There are six standard exchange lists:

Carb:                                     No Carb:

Starches/Grains                  Non-Starchy Vegetables

Fruits                                     Meats

Milk                                        Fats

For vegetarians, we have included Dal/Beans as a separate group. One exchange of Dal/Beans replaces 1 exchange of Meats and 1 exchange of Starches/Grains. 

		Carbohydrate (grams)	Protein (grams)	Fat (grams)	Calories
Starch/Grains		15	3	Trace	80
Vegetable		5	2	—	25
Fruit		15	—	—	60
Fat		—	—	5	45
Milk	Skim Low fat Whole	12 12 12	8 8 8	trace 5 8	90 120 150
Meat	Lean Medium fat High fat	— — —	7 7 7	3 5 8	55 75 100
Dal/beans (Meat Substitute)		12	6	1	80

Good nutrition is eating a wide variety of foods from each of the main food groups.  Your meal plan is designed as a guide to help you meet your health needs.

Food, exercise, and medicine are all important ways to care for your health.  Food contains three major nutrients: carbohydrate, protein, and fat.  Of these, carbohydrates raise the blood glucose levels the most.

To control your blood sugar:

• Try to eat meals and snacks at the same time each day
• Avoid skipping meals
• Eat about every 4-5 hours
• Food weights and measure are taken after it has been cooked.

Exchange List Starch & Breads

This group includes grains and starchy vegetables. Consider choosing products which are whole grains with higher fiber value.

Sample Traditional Foods

Aviyal: ½ cup

Chapati/Phulka/Sookhi roti: 1 – 6”

Corn, medium ear (Bhutta): 1- 6″-long

Couscous: 1/3 cup

Dalia: ½ cup

Dhansak: ½ cup

Dholka, square: 1”

Dosa, plain: 1

Flour: 3 Tbsp

Granola, low fat: 1/4 cup

Grits: ½ cup

Idli, plain: 3 inch round

Kasha: ½ cup

Matki usual: ½ cup

Millet 14/ cup

Muesli: ¼ cup

Mumra: 1 ½ cup

Naan: ¼ of 8”x2”

Oats: ½ cup

Paratha of Thepala: 1 – 6”

Pasta: 1/3 cup

Peas, green: ½ cup

Plaintain: 1/3 cup

Poato Subji, low fat: ½ cup

Poha: ½ cup

Pumpkin, winter: ¾ cup

Puries: 2 – 5”

Rice milk: ½ cup

Rice, plain, basmati, brown: 1/3 cup

Roti (bajra, corn, juwar): ½ – 6”

Sambar: ½ cup

Squash, winter: 1 cup

Upma: ½ cup

Wheat Germ: 3 Tbsp

Yam, Sweet Potato, plain: ½ cup

Cooking Notes: 

¼ Cup of uncooked pasta yields ½ cup Cooked Pasta
1 Cup of Atta (Wheat, Bajra, Jowar, Corn) Yields 5 Roti/Chapati
1/3 cup of batter yields one 10″ Dosa
¼ cup of batter yields one Idli
3 Tablespoon of rice yields 1/3 cup Rice
3 Tablespoon of cracked wheat, oats yield ½ cup serving

Exchange List Fruits

Sample Traditional Foods

Amla (Gooseberry): 15

Apricots, dried: 8 halves

Dates (Fresh): 3

Figs (2″, raw): 2

Guava (medium): 1 ½

Jambu: 6

Loquat:  4

Mango:  ½ or ½ cup

Papaya: 1 cup cubed

Passion fruit: ½ medium

Persimmon, medium: 2

Sapota Chiku:  1 medium

Seetaphal (medium): ½

Tangerines:  2

Exchange List Milk and Milk Substitutes

An exchange is one cup (8oz) of milk or 3/4 cup (6 oz) yogurt. For weight loss and lowering cholesterol, it should be low fat or skim milk. Avoid using sweetened or flavored varieties.

Sample Traditional Foods

Buttermilk, Nonfat: 1 cup

Dry Milk, Nonfat or Regular: 1/3 cup

Evaporated Skim or Whole milk: ½ cup

Kefir: 1 cup

Lassi, Sugar Free: 1 cup

Masala Tea, with 1% milk: 1 cup

Milk, Skim, Low Fat, Chach: 1 cup

Paneer: 1% 1 oz

Yogurt, Nonfat, Plain: 3/4 cup

Exchange List Dal Beans Pulses

This Group can be used as a substitute for meats and cheese. Each exchange contains both carbohydrate and protein. Each is counted as one exchange of ‘Starch/Grains’, and one exchange of ‘Meats/Proteins’. Portions are measured already cooked.

