Carbohydrate List Cereals, grains, pasta, breads, crackers, snacks, starchy vegetables, and cooked beans, peas and lentils are starches. In general, 1 starch is: ½ cup of cooked cereal, grain, or starchy vegetable ½ cup of cooked rice or pasta 1 oz of a bread product, like 1 slice bread ¾ to 1 oz of most snack foods Examples of Starches, Portions, and Number of Exchanges: Breads Bagel ½ bagel = 1 exchange Bread – whole wheat 1 slice = 1 exchange Bun – hamburger, hot dog 1 bun = 2 exchanges English muffin 1 muffin = 2 exchanges Pancake- 4 inch across, ¼” thick 1 exchange Pita Bread pocket – 6 in across ½ pita = 1 exchange Roll – dinner roll, hard roll 1 small (2 in square) Tortilla – 6 in across 1 tortilla = 1 exchange Waffle – 4 inch square= 1 exchange Cereals & Grains Cooked cereal – oatmeal, cream of wheat ½ cup cooked = 1 exchange Dry Cereal (read box) ½ to ¾ cup = 1 exchange Couscous 1/3 cup = 1 exchange Pasta ½ cup = 1 exchange Rice – white or brown ½ cup = 1 exchange Wheat germ 3 Tbsp = 1 exchange Starchy Veggies Baked beans/refried beans 1/3 to ½ cup = 1 exchange Peas ½ cup cooked = 1 exchange Corn ½ cup cooked or 6 inch on cob = 1 exchange Potato/Yam/Sweet Potato ½ cup mashed or small 3 oz potato = 1 exchange Winter squash 1 cup = 1 exchange Crackers and Snacks Graham crackers 3 squares = 1 exchange Saltine crackers 6 crackers = 1 exchange Popcorn 3 cups = 1 exchange Potato chips/tortilla chips 10 chips = 1 exchange Pretzels ¾ oz hard/10 mini/2 rods = 1 exchange Rice Cakes – 4 in across 2 cakes = 1 exchange Whole wheat crackers 2-5 crackers (3/4 oz) = 1 exchange Beans, Peas, and Lentils Beans and peas (garbanzo, pinto, kidney, white, split, black-eyed) 1/3 cup = 1 starch or 1 protein Lima beans 1/3 cup = 1 starch or 1 protein Lentils 1/2 cup = 1 starch or 1 protein Starchy Foods Prepared with Fat Biscuit – 2 ½ in across 1 biscuit = 1 starch plus 1 fat exchange Chow mein noodles ½ cup = 1 starch plus 1 fat exchange Corn bread – 2 in cube 2 oz cube = 1 starch plus 1 fat exchange Crackers round butter type 6 crackers = 1 starch plus 1 fat exchange Croutons 1 cup = 1 starch plus 1 fat exchange French fried potatoes (baked) 1 cup (2 oz) = 1 starch plus 1 fat exchange Granola ¼ cup = 1 starch plus 1 fat exchange Hummus 1/3 cup = 1 starch plus 1 fat exchange Muffin – 5 oz 1/5 (1 oz) = 1 starch plus 1 fat exchange Popcorn, microwaved 3 cups = 1 starch plus 1 fat exchange Sandwich crackers – cheese or peanut butter filling 3 crackers = 1 starch plus 1 fat exchange Snack chips – potato/tortilla 9-13 (3/4 oz) = 1 starch plus 1 fat exchange Fruit List Fruits include fresh, frozen, canned and dried fruits. Typically, 1 fruit exchange is: 1 small (4 oz) fresh fruit ½ cup of fresh fruit or canned (make sure to rinse!) ½ cup unsweetened fruit juice ¼ cup of dried fruit Weight listed below includes skin, core, seeds, and rind. Examples of Fruits, Portions, and Number of Exchanges: Apple 1 small = 1 exchange Applesauce-unsweetened ½ cup Apricots – fresh 4 whole (5 ½ oz) = 1 exchange Apricots – dried halves 8 = 1 exchange Banana – small 1 (4 oz) = 1 exchange Blackberries ¾ cup = 1 exchange Blueberries ¾ cup = 1 exchange Cantaloupe – small 1/3 melon or 1 cup cubed = 1 exchange Cherries – fresh 12 (3 oz) = 1 exchange Dates 3 = 1 exchange Fruit cocktail ½ cup = 1 exchange Grapefruit – large ½ grapefruit = 1 exchange Grapes – small 17 (3 oz) = 1 exchange Kiwi 1 (3 ½ oz) = 1 exchange Mandarin oranges, canned ¾ cup = 1 exchange Nectarine 1 (5 oz) = 1 exchange Orange – small 1 (6 ½ oz) = 1 exchange Peach – medium, fresh 1 (4 oz) = 1 exchange Pear – large, fresh ½ (4 oz) = 1 exchange Pineapple – fresh ¾ cup = 1 exchange Plums – small 2 (5 oz) = 1 exchange Plums – dried (prunes) 3 = 1 exchange Raisins 2 Tbsp = 1 exchange Raspberries 1 cup = 1 exchange Strawberries 1 ¼ cup whole berries = 1 exchange Watermelon 1 slice (13 ½ oz) or 1 ¼ cup cubes = 1 exchange Milk List Cheeses are in the protein list and other dairy fats are on the fats list. Examples of Milk Items, Portions, and Number of Exchanges: Milk- skim or 1% 1 cup (8 oz) = 1 exchange Soy milk – low fat or fat free 1 cup = 1 exchange Yogurt – fat free or light 2/3 cup (6 oz) = 1 exchange Protein List Meats should be weighed after cooking, allowing for bone and meat. In general, 1 oz meat = 1 protein exchange Examples of Protein Foods, Portions, and Number of Exchanges: Poultry 1 oz meat = 1 exchange Chicken, turkey, Cornish hen and guinea hen Chicken (with skin), domestic duck or goose and ground turkey