The Food Exchange diet, also called the Diabetic Exchange diet, is an eating program designed to help diabetics control their blood sugar levels through proper diet. Originally designed in 1950, the exchange lists used in the diet plan contain lists of foods and their exact serving sizes in eight different nutrient categories along with instructions as to which foods can be substituted for other foods on the list and how many servings of each are allowed daily. By following the guidelines and consuming a variety of foods in each category daily, you can keep blood sugar levels within a healthy range and lose weight.
History
The site FAQs.org reports that until 1950, no standardized method for determining the appropriate food choices for diabetics existed. In an attempt to make control of diabetes easier, three organizations--the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association and the United States Public Health Service--worked together to compile food exchange lists that could improve the health and nutrition of diabetics and to encourage eating a wide variety of foods.
Aspects
According to the Mayo Clinic, all foods in the Food Exchange diet are grouped into eight basic groups: starches, fruits, milk and yogurt, nonstarchy vegetables, meat and meat substitutes, fats, free foods and a final category that includes dessert foods, sweets and other carbohydrate sources. Each group has a specific amount of calories, carbohydrates, protein and fat that should be consumed each day, and each list contains foods that fulfill these requirements. These foods can be exchanged for other foods within the group to fulfill your daily requirement in that category.
Guidelines
According to the Diabetes and Diabetic Diet site, if you are following the Food Exchange diet, you should aim to consume meat, poultry or nuts twice a day; two to four servings of fruit daily; six to eleven servings of rice, grains or bread products; three to five servings of vegetables; and two to three milk servings daily. The diet also includes a list of foods that can be consumed in whatever amount you wish--mineral water, fat-free broth, artificial sweeteners with aspartame or saccharin, sugar-free soda, gelatin or gum, spices, seasonings, mustard--as well as a list of forbidden foods. The forbidden foods list includes any product with corn sugar or syrup, honey, molasses, any cakes or cookies, candy, regular ice cream or soda and any form of sugar, whether powdered, granulated or in the form of maltose, dextrose, fructose or sucrose. Drugs.com and the site FAQs.org both recommend that, if you are interested in following the diet, you should work with a dietitian in order to target the exact amount of each category you should eat for your particular health and weight needs.
Typical Daily Menu
A typical daily menu on the Food Exchange diet consists of breakfast, lunch, dinner and an afternoon snack. Breakfast should typically contain a glass of juice, cereal with non-fat milk, tea or coffee and toast with a small amount of fruit preserves and margarine, while lunch on the diet might be a sandwich of lean meat on whole grain bread accompanied by a salad with low-fat dressing and a small container of low-fat yogurt. A typical Food Exchange diet dinner can feature a serving of lean meat with a grain or starchy vegetable serving along with two additional servings of vegetables, followed by a dessert of low-fat ice cream topped with fruit. Snacks can consist of one of the following: cereal, a sandwich made with whole wheat bread, low-fat yogurt or fruit.
Recommended Foods
The food exchange lists provided by the American Dietetic Association are extremely detailed: they provide specific information on the types of food and exchanges allowed and the exact weight or measurement of each serving and exchange. The vegetable category covers all types of cooked or raw vegetables--including salad greens--as well as vegetable juice, while the fruit category covers fresh, dried and canned fruit, unsweetened juice and jellies, jams and preserves. Dieters are encouraged to choose dark green or yellow vegetables and whole fruits, particularly citrus fruits, more often. The recommended milk products are all fat-free or low-fat and the fat category covers different types of oils--especially mono-unsaturated oils--butter, margarine, mayonnaise and salad dressings along with cream cheese, bacon, olives and avocados. The recommended starches are whole grains like whole wheat bread, brown rice, barley and bulgur; legumes; and starchy vegetables like corn and potatoes. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the protein category is split into three different sub-categories--very lean protein, lean protein and medium-fat protein--and covers all types of meat, poultry and seafood, along with tofu, cheese and eggs. The ExRx.net site recommends eating fish at least twice a week on the diet.
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