Diet therapy is the foundation of diabetes treatment. The Food Exchange Lists, featuring plenty of charts and color printing, are practical for thinking about one’s daily menu. The first edition was published in 1965 by the Japan Diabetes Society. The current 2002 version is the sixth edition. The Tables are designed according to four basic policies: (1) simple and easy to use; (2) usable by people with various eating habits and environments; (3) usable by people who dine out; and (4) useful for understanding the principles of eating right. The Tables define 80 kcal as a unit of energy. Users think about nutritional balance based on the indicated number of daily units. The Tables are organized so that users can correctly learn the basics of diet therapy for diabetes—that is, how many units should be eaten from which table.

Update: May 19, 2014