If you have diabetes, following a healthy and balanced diet can aid in controlling your condition. Diabetics have chronically high blood glucose levels due to problems making or utilizing insulin. Diabetes can also increase your risk of developing other health problems, such as heart and kidney disease. Diabetes exchange diets are one technique for planning and following an appropriate diet for your condition.
Theory
Diabetes exchange diets classify foods according to their nutritional content. Foods can be broken down into one or more groups based on the amount of fat, carbohydrates and protein which they contain, HealthCentral notes. There are six different food groups in diabetes exchange diets: starch/bread, fruit, vegetable, dairy/milk, fat and meat or meat substitutes. If you are following a diabetes exchange diet, you are allotted a certain number of servings from each food group and can also have an unlimited number of servings from "free" foods.
Groupings
One of the advantages of the diabetes exchange diet is that an "exchange" or serving of an item within a food group can be substituted for any other item in that same group, because they are roughly equivalent in terms of the nutrition they provide. According to the lists from the Mayo Clinic, one slice of bread, 1/4 of a large bagel or 1/2 of an English muffin are all one starch exchange due to their similar amount of carbohydrates.
Benefits
The main benefit of exchange diets is that they allow you to consume carbohydrates, fats and proteins in the right proportions without having to keep track of the individual grams of these nutrients. Monitoring your carbohydrate intake is important because eating carbohydrates can cause a short-term increase in blood glucose levels and blood glucose levels are a point of emphasis in managing diabetes. Controlling your fat and protein intake can also lower your risk of developing atherosclerosis, which is a major complication of poorly controlled diabetes.
Guidelines
The amount of each food group that you are allotted is based on your target calorie intake. For example, if you consume between 1,200 and 1,600 calories each day, you may have six starches, three vegetables, two fruits, up to three fats, two milks and four to six ounces of meat. Diet plans calling for between 1,600 and 2,000 calories allot eight starches, four vegetables, three fruits, up to four fats, two milks and four to six ounces of meat. Consuming between 2,000 and 2,400 calories gives you 10 starches, four vegetables, four fruits, up to five fats, two milks and five to seven ounces of meat, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders reports.
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