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Calories are
derived from
three nutrient
sources:
carbohydrate,
protein, and
fat. Dietitians
have divided all
foods into six
groups. Foods
are grouped
together because
they contain
similar
proportions of
these three
nutrients.
The foods in
each group are
matched by their
amounts of
carbohydrate,
protein, and
fat, not by
calories. The
exchange portion
is determined by
each food's
weight in grams.
This is why it
is possible to
"exchange" one
food on the list
for another on
the same list.
Each group has
the same weight
of the three
major nutrients
in grams. The
number of
calories for one
exchange is also
provided.
The six
exchange groups
are:
There is also a
Free
exchange!
How Can I Use
this exchange
system?
To use the
exchange system
all you need to
know is the
group to which a
food belongs.
Then fit that
food into the
exchange diet
plan.
For example, we
look at the
exchange list
for a
1,200-calorie
diet, and each
meal of the day
has a set amount
of food that may
be consumed,
broken down by
exchange.
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For
breakfast, you
can eat:
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-
milk
exchange
-
1
starch/bread
exchange
-
1
fruit
exchange
-
1
meat
exchange
-
1
fat
exchange
-
free
food
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For
lunch, you can
eat:
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-
1
starch/bread
exchange
-
1
fruit
exchange
-
2
meat
exchanges
-
1
vegetable
exchange
-
1
fat
exchange
-
free
food
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For
dinner, you can
eat:
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-
2
starch/bread
exchanges
- 1 fruit
exchange
- 2 meat
exchanges
- 1
vegetable exchange
- 1 fat
exchange
- free food
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Page
For snacks, you
may eat:
1 starch/bread exchange
1 milk exchange
free food
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Page
The next step is to see
what specific food items fall into which exchange
categories, and simply plug them in. You can start this
process by looking at our
Sample Exchange List and then use the Exchange
Calculator to enter the foods you enjoy!
To show you how this
works, we've planned a
28-Day Meal Plan (1,500, or1,800 calories per day).
To check it out, click the link above.
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