The Six Food Exchange List For Meal Design

Food Unit protein Fat Calories

Group Carbohydrate ( Gm ) ( Gm ) (Kcal)
( Gm )
Milk 1 12 8 - 80
Vegetables 1 5 2 - 28
Fruit 1 10 - - 40
Starches 1 15 2 - 68
Meat & 1 - 5 3 55
Substitutes
Fats 1 - - 5 45
 Food Exchanges
Food Exchange US Unit Metric Comments
Starches 80 Calories 15 g Carb., 3 g
Protein, 1 g Fat
 bread  1 slice  1 slice  Most
 breads, other  1 oz  30 g starches are
 tortilla  1 (6")  1 (15 cm) a good
 crackers  4-6 (3/4 oz)  4-6 (20 g) source of B
 cooked cereals  1/2 cup  125 ml vitamins
 dry cereals, unsweetened  3/4 cup  175 ml  Choose
 dry cereals, sweetened  1/2 cup  125 ml whole grain
 dry flour or grain  3 Tbsp  45 ml foods such
as 'all
 pasta  1/2 cup  125 ml
natural,
 rice  1/3 cup  80 ml
100% whole
 corn  1/2 cup  125 ml wheat' bread,
 popcorn  3 cups  720 ml pasta,
 potato (small)  1 (3 oz)  1 (85 g) tortillas, and
 potato, mashed  1/2 cup  125 ml brown rice,
 sweet potato  1/3 cup  80 ml etc. for
 squash, winter  1 cup  250 ml nutrients and
 cooked beans, peas, lentils  1/2 cup  125 ml fiber.
(add 1 meat exchange)  Combine
beans
(starch &
meat) with
grains
(starch) for
their
complimenta
ry proteins
and fiber
 Combine
grains
(starch) with
milk (milk) or
cheese
(meat) to
compliment
proteins.

 Add
additional fat
exchanges
for starchy
foods
prepared
with fat.
Vegetables 25 Calories 5 g Carb., 2 g Protein
 raw vegetables 1 cup 250 ml  Choose
 cooked vegetables 1/2 cup 125 ml more dark
1/2 cup 125 ml green leafy
 tomato or vegetable juice and deep
yellow
vegetables
such as
spinach,
broccoli,
carrots, and
peppers.
Fruit 60 Calories 15 g Carb.
 fresh fruit  1 small  1 small  Choose
 melon (cubes)  12 oz (1 cup)  360 g (250 ml) whole fruits
 canned fruit  1/2 cup  125 ml for fiber
 dried fruit  1/4 cup  60 ml
 fruit juice  1/2 cup  125 ml  Choose
citrus fruits
such as
oranges,
grapefruits,
or tangerines
Meat & Substitutes 35-145 Calories 7 g Protein, 0-13 g
Fat
 meat, poultry, fish  1 oz  30 g  Choose
 cheese  1 oz  30 g leaner meats
 cottage cheese  1/4 cup  60 ml such as
 egg  1  1 chicken, fish,
 peanut butter  1.5 Tbsp  22 ml and lean cuts
 tofu  4 oz (1/2 cup)  115 g (125 ml) of meat; add
 cooked beans, peas, lentils  1/2 cup  125 ml fat exchange
(add 1 starch) for higher fat
meats and
substitutes.
 Remove skin
from poultry.
 Limit frying
or adding fat.

 Have 2
servings of
fish per week
for Omega 3
fatty acid.
Milk 80-150 Calories 12 g Carb., 8 g
Protein, 0-8 g Fat
 milk 1 cup 250 ml  Choose
1 cup 250 ml lower fat
  yogurt milks; add fat
exchange for
higher fat
milk.
Fat 45 Calories 5 g Fat
 oil  1 tsp  5 ml  Eat less
 mayonnaise  1 tsp  5 ml saturated fat
 cream cheese  1 Tbsp  15 ml such as
 salad dressing  1 Tbsp  15 ml animal fat
 peanuts  10  10 found in
 avocado  1/8  1/8 fatter meat,
 butter or margarine  1 tsp  5 ml cheeses,
butter, and
 higher fat exchange  1 exchange  1 exchange
tropical oils
(additional)
(eg: palm).
Also eat less
hydrogenate
d fat, or
trans-fats.
 Consume
mono-
unsaturated
fat and
moderate
poly-
unsaturated
fat.

 Check
Nutrition
Facts on
food labels; 5
g Fat = 1 Fat
exchange.
Sweets Calories vary 15 g Carb., Protein &
Fat varies
 ice cream  1/2 cup  125 ml  Choose
 cookies  2 small  2 small sweets
 syrup  1 Tbsp  15 ml sparingly
 jam or jelly  1 Tbsp  15 ml because they
 sugar  2 Tbsp  30 ml are high in
 pudding  1/4 cup  60 ml sugar,
 muffin or cupcake  1/2 small  1/2 small saturated
fats or trans
fats.
 Can be
substituted
for a 1
Starch, Fruit,
or Milk
exchange.
  Add 1 or 2
Fat
exchanges
for sweets
containing
fat.

Diabetes Diet Food Exchange List

 Food group You can have... Or exchange it for...

Fruit (Each serving contains 1 small or medium 1/2 cup fruit juice, or canned or chopped
about 15 grams carbohydrates) piece of fresh fruit fruit
Vegetable (Each serving 1 cup raw vegetables 1/2 cup cooked vegetables or vegetable
contains about 5 grams juice
carbohydrates)
Starch (Each serving contains 1 slice or ounce bread 1/2 cup pasta, cereal, starchy vegetable
about 15 grams carbohydrates)
Sugar, honey, molasses 1 teaspoon 4 grams carbohydrates
Milk (does not include cream, 1 cup milk 12 grams carbohydrates and 8 grams
yogurt or cheese) protein
Meat 1 ounce meat, fish, 1/2 cup dried beans
poultry, cheese or
yogurt
Fat (includes nuts, seeds and 1 teaspoon oil, butter 5 grams fat
small amounts of bacon & or margarine
peanut butter)