Working with Exchange Groups

Another way to help devise a healthful diet involves a concept called exchange groups. In the nutrition exchange system, foods are divided into seven groups:

Serving sizes for individual foods within each group are strictly defined, and various health agencies publish lists of these serving sizes. Table 5.2 gives examples of serving sizes for common foods. (Note that, because these lists are intended for consumer use, most serving sizes are indicated by volume rather than by weight, so their accuracy is limited.) Table 5.3 lists how many calories and how much carbohydrate, protein, and fat is supplied by one serving from each of these groups.