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Exchange list: Fats
By Mayo Clinic staffFats come in various types. Unsaturated fats — including monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats — are healthy if eaten in small amounts. But saturated fats and trans fats can increase your risk of heart disease.
No matter which type of fat you choose, one fat exchange equals 5 grams of fat and 45 calories. Fats in the amounts listed below equal one exchange. Remember to include any fats you use for cooking as part of your daily fat allowance.
| Type | Food | Serving size |
|---|---|---|
| Monounsaturated fats | ||
| Almonds | 6 | |
| Avocado | 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) | |
| Brazil nuts | 2 | |
| Cashews | 6 | |
| Filberts (hazelnuts) | 5 | |
| Macadamia nuts | 3 | |
| Nut butters, trans fat-free: almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) | 1 1/2 teaspoon | |
| Oil: canola, olive, peanut | 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) | |
| Olives, black | 8 large | |
| Olives, green with pimento | 10 large | |
| Peanuts | 10 | |
| Pecans | 4 halves | |
| Pistachios | 16 | |
| Polyunsaturated fats | ||
| Margarine, low-fat spread, 30 percent to 50 percent vegetable oil, trans fat-free | 1 tablespoon | |
| Margarine, trans fat-free: stick, tub, squeeze | 1 teaspoon | |
| Mayonnaise, reduced-fat | 1 tablespoon | |
| Mayonnaise, regular | 1 teaspoon | |
| Mayonnaise-style salad dressing, reduced-fat | 1 tablespoon | |
| Mayonnaise-style salad dressing, regular | 2 teaspoons | |
| Oil: corn, cottonseed, flaxseed, grape seed, safflower, soybean, sunflower | 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) | |
| Pine nuts | 1 tablespoon | |
| Salad dressing, reduced-fat | 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) | |
| Salad dressing, regular | 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) | |
| Seeds: flaxseed, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower | 1 tablespoon | |
| Tahini (sesame paste) | 2 teaspoons | |
| Walnuts | 4 halves | |
| Saturated fats | ||
| Bacon, cooked, regular or turkey | 1 slice | |
| Butter, reduced-fat | 1 tablespoon | |
| Butter, stick | 1 teaspoon | |
| Butter, whipped | 2 teaspoons | |
| Coconut, shredded | 2 tablespoons | |
| Cream: half-and-half, whipped | 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) | |
| Cream, heavy | 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) | |
| Cream, light | 1 1/2 tablespoons (23 milliliters) | |
| Cream cheese, reduced-fat | 1 1/2 tablespoons | |
| Cream cheese, regular | 1 tablespoon | |
| Oil: coconut, palm, palm kernel | 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) | |
| Shortening or lard | 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) | |
| Sour cream, reduced-fat | 3 tablespoons | |
| Sour cream, regular | 2 tablespoons | |
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.
As you consider the type and amount of fat in your diabetes diet, keep these guidelines in mind:
- All fats are high in calories, so limit serving sizes.
- Choose monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. Limit saturated fats and trans fats.
- Choose regular soft margarines that list liquid oil as the first ingredient, or choose reduced-calorie margarines made with liquid oil that list water as the first ingredient.
- Fat-free spreads and dressings may be lower in calories, especially if you limit your serving size. Check the labels of fat-free products to see how many calories they contain. If you're not sure how to use fat-free products in your meal plan, ask your dietitian.
