The American Dietetic Association provides food exchange lists to help diabetics control blood sugar levels. The exchange system divides foods into basic groups according to nutritional content and impact on blood sugar. Each food group has a standardized caloric value. The exchange lists tell you how much of each food within a group you can eat for the same number of calories.
Starches
The starch group contains breads, cereals, grains, crackers and starchy vegetables such as corn, plantains, potatoes, squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes. One serving or exchange of a starchy food contains about 80 calories, according to MayoClinic.com. Examples of one serving of starch include a fourth of a large bagel, one slice of bread, half an English muffin, 1/3 cup of pasta, couscous, barley or rice, a half cup cereal, grits or wild rice, a fourth cup of granola, a half cup sweet potato, succotash or corn and 1 cup pumpkin or squash.
Fruits and Nonstarchy Vegetables
One exchange of fruit contains 60 calories, and one exchange of nonstarchy vegetables contains only 25 calories. Fruit serving sizes for one exchange include one small apple, one extra-small banana, one kiwi, one peach, two tangerines or half a grapefruit, mango or pear. One cup of raw vegetables or half a cup of cooked vegetables provides one exchange of nonstarchy vegetables. Nonstarchy vegetables include artichokes, asparagus, bamboo shoots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, eggplant, mushrooms, spinach, summer squash, tomatoes and zucchini. Servings of vegetables larger than 3 cups count as one carbohydrate exchange as well, according to MayoClinic.com.
Milk and Yogurt
Diabetic exchange lists divide foods in the milk and yogurt groups into three groups, including fat-free or low-fat products, which contain 100 calories per serving; reduced-fat products, which contain 120 calories per serving; and whole milk products, which contain 160 calories per serving. One cup of milk and 2/3 cup of yogurt provide one exchange. One cup of chocolate milk or soy milk counts as one milk exchange and one carbohydrate exchange.
Proteins
Very lean proteins, lean proteins and medium proteins each have their own exchange lists. One serving of very lean protein, such as two egg whites or 1 oz of skinless turkey or chicken breast, fish fillet, shellfish or fat-free cheese contains 35 calories. One serving of lean protein, such as 1 oz skinless dark chicken or turkey meat, salmon, swordfish, herring, lean beef, veal, pork tenderloin or low-fat cheese contains 55 calories. One serving of medium-fat proteins, such as one whole egg or 1 oz corned beef, ground beef, pork chop or mozzarella cheese contains 75 calories.
Fats
One exchange of fat contains 45 calories per serving. One slice of bacon, 1/8 of an avocado, one tsp of oil, butter, margarine or mayonnaise or one tbsp of salad dressing or cream cheese provides one exchange of fats.
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