Exchange list: Sweets, desserts and other carbohydrates

Your diabetes diet can include sweets and desserts. Just remember the ground rules:

• You can substitute food choices from this list for other carbohydrate-containing foods, such as those from the starches, fruit or milk exchange lists.
• Eat sweets and desserts as part of your meal. When you eat sweets and desserts as part of your meal, your blood sugar won't rise as rapidly.
• Don't overdo it. Sweets and desserts often lack the vitamins and minerals found in fruits, milk products and other carbohydrates.
• Eat sugar-free or low-carb candy with caution. The sweetening agents in sugar-free or low-carb candy still contain calories and must be counted in your daily totals. These foods may be high in fat, too.

Here's a guide to common sweets, desserts and other carbohydrates. Remember to include the exchanges in these products as part of your daily allowance. It's also a good idea to talk to your dietitian about how to fit these foods into your meal plan.

Modified with permission from "Choose Your Foods: Exchange Lists for Diabetes," which is the basis of a meal planning system. © 2008 American Diabetes Association and American Dietetic Association. While designed primarily for people who have diabetes and others who must follow special diets, the exchange lists are based on principles of good nutrition that apply to everyone.