The Lovely Exchange List

So far we have reviewed the plate method and looked at two sample days worth of food. Now we have a pretty general idea of how to make a healthy plate. But now that we've got that down, let's get a little more technical.  Ever wondered how dietitian's come up with meal plans? Or how on earth to assemble a balanced meal with whole foods, when we're so much more comfortable with prepackaged, nutritionally labeled, and therefore processed foods? Or been hearing bad things about foods that you used to think were wholesome, such as bananas, whole wheat bread, and cow's milk?

I'm going to let you in on a big secret: The Exchange Lists for Meal Planning. This is the go-to tool for dietitians when planning menus. It is the key to understanding what foods are made of, and the secret decoder for all diet plans out there. It will break you free of your dependence on nutrition labels. And most importantly, it will help you see way beyond mere calories to what your food really is.

Here it is in a nutshell:

Exchange Lists for Meal Planning

Foods grouped into 3 major categories based on the 3 major nutrients:

• Carbohydrates
• Protein (meat and meat substitutes)
• Fat

Food List	Carbohydrates	Protein (grams)	Fat (grams)	Calories
Carbohydrates
Starch: breads, cereals/ grains, starchy vegetables, crackers, and snacks, and beans, peas and lentils	15	0-3	0-1	80
Fruits	15	-	-	60
Milk
Fat-free, low fat, 1%	12	8	0-3	100
Reduced fat, 2%	12	8	5	120
Whole	12	8	8	160
Sweets, desserts, and other carbs	15	varies	varies	varies
Non-starchy Vegetables	5	2	-	25
Meat and Meat Substitutes
Lean	-	7	0-3	45
Medium-fat	-	7	4-7	75
High-fat	-	7	8+	100
Plant-based	-	7	varies	varies
Fats	-	-	5	45
Alcohol	varies	-	-	100

Now this may look like Greek to you. I get that. But I want you to take note of something: most foods are not made up of just one of these primary nutrients. Many whole foods are a blend of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. And each of these nutrients play essential roles in our health and well being. Something else to note in wake of the renewed popularity of "low carb" diets is that some of the foods listed as carbohydrates (whole grains, vegetables and fruits) just so happen to be the most nutritionally dense (translation: pack a nutrition punch).

Let's leave it at that for today. My next series of posts will expand on each of these food categories. I will cover specific food examples, serving sizes and equivalents. It's extremely helpful and very enlightening! It will give you dietitian goggles for sure.

On a side note, I recently started a new job and therefore have been a little neglectful of this blog as of late. But I vow from here on out to be an avid weekly contributor.

Thanks for reading!  Next up... starches!

Jessica