Fish & Shellfish Any fresh or frozen fish 2 oz = 1 exchange Salmon (canned or fresh) 2 oz = 1 exchange Sardines, medium (canned) 2 = 1 exchange Crab, lobster, scallops and shrimp 2 oz = 1 exchange Tuna ¼ cup = 1 exchange Any fried fish product 1 oz = 1 exchange Beef 1 oz meat = 1 exchange Baby beef, chipped beef, flank steak, tenderloin, plate skirt steak, round (all cuts), rump, spare ribs, and tripe Ground beef (all), roast (rib chuck and rump), steak (cubed, porterhouse, and T-bone), and meatloaf Most USDA prime rib cuts (ribs and club steak), corned beef and brisket Pork & Veal 1 oz meat = 1 exchange Lean pork (fresh, canned, cured and boiled ham), Canadian bacon and tenderloin Most pork products (chops, loin roast, cutlets) Sausage (patty and link) and deviled ham Veal -all cuts (leg, loin, rib, shank, shoulder and cutlet) Cheese 1 oz = 1 exchange All regular or low fat cheese (American, blue, cheddar, Monterey, Swiss, etc) Cottage cheese (2%) ¼ cup = 1 exchange Grated Parmesan cheese 2 Tbsp = 1 exchange Ricotta ¼ cup = 1 exchange Other Egg w/yolk 1 egg = 1 exchange Hot dog 1 oz = 1 exchange Lunch meat 1 oz = 1 exchange Peanut Butter 1-2 Tbsp = 1 exchange Sausage 1 oz = 1 exchange Tofu ½ cup = 1 exchange Veggie Burger 1 patty (14 grams protein) = 2 exchanges Vegetable List (Non- Starchy) Typically, 1 vegetable exchange is ½ cup cooked vegetables or vegetable juice 1 cup raw vegetables Examples of Non-starchy Veggies: Artichoke Asparagus Beans (green, wax, Italian) Bean sprouts Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Eggplant Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip) Kohlrabi Leeks Mixed vegetables (without corn, peas) Mushrooms Okra Peppers Radishes Salad Greens (endive, escarole, lettuce, romaine, spinach) Sauerkraut Spinach Summer squash Tomato Tomato sauce Turnips Water chestnuts Zucchini The Fats List In general, 1 fats exchange= 1 teaspoon of regular margarine or vegetable oil or 1 Tbsp light margarine/oil 1 Tbsp of regular salad dressing or 2 Tbsp reduced fat salad dressing Examples of Fats Items & Portions for 1 Exchange: Avocado, medium 2 Tbsp Nuts – almonds, cashews, mixed 6 nuts Nuts – walnuts, English 4 halves Peanuts 10 nuts Pecans 4 halves Margarine 1 tsp Mayo – regular 1 teaspoon Mayo – reduced fat 1 Tbsp Seeds – pumpkin, sunflower 1 Tbsp Bacon – 1 slice Butter – stick 1 tsp, whipped 2 tsp, reduced fat 1 Tbsp Cream cheese – regular 1 Tbsp, reduced fat 1 ½ Tbsp Sour cream – regular 2 Tbsp, reduced fat 3 Tbsp Desserts & Other Carbohydrates Examples of Food Items, Portions, and Number of Exchanges: Brownie, small, unfrosted 2” square (about 1 oz) = 1 carbohydrate, 1 fat Cake, unfrosted 2” square (about 1 oz) = 1 carbohydrate, 1 fat Cake, frosted 2” square (about 2 oz) = 2 carbohydrate, 1 fat Cookie or sandwich cookie with cream filling 2 small (about 2/3 oz) = 1 carbohydrate, 1 fat Doughnut, plain cake 1 medium = 1 carbohydrate, 2 fats Doughnut, glazed 1 medium = 2 carbohydrates, 2 fats Granola or snack bar 1 bar = 1 carbohydrate Honey 1 Tbsp = 1 carbohydrate Ice cream ½ cup = 1 carbohydrate, 2 fats Ice cream, low-fat ½ cup = 1 carbohydrate Milk, chocolate, whole 1 cup = 2 carbohydrates, 1 fat Spaghetti sauce ½ cup = 1 carbohydrate Frozen Yogurt ½ cup = 1 carbohydrate, 0-1 fat Combination Foods List There are obviously many foods we eat that are mixed together in various combinations. These foods do not fit into any specific list, but have several different exchanges associated with them. I have listed a few here; if you have any questions for things on your meal plan that you are unsure of their exchanges, please let me know and I can look up a specific food for you. Examples of Food Items, Portions, and Number of Exchanges: Tuna noodle casserole, lasagna, spaghetti with meatballs, chili with beans 1 cup (8 oz) = 2 carbohydrates, 2 proteins Chicken or tuna salad ½ cup (3 ½ cup) = ½ carbohydrate, 2 proteins, 1 fat Pizza, cheese, thin crust ¼ of 12 inch (6 oz) = 2 carbohydrates, 2 meats, 1 fat Frozen entrée dinner-type meal Generally 14-17 oz = 3 carbs, 3 proteins, 2 fats Soups – Vegetable beef, chicken noodle, or other broth-type 1 cup = 1 carbohydrate Things That Don’t Count as Exchanges Examples: Broth Nondairy creamer Coffee Unsweetened tea Ketchup Mustard Hot sauce Vinegar Celery Cucumber Radishes Onion Salad greens Hot peppers Salsa Horseradish Sugar free jello Drink mixes, sugar free Salad dressing, fat free Nonstick cooking spray Tea Lemon juice Pickles Soy sauce Seasonings & spices Garlic
