The Zone Diet was introduced 1995 by Dr. Barry Sears in his book "Enter The Zone". The diet is based on the premise that balancing carbohydrate, protein and fat macronutrients at each meal improves glycemic control and helps you lose weight. Followers of the diet are allowed to eat as much food as they want at each meal as long as the meal is made up of 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat. The diet offers various breakfast suggestions that follow this macronutrient breakdown.
Zone Branded Breakfast Foods
You can purchase Zone branded and patented foods from the Zone Diet website. These foods are mainly carbohydrate-based and you can use them in combination with proteins and fats to create a balanced meal. Breakfast options available on the website include white, garlic and sesame bagels, white and multigrain rolls, original and peanut butter granola and cinnamon swirl bread.
Eggs and Egg Whites
Many of the breakfast suggestions on the Zone Diet website feature eggs or egg whites. One large egg contains 71 calories, 6 g of protein, 5 g of fat and 1 g of carbs. One large egg white contains only 16 calories and 4 g of protein with no fat or carbs. Zone breakfast recipes featuring eggs include cheese and egg sandwich, sausage egg and cheese sandwich, as well as scrambled eggs and various types of omelets and quiches.
Granola and Oatmeal
The main carb-based breakfast staples on the Zone Diet are oatmeal and granola. Because neither of these grains include the proteins needed for the ideal macronutrient breakdown, breakfast recipes often include the addition of protein powder and milk to bring up the protein and fat content. Breakfast cereal ideas include chocolate oatmeal made with chocolate protein powder, cold muesli made with protein powder and cottage cheese and vegetarian oatmeal made with Zone protein powder and soy milk.
Meat for Breakfast
Low-fat meat is a welcome addition to the Zone Diet breakfast because it has a high protein and moderate fat count. Because meat does not contain any carbohydrates, it is always paired with vegetables or grains to reach the desired macronutrient values. You can create your own breakfast burritos that include turkey bacon, cheese, vegetables and tortillas, as well as skillet hash made with cooked meat and vegetables. There are also many such recipes readily available that fit the Zone Diet nutritional requirements.
References
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; The Zone Diet Phenomenon: A Closer Look at the Science Behind the Claims; Samuel N. Cheuvront; Feb. 2003
- ZoneFast Weight Loss Program
- LIVESTRONG.COM MyPlate
- Zone Diet Free Recipes: Zone Diet Breakfast Recipes
- LoveToKnow Diet: Zone Diet Menu Plans
- Dr. Sears Zone Diet: ZoneFast Recipes
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