Carbohydrate Exchanges

Understanding carbohydrate exchanges gives you more flexibility in your meal choices whilst maintaining good blood sugar control.

One carbohydrate exchange contains 15g of carbohydrate. 

The following are some examples of what one carbohydrate exchange (15g carbohydrate) looks like: 

Rice & alternatives

• Rice - 2 heaped tablespoons or 1/4 rice bowl

• Noodles/pasta - 1/3 rice bowl

• Bread - 1 slice

• Plain crackers - 3 pieces

• Oatmeal/rolled oats - 2 tablespoons

• Cornflakes - 1/2 cup

• Chapati - 1/2 piece

• Iddly/plain thosai - 1 piece

• Naan - 1/3 piece

• Pau/bun - 1/2 whole

Starchy Vegetables

• Potato/sweet potato/yam - 1/2 medium

• Corn cob - 1 small

• Beans/peas/lentils - 1/2 cup

Fruit

• Whole fruits (e.g. apple, orange, pear, banana) - 1 small

• Cut fruits (e.g. watermelon, honeydew, papaya) - 1 wedge

• Small fruits (e.g. grapes, rambutan, berries) - About 6-8 or 1 fistful

• Unsweetened fruit juice - 1/2 cup

Dairy

• 1 cup of milk/unsweetened soy milk

• 1 small tub (180g) plain unsweetened yoghurt

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Food Label Reading

If you eat packaged foods, you can figure out how much carbohydrate is in your food from the “Nutrition Facts” label. The label is found on the outside of the container.

Understanding carbohydrate exchanges allows you to customize your meals according to your liking.

For example, if you’re allowed 3 carbohydrate exchanges for breakfast, you can choose to have 6 tablespoons of oats or 2 slices of bread with 1 piece of fruit. Both options would give you the same amount of carbohydrate.

Your health coach can advice you on the number of carbohydrate exchanges you need at each meal.