The 1200 calorie diabetic food exchange diet is a calorie restricted diet designed specifically for diabetics. According to Dr. Michael Hall, most diabetics should consume between 1600 and 2000 calories each day. Having a clear understanding of meal planning and food exchange lists is essential for following this kind of diet.
Eating And Diabetes
According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC), taking care of your diabetes requires you to learn what to eat, how much to eat and when to eat. By learning this information, you will feel good each day, lose weight if needed and lower your risk of developing complications related to diabetes
Exchange System
According to the Mayo Clinic, in the exchange system, foods are grouped into basic types---starches, milk, fruits, vegetables, meat and so on. Each list will provide you with information on how much you can eat of the various foods selections. This allows you to consume the same amount of calories, carbohydrates and other nutrients each day. You can vary your diet by exchanging or trading foods within a group, but not between groups. The foods from one category will affect you blood sugar differently than foods from a different category.
1200 Calorie Exchange Diet
Once you now how many calories you should take in from exchange list each day, you can begin to learn about the foods you can eat. Your eating pattern and diabetic needs determine the distribution of your servings from each food group throughout the day. According to Dr. Hall, a typical 1200 calorie exchange diet consists of five starches exchanges, four lean meats, two vegetables, three fruits, two low fat milks, and three fats. A dietitian can help you to distribute your allotted servings throughout the day in a way that will help you stay satisfied.
Learn Exchange Lists And Portion Sizes
In addition to knowing how many servings of each food group to have per day, you need to know what the serving sizes are and what foods are in each food list. According to the NDIC, serving sizes vary according to the type of food you are selecting. Some serving sized include a small apple, a slice of bread, 1 ounce of lean meat, 1 cup of raw vegetables and 1/2 cup of milk. A serving size equal one exchange from a group; thus, 1/2 cup of milk equals 1 milk exchange.
Helpful Hints
As you become more familiar with food exchanges and serving sizes, this diet will become easier to follow. You will also find that you need to spread your food exchanges out throughout the day to regulate your blood sugar. If your blood sugar is high during a certain time of day, you need to adjust the amount of carbohydrates you eat at the meal prior to this time. Once you are used to this diet, it will help you to both regulate your blood sugar and reduce your weight.
References
- Dr. Michael Hall, MD; Elk County Medical Associates; St. Marys, Pa
- Mayo Clinic: Your diabetes exchange lists
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: What I need to know about eating and diabetes
