Food Exchange

List Guide
 Bread and Starch Group
One serving equals 15 g carbohydrate, 0-1 g fat,
80 calories.

Food Serving size

Hamburger Bun 1/2

Plain Roll (medium) 1/2
Toast 1
Arabic Bread (small) 1/2
Oats 1/2 cup
Pasta 1/3 cup
Rice (white or Brown) 1/3 cup
Spaghetti 1/3 cup
Noodles 1/3 cup
Corn Flakes 1/2 cup
Bran Cereals 1/2 cup
Pop Corn without oil 3 cups
Croissant 1/2
Reqaq (30 g) 1
Pancake, Waffle, 4 inch 1
Chapatti 1
Bread Sticks ( 4 inch long) 1
 Starchy Vegetables Group
One serving equals 15 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams
of protein, 0-1 gram of fat, 80 calories.
* One serving equals 15 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of
protein, 0-1 grams of fat, 125 calories.

Food Serving size

Peas (green) ½ cup

Potato (small) 1
Potato (mashed) ½ cup
Sweet Potato (small) 1
Lentil* ½ cup
Legumes* ½ cup
Corn ½ cup
Most types of beans* 1/3 cup
Beaked Beans 1/3 cup
 Fruits Group
One fruit equals to 15 grams of carbohydrates and 60 calories.

Food Serving size

Apple, Pear, Orange, Kiwi (small) 1

Apricot 4
Dried Apricot 8 halves
Banana (big) ½
Cantaloupe 1 cup cubes
Cherries 12
Dates 3
Figs (Fresh) 2 medium
Figs (dried) ½ cup
Grapefruit (large) ½ piece
Mango (small) ½ piece
Papaya 1 cup cubes
Peach (Medium) 1
Watermelon 1 ¼ cup
Pineapple (fresh) ¾ cup cubes
Grapes (small) 17
Plums (small) 2
 Fruits Group
One fruit equals to 15 grams of carbohydrates and 60 calories.

Food Serving size

Raisins 2 tsp
Orange/Apple/Pineapple Juice ½ cup
Fruit Salad ½ cup
Mango (small) ½
Strawberries 1 ¼ cup
Pear (large) ½
 Milk and its alternatives
Fat-free Milk: one serving equals (0-3 g Fat and
90 Calories per serving) 12 grams of carbohydrates and
8 grams of protein.

Food Serving size

Fat-free Milk 1/2 % 1 cup

Evaporated Fat-free Milk ½ cup
Fat-Free Dry Milk 1/3 cup
Plain Fat-free Yoghurt ¾ cup
Soy milk (low fat or fat free) 1 cup
Low-fat butter milk with calcium 1 cup

Reduced-fat milk one serving equals (5grams of fat and

120 calories per serving) 12 grams of carbohydrates
and 8 grams of protein.

Food Serving size

Fat 2% Milk 1 cup

Plain Yoghurt (low fat) ¾ cup
Soy Milk with Calcium 1 cup
 Milk and its alternatives
Whole Milk one serving equals (8 grams of fat and 150
calories per serving) 12 grams of carbohydrates and 8
grams protein.

Food Serving size

Whole Milk 1 cup

Evaporated whole milk ½ cup
Plain Yoghurt 1 cup
Goat's Milk 1 cup
 Other food alternatives

Food Serving size Carbohydrates Calories

Harees 1 Serving Spoon 10.5 76

Makboos Chicken 1 Serving Spoon 20 175
+ Piece of Chicken

Thareed 3 Serving Spoon 24 214

Luqimat 6-7 Pieces 44 275
Biryani 2 serving Spoon 50 384
Creme Caramel 1 cup 24 132
Falafel 1 pieces 3 120
Manakeesh 1/4 Loaf 10 120
Donut 1 small 15 124
Markoka Chicken 1 cup 45 300
Balaleet 100 g 50.4 540
cheese Konafa 1 piece 29.9 356
Ketchup tbsp. 4 15
Mayonnaise tbsp. 0 90-100
Balaleet 6-7 table spoon 44 275
Rice with Shrimps 1 serving spoon 20 192
Jelly 1/2 cup 6.19 83
Gareesh with 1 cup 45 300
Shrimps
 Meat and its substitutes
Very lean fat: one serving equals 0 g carbohydrate,
7 g protein, 0-1 g fat, 35 calories.

