Diabetic Calorie Exchange Diet

The diabetic exchange is a set of guidelines to assist diabetic individuals in making food choices. The goal in managing diabetes is to control blood sugar levels. A major component of achieving this is to eat a healthful diet.

When Exchange Diet May Be Needed

• Diabetes does not mean that you have to have a deprived or complicated diet plan. For most, it is simply about eating a variety of foods at regular times each day. For some of you, eating a balanced diet in moderation will be enough to control diabetes. For others, a more strict plan may be needed. If this is the case, exchange lists are very helpful and easy to use.

Exchange categories

• You may want to work with a dietitian to help you to design your diet based on your goals, likes and dislikes. She may recommend using the exchange system, which groups foods into categories.

  There are nine categories. These are bread/starch, fruit, vegetable, milk, meat/protein, fat, free foods, combination foods, and foods for occasional use.

Definition of Exchange

• One serving in a group is called an "exchange." Each exchange in a group has about the same amount of carbohydrates, protein, fat and calories as the other foods in that group. They also have the same effect on your blood sugar as others in the same category.

Some Rules of Exchange Diet

• Within each group of food, you can exchange (trade) foods. This can add variety and flexibility to your diet. It is not allowed to exchange between groups or to eliminate groups. This ensures the necessary daily intake of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, carbohydrates and protein.

Finding Information

• You can find exchange lists online. One such list can be found at www.healthsquare.com. You should work with your physician or dietitian to figure out how many exchanges from each list you need to eat each day.