Set it and forget itDiabetic Exchanges
A helpful tool in making smart food choices is the food-exchange system, which organizes foods into several groups—generally starches, fruits, vegetables, milk, meat and protein-based substitutes and fats. The idea behind the exchange system is that every item within a given category is nutritionally equivalent to every other item in the same category, providing roughly the same amount of carbohydrate, fat, protein and calories.
While Diabetic Exchanges are designed for people with diabetes, they can also be valuable for anyone trying to control calories, reduce fat and eat a balanced diet. Diabetic Exchanges are assigned to recipes in accordance with guidelines from the American Diabetes Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Ranges of Exchanges
Some exchange lists are subdivided into groups that specify exchanges of, say, lean meats and substitutes (separate from high-fat meats), or fat-free milk products (separate from the whole-milk products). Foods within each category are nutritionally equivalent in the exchange system.
Total Sugars
We’ve added total sugars to our nutrition facts information. For example: 294 cal., 12g fat (2g sat. fat), 64mg chol., 218mg sodium, 20g carb. (13g sugars, 3g fiber), 24g pro.
Note: This number represents added sugars plus naturally occurring sugars, like what you see in the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods.
Special Indicators
To help you find dishes to suit your needs, we clearly mark recipes with these helpful icons:
FAST FIX Table-ready in just 30 minutes or less
5 INGREDIENTS Recipes made with 5 or fewer ingredients
SLOW COOKER Set it and forget it
The Diabetes Cookbook provides a variety of recipes that fit into a healthy lifestyle.
• Whenever a choice of ingredients is given (such as 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt), the first ingredient is used in our calculations.
• When a range is given for an ingredient, we calculate using the first amount.
• Only the amount of a marinade absorbed is calculated.
• Optional ingredients are not included in our calculations.
STARCHES
• 1 slice bread
• 1/2 cup cooked lentils
• 1/3 cup cooked pasta
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1 small potato
VEGETABLES
• 1/2 cup cooked carrots
• 1/2 cup cooked green beans
• 1 cup raw radishes
• 1 cup raw salad greens
• 1 large tomato
FRUITS
• 1 small banana
• 1/2 large pear
• 17 small grapes
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1/2 cup fruit cocktail
FAT-FREE AND LOW-FAT MILKS
• 1 cup skim or 1% milk
• 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 2/3 cup low-fat fruit-flavored yogurt
• 2/3 cup evaporated nonfat milk
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
LEAN MEATS AND SUBSTITUTES
• 1 ounce skinless chicken breast
• 1 ounce canned tuna (in water or oil, drained)
• 1 ounce cheese with 3 grams of fat or less per ounce
• 1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 2 egg whites
FATS
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 teaspoon stick butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon reduced-fat margarine spread
• 1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 6 almonds
• 4 1/2 teaspoons reduced-fat cream cheese