Dietary Mgmt with the Exchange System

DIETARY MANAGEMENT WITH THE EXCHANGE SYSTEM

This system is used in the calculation of energy-controlled and diabetic diets. Various exchange groups within the system can also be used in the calculation of fat-controlled diets.

Each list shows the kinds and amounts of foods to use for one exchange. Exchanges are based upon roughly equivalent carbohydrate, protein, and fat content. Exchanges have been defined in household measures. For food-service portioning, they may be further defined by serving utensils or multiples (or fractions) of the standard portion.

These lists are a reference for initial planning of diets, menu writing, and carbohydrate counting. Additional foods and recipes can be translated into exchanges and/or grams of carbohydrates through the evaluation of macronutrient content. The following chart shows the amount of nutrients in one serving from each list.