1. Definition of The Zone Diet
Barry Sears, Ph.D., authored "The Zone" in the 1990s, largely debunking the low-fat diet en vogue at that time and countering it with what is sometimes called "the caveman diet." The problem is not fat, per se, says Sears, but rather the consumption of processed carbohydrates--a departure from the foods that evolved with humans. Sears says this leads to an imbalance in the hormonal system.
2. The scientific basis of The Zone Diet
Sears is a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and based much of his dietary recommendation on eicosanoids, a family of hormones that act as on-off switches in regulating bodily functions. The balance or imbalance of "good" and "bad" eicosanoids spells good health or bad relative to heart disease, cancer, immune response and the neurological system, says Sears. Dietary fat is the only source of essential fatty acids that are the building blocks for eicosanoid production. Therefore, The Zone Diet promotes fat consumption in very specific proportions. The Zone fat-to-protein-to-carbohydrate ratios are 30:30:40.
3. The Zone Diet defies low-fat and vegetarian regimens
Relative to this 30:30:40 ratio, Sears says that severe restriction of intake of any of the macronutrients is in error. It is worth noting that at the time (1990s), low-fat product demand led to the development of many high-carbohydrate products that ultimately increased calorie consumption throughout the marketplace. Also, vegetarians have a hard time achieving the required levels of protein, argues Sears, a deviation from humans' evolutionary historical past.
4. Criticisms and credits
The Zone Diet is not recommended by the American Heart Association because it emphasizes high protein intake. Disturbingly, the book jacket warns "eating these carbohydrates could be dangerous to your health," after which a list including bananas, cranberries, carrots, lima beans and raisins is included. Still, Sears and The Zone are credited for leading dieters to consider different types of fats and how to distinguish between processed and unprocessed carbohydrates.
5. The typical Zone Diet day's meal plan
The Zone includes suggested meals. Breakfast could be a quesadilla (flour tortilla, low-fat cheese, ham and chopped onions, peppers and tomatoes), and lunch might feature a BLT sandwich (bacon, lettuce and tomato) on whole grain bread with low fat cheese and yogurt on the side with canned peaches for dessert. Dinner could be pork medallions with apples, a broiled salmon, stir-fried chicken or veal paprika with spinach.
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