ExRx.net : Food Exchanges

Food Exchange	US Unit	Metric	Comments
Starches	80 Calories		15 g Carb., 3 g Protein, 1 g Fat
bread breads, other tortilla crackers cooked cereals dry cereals, unsweetened dry cereals, sweetened dry flour or grain pasta rice corn popcorn potato (small) potato, mashed sweet potato squash, winter cooked beans, peas, lentils (add 1 meat exchange)	1 slice 1 oz 1 (6") 4-6 (3/4 oz) 1/2 cup 3/4 cup 1/2 cup 3 Tbsp 1/2 cup 1/3 cup 1/2 cup 3 cups 1 (3 oz) 1/2 cup 1/3 cup 1 cup 1/2 cup	1 slice 30 g 1 (15 cm) 4-6 (20 g) 125 ml 175 ml 125 ml 45 ml 125 ml 80 ml 125 ml 720 ml 1 (85 g) 125 ml 80 ml 250 ml 125 ml	Most starches are good source of B vitamins Choose whole grain foods such as 'all natural, 100% whole wheat' bread, pasta, tortillas, and brown rice, etc. for nutrients and fiber. Combine beans (starch & meat) with grains (starch) for their complimentary proteins and fiber Combine grains (starch) with milk (milk) or cheese (meat) to compliment proteins. Add additional fat exchanges for starchy foods prepared with fat.
Vegetables	25 Calories		5 g Carb., 2 g Protein
raw vegetables cooked vegetables tomato or vegetable juice	1 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup	250 ml 125 ml 125 ml	Choose more dark green leafy and deep yellow vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, carrots, and peppers.
Fruit	60 Calories		15 g Carb.
fresh fruit melon (cubes) canned fruit dried fruit fruit juice	1 small 12 oz (1 cup) 1/2 cup 1/4 cup 1/2 cup	1 small 360 g (250 ml) 125 ml 60 ml 125 ml	Choose whole fruits for fiber Choose citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, or tangerines
Meat & Substitutes	35-145 Calories		7 g Protein, 0-13 g Fat
meat, poultry, fish cheese cottage cheese egg peanut butter tofu cooked beans, peas, lentils (add 1 starch)	1 oz 1 oz 1/4 cup 1 1.5 Tbsp 4 oz (1/2 cup) 1/2 cup	30 g 30 g 60 ml 1 22 ml 115 g (125 ml) 125 ml	Choose leaner meats such as chicken, fish, and lean cuts of meat; add fat exchange for higher fat meats and substitutes. Limit frying or adding fat. Have 2 servings of fish per week for Omega 3 fatty acid.
Milk	80-150 Calories		12 g Carb., 8 g Protein, 0-8 g Fat
milk yogurt	1 cup 1 cup	250 ml 250 ml	Consider lower fat milks; add fat exchange for higher fat milk.
Fat	45 Calories		5 g Fat
oil mayonnaise cream cheese salad dressing peanuts avocado butter or margarine higher fat exchange (additional)	1 tsp 1 tsp 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 10 1/8 1 tsp 1 exchange	5 ml 5 ml 15 ml 15 ml 10 1/8 5 ml 1 exchange	Consume mono-unsaturated fat. Eat moderate saturated fat. Limit poly-unsaturated fat from vegetable oils. Eat foods rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Eat no hydrogenated fat or man-made trans-fats. Check Nutrition Facts on food labels; 5 g Fat = 1 Fat exchange.
Sweets	Calories vary		15 g Carb., Protein & Fat varies
ice cream cookies syrup jam or jelly sugar pudding muffin or cupcake	1/2 cup 2 small 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 1/4 cup 1/2 small	125 ml 2 small 15 ml 15 ml 30 ml 60 ml 1/2 small	Choose sweets sparingly because they are high in sugar. Can be substituted for a 1 Starch, Fruit, or Milk exchange. Add 1 or 2 Fat exchanges for sweets containing fat.

Food Exchanges

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