Food Exchanges
Food Exchanges—each portion is one exchange Proteins (exchanges include seafood, poultry, red meats, vegetarian options and dairy):
1 oz. chicken, turkey, fish/seafood (tuna, canned in water, haddock, cod, salmon, halibut, bass, catfish, crabmeat, shrimp, lobster, scallops), beef, pork, lamb, veal, Canadian bacon, 3 strips turkey bacon, l egg or ¼ cup egg substitute, 2 egg whites, ¼ cup (2 oz.) cooked beans/legumes, 2 oz. tofu, ½ soy patty, ½ cup (4 oz.) plain nonfat yogurt, ½ cup (4 oz.) low-fat or skim milk, ¼ cup (2 oz.) low-fat cottage cheese, l oz. hard cheese*
*Hard cheese is high in fat and is best avoided or eaten in very limited amounts.
Prepare proteins by roasting, stewing, grilling, baking or pan-frying in your allotment of olive oil or butter. Deep-fried fish, seafood or chicken is not an option for a food addict.
Grains (exchanges include cereals, hearty vegetables, rice, beans and legumes):
Whole-grain cereals: l oz. (measured dry, then cooked with water): Oatmeal, oat bran, grits, Cream of Rice, Cream of Buckwheat, Cream of Barley, Cream of Rye (Always check cereal labels for sugar, flour and wheat.)
Hearty vegetables/rice/beans/legumes: 1/3 cup (3 oz.) prepared rice (brown preferred) or ½ cup (4 oz.) baked, boiled or mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, acorn squash, butternut squash, spaghetti squash or cooked green peas, beets, pumpkin, corn (or l ear corn on the cob), lentils, chick peas, lima beans, kidney beans, navy beans (or any cooked dried beans)
AvoidFrench fries or chips of any kind and all wheat and flour products—even “healthy” choices like whole-grain bread and pasta, and note that most gravies, soups and sauces are thickened with flour. Therefore, these foods are considered taboo for a food addict.
(Men are allowed l ½ servings of grain/hearty vegetables for breakfast, lunch and dinner.)
Low-carbohydrate vegetables (Prepared in a salad, cooked or eaten raw):
Alfalfa sprouts, asparagus, beans (green or wax), Bok choy, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, collard greens, cucumber, eggplant, green or red peppers, kale, lettuce (all varieties), mushrooms, okra, onions, radishes, spinach, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, turnip greens, yellow squash (summer), zucchini (A cup of V8 juice or tomato juice can be substituted for a serving of vegetable.)
Fruits (fresh, frozen or canned in its own juice):
Small-medium sized apple, nectarine, orange, peach, pear, plum, tangerine (approximately 4-5 oz.), ½ cup applesauce, 3 apricots, 1 cup blackberries, ½ cup blueberries, ¼ cantaloupe, 8 cherries,* ½ grapefruit, ½ cup grapes,* 1 cup cubed honeydew melon, ½ cup fresh pineapple,* 1 cup raspberries, 1 cup sliced strawberries, l cup watermelon, ½ cup canned fruit in its own juice
*Cherries, grapes and pineapple have been known to set up cravings in some food addicts. Consider your options carefully and listen to your body when introducing these foods.
Note of caution when considering bananas and dried fruits: Bananas are high in sugar. It is best to avoid them; however, if a banana is “doctor recommended,” the portion size is l/2 banana or 2.5 oz.
Dried fruits are also high in sugar. Therefore they are not generally considered “safe” foods; however if prunes need to be incorporated into your plan of eating for health reasons, treat them like a prescription drug. Pray that God will protect you from the potentially harmful excess of natural sugar in this food choice.
