The Zone Diet - What is it, how to Benefit?
The Zone Diet is developed by Barry Sears, a former researcher at MIT. It is one of the five most discussed diets currently being endorsed. By striking a balance between proteins and carbohydrates at each meal, the Zone diet tries to maintain insulin levels.
Normally the insulin level in your body increases with the intake of food.
Sears' diet is based on the suggestion that imbalance of insulin in the body is the major cause of obesity. He asserts that the currently by most medical institutions recommended diets are high in carbohydrates and low in fats - a combination which he argues leads to the production of too much insulin and finally results in obesity.
The basis of the Zone Diet is the concept of accomplishing a physiological state in which eicosanoids and insulin, two vital hormones, are maintained in carefully balanced zones. By keeping the balance of insulin and eicosanoids in line, an increase of fat loss is accomplished while at the same time the likelihood of diabetes and heart diseases is diminished. It's also said that it decreases inflammation and increases blood flow and your physical and mental stamina.
The Zone Diet program.
The regime of the Zone diet is configured to proportion your intake of carbohydrate and protein at 4 parts carbohydrate to 1 part protein. It further suggests a moderate intake of carbohydrates, proteins and fat in order to keep insulin-level in line.
It prescribes up to maximal 3-4 ounces of low-fat protein at one meal , which is very much like the recommendation of the FDA and the USDA. The bulk of carbohydrates on the Zone diet come from fruits and vegetables, with restricted amounts of grains, potatoes, rice and bread. The consumption of fat should be from monounsaturated fats like safflower oil, olive oil and other 'heart healthy' oils.
While it looks like this diet resembles the Atkins diet (restricting carbohydrates), the differences are very clear. Atkins advocates a diet high in protein without regard to fat, with the purpose of calling forth ketosis, a potentially unhealthy condition.
And high carbohydrate diets recommend increasing carbohydrate levels thus causing the production of insulin which, according to Sears, increases weight gain.
Alternatively, the Zone Diet recommends accomplishing an optimal balance of nutrients with moderate amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and fat all playing a part.
There's another worthy of note component in the Zone diet and that is the supplementation of diet with fish oil. It contains a very important component in healthy cells called omega 3 fatty acids. Study after study in the past five years has confirmed the importance of fish and omega 3 fatty acids in the diet.
A sample meal on The Zone's eating plan might include:
- 1/2 cup of brown rice
- spinach salad with apples and walnuts dressed with walnut oil and lemon juice
- 1 glass fruit or vegetable juice
- 1 3 oz portion of broiled salmon
The Zone diet recommended eating plan combines small portions of low fat proteins, fats and fiber-rich vegetables and fruits. It also suggests eating some protein with each meal or snack, and at least 3 meals and 2 snacks daily.
Who should use the Zone Diet?
As always, if you're under the care of a physician for any chronic medical condition, you should consult them before entering on any diet plan that considerably changes your eating habits. There are significant differences between the Zone Diet and that recommended for heart patients and diabetics, for instance. Overall, the recommended portions of foods and the balance between them is consistent with a healthy diet, and is maintainable for a lifetime.
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