Food Exchange List

You can use the American Dietetic Association food exchange lists to check out serving sizes for each group of foods and to see what other food choices are available for each group of foods.

Vegetables contain 25 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrate. One serving equals:

Measurement	Ingredient
½ C	Cooked vegetables (carrots, broccoli, zucchini, cabbage, etc.)
1 C	Raw vegetables or salad greens
½ C	Vegetable juice

If you’re hungry, eat more fresh or steamed vegetables.

Fat-Free and Very Low-Fat Milk contain 90 calories per serving. One serving equals:

Measurement	Ingredient
1 C	Milk, fat-free or 1% fat
¾ C	Yogurt, plain nonfat or low-fat
1 C	Yogurt, artificially sweetened

Very Lean Protein choices have 35 calories and 1 gram of fat per serving. One serving equals:

Measurement	Ingredient
1 oz	Turkey breast or chicken breast, skin removed
1 oz	Fish fillet (flounder, sole, scrod, cod, etc.)
1 oz	Canned tuna in water
1 oz	Shellfish (clams, lobster, scallop, shrimp)
¾ C	Cottage cheese, nonfat or low-fat
2	Egg whites
¼ C	Egg substitute
1 oz	Fat-free cheese
½ C	Beans, cooked (black beans, kidney, chick peas or lentils): count as 1 starch/bread and 1 very lean protein

Fruits contain 15 grams of carbohydrate and 60 calories. One serving equals:

Measurement	Ingredient
1 small	Apple, banana, orange, nectarine
1 med.	Fresh peach
1	Kiwi
½	Grapefruit
½	Mango
1 C	Fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries)
1 C	Fresh melon cubes
1⁄8th	Honeydew melon
4 oz	Unsweetened juice
4 tsp	Jelly or jam

Lean Protein choices have 55 calories and 2–3 grams of fat per serving. One serving equals:

Measurement	Ingredient
1 oz	Chicken—dark meat, skin removed
1 oz	Turkey—dark meat, skin removed
1 oz	Salmon, swordfish, herring
1 oz	Lean beef (flank steak, London broil, tenderloin, roast beef)*
1 oz	Veal, roast or lean chop*
1 oz	Lamb, roast or lean chop*
1 oz	Pork, tenderloin or fresh ham*
1 oz	Low-fat cheese (with 3 g or less of fat per ounce)
1 oz	Low-fat luncheon meats (with 3 g or less of fat per ounce)
¼ C	4.5% cottage cheese
2 med.	Sardines

* Limit to 1–2 times per week

Medium-Fat Proteins have 75 calories and 5 grams of fat per serving. One serving equals:

Measurement	Ingredient
1 oz	Beef (any prime cut), corned beef, ground beef**
1 oz	Pork chop
1	Whole egg (medium)**
1 oz	Mozzarella cheese
¼ C	Ricotta cheese
4 oz	Tofu (note this is a heart healthy choice)

** Choose these very infrequently

Starches contain 15 grams of carbohydrate and 80 calories per serving. One serving equals:

Measurement	Ingredient
1 slice	Bread (white, pumpernickel, whole wheat, rye)
2 slices	Reduced-calorie or “lite” bread
¼ (1 oz)	Bagel (varies)
½	English muffin
½	Hamburger bun
¾ C	Cold cereal
1⁄3 C	Rice, brown or white, cooked
1⁄3 C	Barley or couscous, cooked
1⁄3 C	Legumes (dried beans, peas or lentils), cooked
½ C	Pasta, cooked
½ C	Bulgar, cooked
½ C	Corn, sweet potato, or green peas
3 oz	Baked sweet or white potato
¾ oz	Pretzels
3 C	Popcorn, hot air popped or microwave (80% light)

Fats contain 45 calories and 5 grams of fat per serving. One serving equals:

Measurement	Ingredient
1 tsp	Oil (vegetable, corn, canola, olive, etc.)
1 tsp	Butter
1 tsp	Stick margarine
1 tsp	Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp	Reduced-fat margarine or mayonnaise
1 Tbsp	Salad dressing
1 Tbsp	Cream cheese
2 Tbsp	Lite cream cheese
1/8th	Avocado
8 large	Black olives
10 large	Stuffed green olives
1 slice	Bacon

Source: Based on American Dietetic Association Exchange Lists