Fats (l fat exchange contains approximately 5-7 grams of fat):
1 tablespoon regular sugar-free salad dressing (Newman’s Own Olive Oil and Vinegar is a recommended choice or 2 tablespoons of Newman’s Own Light Italian), ½ tablespoon olive oil, ½ tablespoon canola oil, ½ tablespoon butter, ½ tablespoon real mayonnaise, ½ tablespoon coconut oil, ½ tablespoon flax oil, 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds Condiments:
2 tablespoons mustard, 2 tablespoons sugar-free salsa per meal, vinegar
Beverages:
Wonderful, life-giving water (hot or cold) with optional wedge of lemon or lime, seltzer water, herb teas, decaffeinated black coffee and tea
1 oz. chicken, turkey, fish/seafood (tuna, canned in water, haddock, cod, salmon, halibut, bass, catfish, crabmeat, shrimp, lobster, scallops), beef, pork, lamb, veal, Canadian bacon, 3 strips turkey bacon, l egg or ¼ cup egg substitute, 2 egg whites, ¼ cup (2 oz.) cooked beans/legumes, 2 oz. tofu, ½ soy patty, ½ cup (4 oz.) plain nonfat yogurt, ½ cup (4 oz.) low-fat or skim milk, ¼ cup (2 oz.) low-fat cottage cheese, l oz. hard cheese*
*Hard cheese is high in fat and is best avoided or eaten in very limited amounts.
Prepare proteins by roasting, stewing, grilling, baking or pan-frying in your allotment of olive oil or butter. Deep-fried fish, seafood or chicken is not an option for a food addict.
Grains (exchanges include cereals, hearty vegetables, rice, beans and legumes):
Whole-grain cereals: l oz. (measured dry, then cooked with water): Oatmeal, oat bran, grits, Cream of Rice, Cream of Buckwheat, Cream of Barley, Cream of Rye (Always check cereal labels for sugar, flour and wheat.)
Hearty vegetables/rice/beans/legumes: 1/3 cup (3 oz.) prepared rice (brown preferred) or ½ cup (4 oz.) baked, boiled or mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, acorn squash, butternut squash, spaghetti squash or cooked green peas, beets, pumpkin, corn (or l ear corn on the cob), lentils, chick peas, lima beans, kidney beans, navy beans (or any cooked dried beans)
AvoidFrench fries or chips of any kind and all wheat and flour products—even “healthy” choices like whole-grain bread and pasta, and note that most gravies, soups and sauces are thickened with flour. Therefore, these foods are considered taboo for a food addict.
(Men are allowed l ½ servings of grain/hearty vegetables for breakfast, lunch and dinner.)
Low-carbohydrate vegetables (Prepared in a salad, cooked or eaten raw):
Alfalfa sprouts, asparagus, beans (green or wax), Bok choy, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, collard greens, cucumber, eggplant, green or red peppers, kale, lettuce (all varieties), mushrooms, okra, onions, radishes, spinach, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, turnip greens, yellow squash (summer), zucchini (A cup of V8 juice or tomato juice can be substituted for a serving of vegetable.)
Fruits (fresh, frozen or canned in its own juice):
Small-medium sized apple, nectarine, orange, peach, pear, plum, tangerine (approximately 4-5 oz.), ½ cup applesauce, 3 apricots, 1 cup blackberries, ½ cup blueberries, ¼ cantaloupe, 8 cherries,* ½ grapefruit, ½ cup grapes,* 1 cup cubed honeydew melon, ½ cup fresh pineapple,* 1 cup raspberries, 1 cup sliced strawberries, l cup watermelon, ½ cup canned fruit in its own juice
*Cherries, grapes and pineapple have been known to set up cravings in some food addicts. Consider your options carefully and listen to your body when introducing these foods.
Note of caution when considering bananas and dried fruits: Bananas are high in sugar. It is best to avoid them; however, if a banana is “doctor recommended,” the portion size is l/2 banana or 2.5 oz.
Dried fruits are also high in sugar. Therefore they are not generally considered “safe” foods; however if prunes need to be incorporated into your plan of eating for health reasons, treat them like a prescription drug. Pray that God will protect you from the potentially harmful excess of natural sugar in this food choice.
Fats (l fat exchange contains approximately 5-7 grams of fat):
1 tablespoon regular sugar-free salad dressing (Newman’s Own Olive Oil and Vinegar is a recommended choice or 2 tablespoons of Newman’s Own Light Italian), ½ tablespoon olive oil, ½ tablespoon canola oil, ½ tablespoon butter, ½ tablespoon real mayonnaise, ½ tablespoon coconut oil, ½ tablespoon flax oil, 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds Condiments:
2 tablespoons mustard, 2 tablespoons sugar-free salsa per meal, vinegar
Beverages:
Wonderful, life-giving water (hot or cold) with optional wedge of lemon or lime, seltzer water, herb teas, decaffeinated black coffee and tea
