If you have diabetes, your body has trouble keeping your blood sugar levels within a healthy range, but a good diet can reduce your risk for complications. You can use the food exchange lists for diabetics to guide you in choosing foods with the right amount of calories and carbohydrates to prevent blood sugar spikes. Work with a doctor or nutritionist to develop the best menu plan for your condition.
Overview of the Lists
The food exchange lists for diabetics group foods according to their calorie, carbohydrate, protein and fat content for a specified serving size. MayoClinic.com explains that within each list, each food has a similar effect on your blood sugar levels, so you can use the lists to help you plan meals or menus when you have a specific goal for calories or macronutrients. You should aim to have a moderate amount of carbohydrates at each meal, and your doctor can give you more detailed instructions. Diabetes.org states that 45 to 60 g carbohydrates is a common amount at each meal.
Carbohydrates
Each serving on the starch list provides 15 g carbohydrates, and you can interchange choices such as 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup of cooked corn, 1/3 cup of lentils or barley or one-half of an English muffin. A 1-cup serving of fresh fruit or 4-oz. serving of fruit juice has 60 calories and 15 g carbohydrates. Vegetables have 25 calories and 5 g carbohydrates per 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw, and fat-free or very low-fat milk has 90 calories per cup.
Other Food Exchange Lists
Some of the food exchange lists have foods without carbohydrates. Fats include 1 tsp. of butter or oil or 10 olives, and they have 45 calories with 5 g fat. Very lean protein has 35 calories, lean protein has 55 calories and 2 to 3 g fat and medium-fat protein has 75 calories and 5 g fat per 1-oz. serving of meat or cheese. According to MayoClinic.com, free foods have no more than 20 calories or 5 g carbohydrates, and you can eat them in moderation. Examples are broth, diet soda, mustard and vinegar.
Weight Control
MayoClinic.com states that when you eat too many calories, your blood glucose levels increase. If you have Type 2 diabetes, a healthy diet plan not only emphasizes carbohydrates, but it also provides the right number of calories to help you achieve or maintain a healthy weight. Even though some of the foods on the food exchange lists do not have carbohydrates, they can still lead to unhealthy blood sugar levels if you eat too much of them.
