Following the diabetic exchange lists is a simple way for you to count your carbs and keep your blood sugar under control. Eating large amounts of carbohydrates at once can cause your blood sugar to spike to unsafe levels. Controlling your portion sizes and learning to count carbs can help you avoid sudden spikes.
Exchange System
Counting carbohydrates requires you to know the amount of carbs in each food. The exchange system is a tool that breaks down food into groups such as starches, milk, fruits, vegetables, meats and fats. Each exchange serving in a group has the same amount of carbohydrates, calories and fat. Foods in the meat and fat group do not provide carbohydrates. You can interchange different foods within the same group and they will have similar effects on your blood sugar. For example, you can have a small 6-inch tortilla or one slice of wheat bread.
Types of Carbohydrates
There are three types of carbohydrates: starches, sugars and fiber. Starches, also known as complex carbohydrates, are found in starchy vegetables, beans, lentils and grains. Whole grains contain the entire grain, including the germ, endosperm and bran and are more difficult for your body to break down. This can keep your blood sugar stable for an extended period of time. When grains are refined, such as white flour, the only part that remains is the starchy endosperm. You miss out on all of the fiber and nutrients found in the rest of the grain. Natural sugars are found in milk and fruit. Processed sugars are added to foods, such as cookies, and you should avoid them. Fiber is a carbohydrate that your body cannot digest. It moves through your digestive tract, relatively intact and helps remove waste.
Fruit and Non-Starchy Vegetable Exchanges
From the fruit group, you can have a small 4 oz. apple, 3/4 cup of blueberries, 1 cup of cubed cantaloupe, 1/2 cup of mango slices, a 6 1/2 oz. orange, two tangerines, 17 grapes or 12 cherries. Each of these servings count as an exchange and provide 60 calories and 15 g of carbohydrates. One exchange of non-starchy vegetables equal 1 cup of raw vegetables or 1/2 cup of cooked veggies. Examples of non-starchy vegetables include asparagus, green beans, broccoli, spinach, carrots, peppers, tomatoes and eggplant. Each of these provide 25 calories, 2 g of protein and 5 g of carbs per exchange.
Starch and Milk Exchanges
All exchanges in the starch group have 80 calories, 15 g of carbohydrates, 0 to 3 g of protein and 0 to 1 g of fat. Some vegetables are in the starch group because they have high amounts of starch. An exchange of starchy veggies includes 1/2 cup of sweet potato, 1/2 cup of corn or peas, a 3 oz. baked potato or 1 cup of butternut squash. Bread exchanges include one slice of bread, half an English muffin or a 4-inch pancake. A 3/4 cup of unsweetened breakfast cereal or 1/2 cup of oatmeal are each equivalent to one exchange from the starch group. Milk exchanges are broken down into fat-free, reduced-fat and whole. Calories and fat content change between each group, but all milk products provide 12 g of carbs per exchange. Examples include 8 oz. of milk, 1 cup of yogurt or 8 oz. of rice or soy milk.
References
- "Exchange Lists for Weight Management"; American Dietetic Association; 2008
- Joslin Diabetes Center: Carbohydrate Counting 101
- American Diabetes Association: Carbohydrates
