some people call the orange food category “red foods,” but this isn’t correct ‒ if you hear people say “red foods,” they mean “orange foods.”

What Are The Calorie Thresholds For Green Foods? 

I reached out to Noom for clarification on the thresholds for a particular food to be considered “green,” whether that’s being below a specific calorie limit or requiring the food to include a certain number of nutrients.

Noom answered, referring me to an article that already exists within the app.  

Unfortunately, that article does not discuss concrete thresholds for calories or nutrients, so I reached out one more time, asking for specifics 

This time, Noom provided me with information not currently available to the public.

It turns out that Noom uses a food’s calorie density (the number of calories in a serving of food divided by the weight or volume of the food) to determine its classification.

Noom explained that Green foods are foods that have a calorie density less than or equal to:

• 1 calorie/gram for solid food
• 0.5 calories/mL for soups/sauces/spreads
• 0.4 calories/mL for beverages

For example, a 30-gram serving of banana has 27 calories, giving it a calorie density of 0.9 and a green classification. 

A 30-gram serving of rolled oats has 112 calories, giving it a calorie density of 3.7 and a yellow classification.

Noom Food Classifications: A Word Of Caution

In pursuing the Noom formula, I stumbled upon this Reddit thread, which has a hypothesized formula for Noom’s color classifications.

However, now that I know Noom’s actual formula, I can conclude that the Reddit formula is NOT accurate. 

So if you’ve also come across that Reddit thread, IGNORE IT!

Noom Green Foods List

To come up with this list of green foods, I had to log each one of these foods in the Noom app and see whether Noom categorized it as green or not.  

<<Want to DOWNLOAD this list?  Get our Noom Green Foods PDF. >>

Fruits 

• Apples
• Bananas
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Kiwi
• Oranges
• Figs
• Mango
• Pomegranate
• Cantaloupe
• Cranberries
• Grapefruit
• Peach
• Watermelon
• Grapes
• Cherries 
• Pears
• Pineapple
• Lychee
• Plums
• Nectarines
• Apricots
• Papaya
• Honeydew Melon
• Gooseberries
• Mulberries
• Guava

Grains 

• Brown Rice
• Oatmeal
• Quaker Quick Oats (not rolled oats)
• Whole Grain Pasta
• Soba Noodles
• Whole Grain Bread
• Corn
• Corn Tortillas
• Whole Grain Tortillas
• Whole Wheat English Muffins
• Dark Rye Bread
• Light Rye
• Bulgur
• Barley
• Quinoa
• Amaranth
• Teff
• Sorghum
• Spelt Bread
• Brown & Wild Rice
• Buckwheat Groats

Vegetables 

• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Kale
• Arugula
• Zucchini
• Mushrooms
• Cucumber
• Broccoli
• Celery
• Onion
• Carrot
• Scallions
• Tomato
• Bell Peppers
• Green Beans
• Peas
• Asparagus
• Eggplant
• Cauliflower
• Bok Choy
• Brussel Sprouts
• Pickles
• Bagged Salad
• Artichokes
• Okra
• Radish
• Collard Greens
• Swiss Chard
• Turnip Greens
• Kohlrabi
• Mustard Greens
• Rhubarb

Starches

• Parsnips
• Beets
• Sweet Potatoes
• Potatoes
• Corn
• Acorn Squash
• Butternut Squash
• Spaghetti Squash
• Turnips
• Rutabages

Dairy Products

• Plain Non-fat Yogurt
• Non-fat Greek Yogurt
• Non-fat Milk
• Non-fat Cottage Cheese
• Non-fat Cream Cheese
• Non-fat Swiss Cheese
• Non-fat Cheddar Cheese

Proteins

• Egg Whites
• Skinless Chicken Breast
• Ham Steak
• Low-Sodium Turkey Deli Meat
• Low-Sodium Chicken Deli Meat

Seafood

• Tuna (in water)
• Shrimp
• Clams
• Scallops
• Tilapia 
• Cod Fish
• Crab
• Red Snapper
• Mahi Mahi
• Flounder
• Crabmeat
• Haddock
• Pollock
• Sole 
• Oysters

Beans & Legumes

• White Beans
• Kidney Beans
• Lentils
• Fava Beans
• Broad Beans
• Pinto Beans
• Black Beans
• Roasted Chickpeas
• Mungbean Sprouts

Plant-Based Alternatives

• Tofu
• Unsweetened Almond Milk
• Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt
• Unsweetened Soy Milk
• Unsweetened Cashew Milk
• Unsweetened Oat milk
• Unsweetened Hemp Milk
• Vegan Mayo (light)

Soups & Broths

• Vegetable Soup
• Gazpacho
• Butternut Squash Soup
• Beef Broth
• Chicken Broth
• Vegetable Broth
• Fish Stock
• Tomato Soup
• Miso Soup
• Lentil and Carrot Soup
• Minestrone Soup
• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Pumpkin Soup
• Pea Soup
•  Mushroom Soup
• Carrot Soup
• Cabbage Soup
• Vegetable Pho

Condiments

• Marinara
• Salsa
• Sauerkraut
• Kimchi
• Hot Chili
• Mustard
• Ketchup
• Light Mayo
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Light Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Unsweetened Applesauce
• Lemon and Lime Juice
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Horseradish

Alcohol

• Non-Alcoholic Beer
• Non-Alcoholic Wine

Tips On Eating More Green Foods In Noom

Some easy ways to include more green foods while using Noom are to:

• Opt For Leaner Proteins: Leaner proteins are green foods because they are lower in calories, so including lean proteins at most meals will increase your consumption of green foods (i.e. choosing chicken over beef).

