Diabetic Exchange Diet

A diabetic exchange diet is a list of serving sizes of foods divided into 6 groups that you can choose to eat every day. You will be required to eat the correct number of servings from each food group daily to control your diabetes.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

If you have diabetes, your doctor may ask you to go on for a diabetic exchange diet to help you to control your weight and the sugar level and cholesterol in your blood. You will need to gauge your food while you are on this diet, and you will most likely to have 3 meals and 1 to 3 snacks per day. This diet categorize s the foods you can eat into 6 groups and calculate s each food by exact serving size. Therefore you can be sure to eat the precise quantity from each food group daily.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

Your food consultant will provide a meal plan that tells the number of servings you should eat from each food group. The plan will give examples of a typical choice from each group. That way you can swap any food in a group for any other from the same group but you should limit yourself to the particular serving sizes. For example, 1 slice of bread can be replaced by 3/4 cup dry cereal. Or you can switch 1/2 cup fruit juice to 1/2 of a 9-inch banana. Ask your food adviser for the accurate serving size if a food you want is no in the list below. At the beginning, weigh or measure all of your foods and beverages so that you eat only the certain amounts. Do not use sugar and stay away from foods on the "Do Not Eat" list.

Food that should be avoided

Cake, Candy, Cookies, Frosting, Granola bars, Ice cream, Jelly and jam, Pastries, Pie, Regular sodas and colas, Sugar covered cereals, Sweet rolls