Exchanging or Counting,Which is Right for You?
Nutrition 101:
Exchanging or Counting
Which is Right for You?
by Kristin Latzo, R.D.
Blood glucose can be managed many different ways. First, everyone was
using the exchange system. Then carb counting came on the scene in the
1990s and won over many people. They both work, but which will work best
for you?
The diabetic exchange divides foods into groups based on the Diabetes
Food Pyramid. Each group is then subdivided into lists, and portion
sizes are defined. Your dietitian will design a plan for you, which
usually includes at least one serving of each group per meal. Then at
each meal you choose which food from each list you want to eat.
Sound complicated? Some people prefer the exchange system because it’s
more structured, so they aren’t burdened with so many decisions to make
about their diet on a day-to-day basis. It’s also helpful when you are
trying to lose weight because it ensures that you get the same fat,
protein and carbohydrate intake every day.
Eating meals based on the same lists day after day doesn’t leave much
room for culinary adventures, so it’s easy to see why so many people
were eager to switch to counting carbs. It gives people a lot more
flexibility and is easy to learn.
To start, you should first determine how many grams of carbs you should
have per day. Your dietitian or doctor can help you with this. Then make
sure that carbs are evenly distributed among your meals and snacks for
the day.
Calculating how many carbs are in the foods you eat is usually pretty
easy, since they’re on food nutritional labels. It can get a bit more
complicated when you cook for yourself or eat out, though, so you may
want to invest in a carb counting resource guide. Check out diabetes.org
for the ADA’s recommendations.
No matter how you manage your diet, eat a variety of healthful foods and
balance it with exercise for a healthy lifestyle.