• Trade-In Your Carb Sources For Ones With More Fiber: Higher-fiber carbs have more nutrients to offer than refined carb sources, so they’re considered green foods (i.e. choosing whole wheat bread over white bread).

• Switch To Fat-Free Dairy Products: Fat-free dairy products are green foods because they are lower in calories, so switching up your dairy products can help you eat more green foods (i.e. 2% milk to skim milk).

• Choose Recipes With A Higher Percentage of Green Foods: Noom’s recipe database shows you which recipes have higher amounts of green foods. Including more of these recipes can increase your total number of green foods (i.e. Scallops with White Bean Puree rather than Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels)

• Add Green Foods As A Side To Your Main Dish: Upgrading your meal by adding a fruit or veggie on the side can add a “green food” to meals that wouldn’t normally have one. (i.e. adding grapes or broccoli)

If you want to incorporate more green foods into your diet, check out our 1-Week Noom Meal Plan For Beginners.  

Benefits of Eating Green Foods

Some of the main benefits you can experience from eating Green Foods are:

• Help you to feel full for less calories: Most of these foods have a lot of volume for very few calories, meaning they are a great choice if you want to feel more full and enjoy more significant portions while in a calorie deficit.
  
• Will aid in regular digestion: Many Green foods also contain quite a bit of fiber (e.g. fruits, vegetables, whole grains), which helps to promote a healthy digestive system and regular bowel movements.
  
• Providing you with essential vitamins and minerals: The majority of foods on the Green list are chalked full of the essential nutrients that your body needs to perform its basic functions and will help to maintain and improve your overall health.
  
• It helps you avoid processed foods high in processed ingredients, sugar, and fat. If you fill your plate with Green foods, you are avoiding processed foods that typically contain more processed sugar, bad fats, and other artificial ingredients that are not great for your overall health.
  
• Makes it easier to manage weight long term:Even if you aren’t looking to lose weight, eating plenty of Green foods like fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains has been shown to aid in healthy weight management in the long term.

Can You Eat Unlimited Green Foods On Noom?

You can consume a larger quantity of green foods on Noom than yellow and orange foods because they are lower in calories; however, these foods aren’t unlimited because you should still aim to adhere to your daily calorie target based on your goal.

In other words, you can consume as many green foods as you want, up to the daily calorie target that the Noom app recommends.

That said, you shouldn’t necessarily aim only to eat green foods. 

Green foods are very low in fat, so their calorie content is very low (fat has the most calories) but consuming an adequate amount of fat each day is essential for your overall health. 

The World Health Organization recommends that 20-35% of your calories come from fat.

For this reason, you should consume lots of green foods with a mix of yellow (i.e. avocado) and orange foods (i.e. peanut butter) that are higher in fat.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Cereal Is Green On Noom? 

There are limited cereal options on Noom that are green foods, but Total Raisin Bran Crunch Whole Grain Wheat Flakes, Fiber One 80 Calorie Cereal, and Quaker Multigrain Life cereals are all green foods.

What Bread Is Green On Noom? 

The bread varieties that are green on Noom are whole grain, whole wheat, dark rye, sprouted, and brown bread. 

What Protein Is Green On Noom? 

Proteins that are green on Noom include naturally low-fat proteins like chicken breast, seafood, non-fat dairy products, tofu, and egg whites.

How Does Noom Categorize Beverages Like Tea And Coffee?

Unsweetened tea and black coffee are considered green foods on Noom due to their negligible calorie content. However, additives like sugar or cream can shift the classification.

Are All Fruits And Vegetables Automatically Categorized As Green Foods In Noom?

While many fruits and vegetables are green due to their low-calorie density, not all are. The specific categorization depends on their calorie-to-weight ratio.

Does Noom’s Categorization Consider The Glycemic Index Of Foods?

Noom primarily uses calorie density for categorization. While the glycemic index can influence overall health, it isn’t the main criterion for Noom’s green/yellow/orange classification.

Noom Green Recipes

• Noom-Friendly Breakfast Ideas
• Noom-Friendly Soup Recipes

References

Pem D, Jeewon R. Fruit and Vegetable Intake: Benefits and Progress of Nutrition Education Interventions- Narrative Review Article. Iran J Public Health. 2015 Oct;44(10):1309-21. PMID: 26576343; PMCID: PMC4644575.

Gillespie KM, Kemps E, White MJ, Bartlett SE. The Impact of Free Sugar on Human Health-A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2023 Feb 10;15(4):889. doi: 10.3390/nu15040889. PMID: 36839247; PMCID: PMC9966020.

Liu AG, Ford NA, Hu FB, Zelman KM, Mozaffarian D, Kris-Etherton PM. A healthy approach to dietary fats: understanding the science and taking action to reduce consumer confusion. Nutr J. 2017 Aug 30;16(1):53. doi: 10.1186/s12937-017-0271-4. PMID: 28854932; PMCID: PMC5577766.