Very Lean Fat

Food Serving size

Chicken (no skin) 30 g

Fish (fresh or frozen cod, smoked 30 g
salmon, tuna fresh or canned in
water
Shellfish (clams, crab, lobster, 30 g
shrimps, scallops)
Cottage cheese (nonfat or low 1/4 cup
fat)
Fat free cheese 30 g
Egg whites 2
* Beans 1/2 cup

*Beans counted as an alternative to meat and starches.

 Meat and its substitutes
Low fat group: one serving equals 0 g carbohydrate, 7 g
protein, 3 g fat, and 55 calories.

Low Fat

Food Serving size

Beef (round, Sirloin and flank steak) 30 g

Oysters 6 medium
Sardines 30 g
Poultry (turkey (dark meat, no skin), 30 g
chicken with skin.
Lamb (leg, chop, roast) 30 g
Veal (lean, chop, roast) 30 g
Fish (salmon, and tuna canned in oil) 30 g
Cheese with 3 grams of fat 30 g
4.5% fat cottage cheese 1/4 cup
Grated parmesan 2 tbsp.
Liver, Heart 30 g
 Meat and its substitutes
Medium fat group: one serving equals 0 g carbohydrate,
7 g protein, 5 g fat, 75 calories.

Medium Fat

Food Serving size

Beef (ground beef, meatloaf, corned 30 g

beef short ribs, prime grades of
meat)
Lamb (rib roast, ground) 30 g
Veal (cutlet, ground of cubed, un 30 g
breaded)
Poultry (ground turkey or chicken, 30 g
fried (with skin))
Fish (any fried fish product) 30 g
Cheese (with 5 g or less fat) such as 30 g
Feta cheese
Mozzarella 30 g
Ricotta 60 g
Egg 1
 Meat and its substitutes
One serving equals 0 g carbohydrate, 7 g protein, 8 g fat,
100 calories

High Fat

Food Serving size

Cheese (all regular cheeses, such as 30 gm

American, cheddar, Monterey jack,
Swiss)

Nut Butter (almond, cashew, peanut, 1 tbsp.

and soy nut) – contain unsaturated
fat
 Vegetable group
One serving equals 5 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 0 g fat, 25
calories.

Non-Starchy Vegetable

Food Serving size

Cooked Vegetable 1/2 cup

Fresh Vegetable 1 cup
Broccoli 1 cup
Cabbage 1 cup
Carrot 1 cup
Cauliflower 1 cup
Tomato 1 cup
Okra 1/2 cup
Spinach 1 cup
 Other carbohydrates
One serving equals 15 g carbohydrate, or starch, or one
fruit or one milk.

Food Serving size

Jam 1 tbsp.
Honey 1 tbsp.
Sugar 1 tbsp.
Crackers 3
Digestive Biscuits 1½
Ice Cream ½ cup
(Fat Free, No Sugar Added)
 The common house
measurement units
A small amount of uncooked starch will become a much more considerable
amount of cooked food. The following table shows some of the changes.

Food ‫ﻏﻴﺮ ﻣﻄﺒﻮخ‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺒﻮخ‬

Oatmeal 3 tbsp. ½ cup

Rice 2 tbsp. 1/3 cup
Spaghetti ¼ cup ½ cup
Noodles 1/3 cup ½ cup
Macaroni ¼ cup ½ cup
Dried Beans ¼ cup ½ cup
Dried Peas ¼ cup ½ cup
Lentil 3 tbsp. ½ cup

Common Measurements
3 tsp = 1 tbsp.
4 tbsp. = ¼ cup
5 tbsp. = 1/3 cup
1 ounce (oz.) = 28.35 gm
4 ounce = 1/2 cup
8 ounce (oz.) = 1 cup
1 cup = 240ml