If you have either type-1 or type-2 diabetes, a diabetes exchange allows you to regulate your blood sugar levels while you enjoy delicious meals with your family and friends. Along with your dietitian or physician, you plan your meals based on healthy foods, your medication, your weight and other personal characteristics. An exchange list takes the guesswork out of planning healthy meals with appropriate portion sizes, the Mayo Clinic says.
Lists
A food exchange list groups foods together that are alike in the amounts of carbohydrate, protein, fat and calories they contain. Each item on an exchange list includes the amount of food you can eat to reach a specific exchange value, according to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Exchange Service. At each meal, you choose specific foods based on their exchange values and your particular meal plan. If you have type-1 or insulin-dependent diabetes, your meal plan probably follows a set schedule of three meals and two or three snacks each day. If you have type-2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes, your meal plan may be somewhat more flexible. Nonetheless, your meal plan will likely restrict calories, especially those from fat.
Meals
With insulin-dependent diabetes, when you eat often affects how well your medicine works, the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse states. Your physician or dietitian will design your meal plan and exchange list to maintain glucose levels within certain target ranges. Target glucose levels before meals should range from 70 to 130, while levels should be less than 180 one to two hours after a meal. If you take insulin or another medication, your meal plan probably also will contain a chart or similar tool to record the medicine or medicines you take, what time you take it and how much you take. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar can cause headaches, sweating, confusion or other symptoms. If you experience these symptoms, check your blood sugar and have an 8-ounce glass of milk, three to four glucose tablets, 4 ounces of fruit juice and, if you're not scheduled to eat for more than an hour, a snack, too.
Calories
Meal plans also depend on your weight, gender and activity level. Your caloric intake will vary -- a small woman may have a target calorie limit of 1,200 to 1,600 calories per day, while a large man may consume 2,000 to 2,400 calories per day, NDIC states. Each meal plan includes a specific amount of each food group on the exchange list: starches, milks, vegetables, meats or meat substitutes, fruits and fats. The specific amount of each food depends on your individual meal plan. So-called free foods contain less than 20 calories or less than 5 grams of carbohydrate per serving, according to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Exchange Service. If a free food has a serving size listed, limit yourself to no more than three servings per day. If an item has no serving size listed, you can have as much as you want.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Your Diabetes Diet -- Exchange Lists
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: What I Need to Know About Eating and Diabetes
- University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Exchange Service: The Exchange List System for Diabetic Meal Planning
- American Diabetes Association: My Food Advisor
- Diabetes-MellitusInformation.com: The Diabetes Food Pyramid
Member Comments