Exchange list: Sweets, desserts and other carbohydrates

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

Eat sweets and desserts as part of your meal. Your body can't tell the difference between sugars and starches when you eat them as part of a mixed meal with protein, fats and other nutrients. 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 count 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.

Type	Food	Serving size	Count as
Beverages
	Energy drink	1 can (8.3 fluid ounces)	2 carbohydrates
	Hot chocolate, regular	1 envelope added to 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) water	1 carbohydrate plus 1 fat
	Hot chocolate, sugar-free or light	1 envelope added to 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) water	1 carbohydrate
	Lemonade	1 cup (8 fluid ounces)	2 carbohydrates
	Soda, regular	1 can (12 fluid ounces)	2 1/2 carbohydrates
	Sports drink	1 cup (8 fluid ounces)	1 carbohydrate
Brownies, cake and cookies
	Angel food cake, unfrosted	1/12 of cake (2 ounces)	2 carbohydrates
	Brownie, small, unfrosted	1 1/4-inch square, 7/8-inch thick (1 ounce)	1 carbohydrate plus 1 fat
	Cake, frosted	2-inch square (2 ounces)	2 carbohydrates plus 1 fat
	Cake, unfrosted	2-inch square (1 ounce)	1 carbohydrate plus 1 fat
	Chocolate chip cookies	2 (2 1/4 inches across)	1 carbohydrate plus 2 fats
	Cupcake, small, frosted	1 (1 3/4 ounces)	2 carbohydrates plus 1 to 1 1/2 fats
	Gingersnap cookies	3	1 carbohydrate
	Vanilla wafers	5	1 carbohydrate plus 1 fat
Pie and pudding
	Fruit pie, commercially prepared, two crusts	1/6 of 8-inch pie	3 carbohydrates plus 2 fats
	Pudding, regular, made with reduced-fat milk	1/2 cup (4 ounces)	2 carbohydrates
	Pudding, sugar-free or sugar- and fat-free, made with fat-free milk	1/2 cup (4 ounces)	1 carbohydrate
	Pumpkin pie	1/8 of 8-inch pie	1 1/2 carbohydrates plus 1 1/2 fat
Doughnuts, muffins and sweet breads
	Banana nut bread	1-inch slice (1 ounce)	2 carbohydrates plus 1 fat
	Cake doughnut, medium, plain	1 (1 1/2 ounces)	1 1/2 carbohydrates plus 2 fats
	Doughnut, glazed	1 (2 ounces)	2 carbohydrates plus 2 fats
	Muffin, large	1/4 (1 ounce)	1 carbohydrate plus 1/2 fat
	Sweet roll	1 (2 1/2 ounces)	2 1/2 carbohydrates plus 2 fats
Ice cream and other frozen desserts
	Frozen pops	1	1/2 carbohydrate
	Frozen yogurt, fat-free	1/3 cup	1 carbohydrate
	Frozen yogurt, regular	1/2 cup	1 carbohydrate plus 0-1 fat
	Fruit juice bar, 100 percent juice	1 (3 ounces)	1 carbohydrate
	Ice cream, fat-free	1/2 cup	1 1/2 carbohydrates
	Ice cream, light or no sugar added	1/2 cup	1 carbohydrate plus 1 fat
	Ice cream, regular	1/2 cup	1 carbohydrate plus 2 fats
	Sherbet, sorbet	1/2 cup	2 carbohydrates
Candy
	Candy bar, chocolate and peanut	2 "fun-size" bars (1 ounce)	1 1/2 carbohydrates plus 1 1/2 fats
	Chocolate "kisses"	5 pieces	1 carbohydrate plus 1 fat
	Hard candy	3 pieces	1 carbohydrate
Spreads and syrups
	Chocolate syrup	2 tablespoons (1 ounce)	2 carbohydrates
	Fruit spreads, 100 percent fruit	1 1/2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce)	1 carbohydrate
	Honey	1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce)	1 carbohydrate
	Jam or jelly, regular	1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce)	1 carbohydrate
	Pancake syrup, light	2 tablespoons (1 ounce)	1 carbohydrate
	Pancake syrup, regular	1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce)	1 carbohydrate

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.

Exchange list: Sweets, desserts and other carbohydrates

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