Sample Traditional Foods

Azuki (Adzuki, Red Chori, Red Cowpea): ½ cup

Cowpeas (Lobiya, Chora, Black-Eyed Peas, Black-Eyed Beans): 1/2 Cups

Falafel: 3 patties (2” across)

Fava Bean (Field Beans, Broad Bean, Val): ½ cup

Garbanzo Beans (Chickpea, Chole, Chana, Bengal Gram): ½ cup

Horse Gram (Kulthi): ½ cup

Hummus: 1/3 cup

Kidney Beans (Rajma): ½ cup

Lima Beans: 2/3 cup

Masoor (Red Gram, Red Lentil): 1/2 Cup

Miso: 3 Tbsp

Moth Beans (Moath): ½ cup

Mung (Moong, Green Gram), Cooked: ½ cup

Peas (Split Peas, Matar, Vatana): ½ cup

Rasam: 1 cup

Tomato Dhal: ½ cup

Toor (Pigeon Peas) Dhal, Cooked: ½ cup

Toor (Pigeon Peas, Split Yellow Gram): 1/2 Cup

Urad (Black Gram): ½ cup

Cooking notes

In general, ¾ cup of dried beans will yield 2 cups of cooked dense beans equaling 4 servings.

3 Tablespoon of beans (Cholay, Rajma, Urad) yields 1/3 cup Dense Dal
2 Tablespoon of lentils (Masoor) yields 1/3 cup Dense Dal

Exchange List Meats/Proteins

Meat and protein exchanges are listed in 1-ounce equivalents. A 3-ounce portion (deck of cards) equals 3 exchanges.

Sample Traditional Foods

Paneer, 1% milk: ¼ cup

Tandoori Chicken: 1 oz

Ground Meat Kabob: 1 oz

Oysters: 6

Sardines: 2

Egg: 1

Tempeh: ¼ cup

Tofu: 2oz

Exchange List Non-Starchy Vegetables

Non-starchy vegetables generally have fewer calories and carbohydrates. Portions are usually ½ cooked or 1 cup raw.

Sample Traditional Foods

Artichoke, hearts

Bamboo shoots

Bean Sprouts (Mung)

Beets (Chukandar)

Bottle Gourd (Lauki)

Cauliflower (Gobi)

Cluster Beans (Guvar)

Dill (Suva Bhaji)

Drumsticks (Surgavo)

Eggplant (Brinjal)

Fengugreek Leaves (Methi)

Karela (Bittermelon)

Kandkoda (Golkandra)

Kholrabi

Okra (Lady’s Fingers)

Parwar

Ridge Gourd (Torai or Turia)

Spinach (Palak)

Taro Leaves, Roots

Turnip

Water Chestnuts

Watercress

Zucchini

Exchange List Fats and Oils

Fats are found in nuts, cooking oils and cooking fats. The nuts also have some protein but should be considered here as a Fat Exchange
Sample Traditional Foods

Unsaturated (preferred):

Almonds, cashews, Mixed Nuts: 6 each

Avocado, Medium (1 oz): 1/8th

Oil (Olive, Canola, Corn, Safflower): 1 tsp

Olives, Large: 8

Peanuts: 10

Pecans, Walnuts: 4 Halves

Seeds (Sesame, Pumpkin, Sunflower): 1 Tbsp

Tahini Paste: 2 tsp

Saturated (avoid):

Butter 1 tsp

Coconut Oil: 1 tsp

Coconut, Desiccated: 2 Tbsp

Ghee (Clarified Butter): 1 tsp

Hard Margarine: 1 tsp

Salt Pork: ¼ oz

Shortening (Vanaspati Ghee, Dalda): 1 tsp

Adapted from:

www.indiacurry.com/diabetes/diabetesexchange.htm

https://dtuc.ucsf.edu/pdgs/FoodLists.pdf

Patel C, Denny M. Cultural foods and renal diets: a multilingual guide for renal patients,

Section II. Council on Renal Nutrition of Northern California. NKF. Second ed. 1997.