The Zone Diet Food Block Guide
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This guide explains how to use Zone food blocks to determine proper portion sizes of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats for meals, with recommended amounts differing for women and men. It provides examples of appropriate block combinations for meals and snacks, and encourages users to utilize a protein calculator for daily block requirements. The document also features lists categorizing various food options as best, fair, or poor choices based on their nutritional content.
The Zone Diet Food Block Guide
- 1. ZONE Food Blocks Here is a guide on Zone Food Blocks to help you choose the right amount of foods to keep you In the Zone. This list contains portioned amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats that will keep you In the Zone. From this list, most women should choose 3 blocks of protein, 3 blocks of carbohydrate, and 3 blocks of fat for each meal. Each selection in the Food Block list is one block. For example, one ounce of chicken equals one block, a woman should have 3 ounces of chicken. Most men should choose 4 blocks of protein, 4 blocks of carbohydrate, and 4 blocks of fat for each meal. Then choose 1 block of each for midafternoon and prebedtime snacks. See examples below. To find out how many blocks you need per day click here protein calculator this will tell you how many protein blocks you need per day, this number is also how many carbohydrate and fat blocks you need. If your calculated protein number is 15 blocks per day, then you will also need 15 carbohydrate and 15 fat blocks per day. Sample Lunch for Women: 3 protein blocks = 3oz. chicken 3 carbohydrate blocks = 3 cups asparagus 3 fat blocks = 1 tsp. olive oil Sample Snack: 1 protein block = 1oz. canned tuna in water 1 carbohydrate block = 2 cups celery 1 fat block = 1/3 tsp. olive oil Use this list as a reference, but realize that these numbers are not set in concrete. There is more information on Food Blocks in the books A Week in the Zone and Zone Meals in Seconds by Dr. Barry Sears. Protein Carbohydrates Most women should choose 3 blocks and men 4 blocks from the protein list per meal. (Each protein block below contains 7 grams of protein.) ................. Most women should choose 3 blocks and men 4 blocks from the carbohydrate list per meal. (Each carbohydrate block below contains 9 grams of carbohydrate.) Meat and Poultry Best Choices (low in saturated fat) Low Density Carbohydrates (Best Choices) Cooked Vegetables Beef (range fed or game) 1 oz. Artichoke 4 large Chicken breast, skinless 1 oz. Artichoke Hearts 1 cup Chicken breast, delistyle, 1 ½ oz. Asparagus (12 spears) 1 cup Ground beef (Less than 10% fat) 1 ½ oz. Beans, green or wax 1 ½ cups Lean Canadian Bacon 1 ½ oz. Beans, black 1/4 cup Turkey breast, skinless 1 oz. Bok choy 3 cups Turkey breast, delistyle. 1 ½ oz. Broccoli 3 cups Turkey, ground 1 ½ oz. Brussel sprouts 1 ½ cups
- 2. Turkey bacon 3 strips Cabbage 3 cups Fair Choices (moderate in saturated fat) Cauliflower 4 cups Beef (lean cuts) 1 oz. Chickpeas 1/4 cup Chicken, skinless, dark 1 oz. Collard greens 2 cups meat Corned beef, lean 1 oz. Eggplant 1 ½ cups Duck 1 ½ oz. Hummus 1/4 cup Ham, Iean 1 oz. Kale 2 cups Ham, delistyle 1 ½ oz. Kidney beans 1/4 cup Lamb, lean 1 oz. Leeks 1 cup Pork, lean 1 oz. Lentils 1/4 cup Pork Chop 1 oz. Mushrooms (boiled) 2 cups Turkey bacon 3 slices Onions, chopped (boiled) ½ cup Turkey, skinless, dark meat 1 oz. Okra, sliced 1 cup Veal 1 oz. Sauerkraut 1 cup Poor Choices (high in saturated Spaghetti squash 2 cups fat, Arachidonic Acid, or both) Bacon, pork 3 ½ slices Spinach 3 ½ cups Beef, fatty cuts* 1 oz. Swiss chard 2 ½ cups Beef, ground (>10% fat) 1 ½ oz. Turnip, mashed 1 ½ cups Hot dog, beef or pork 1 link Turnip greens 4 cups Hot dog, chicken or turkey 1 link Yellow squash 2 cups Pepperoni 1 oz. Zucchini 2 cups Salami 1 oz. Raw Vegetables Sausage, pork 2 links Alfalfa sprouts 10 cups Sausage, pork 2 patties Bamboo shoots 4 cups *Arachidonic Acid Bean sprouts 3 cups Broccoli 4 cups Fish and Seafood Cabbage. shredded 4 cups Bass (freshwater) 1 oz. Cauliflower pieces 4 cups Bass (sea) 1 ½ oz. Celery, sliced 2 cups Bluefish 1 ½ oz. Chick peas ¼ cup Calamari 1 ½ oz. Cucumber, sliced 4 cups Catfish 1 ½ oz. Endive, chopped 10 cups Cod 1 ½ oz. Escarole, chopped 10 cups Green or red peppers 2 Clams 1 ½ oz. Green or red peppers, chopped 2 cups Crabmeat 1 ½ oz. Jalapeño peppers 2 cups Haddock 1 ½ oz. Lettuce, iceberg 2 heads Halibut 1 ½ oz. Lettuce, romaine, chopped 10 cups Lobster 1 ½ oz. Mushrooms, chopped 4 cups Salmon* 1 ½ oz. Onions, chopped 1 ½ cup Sardines* 1 oz. Radishes, sliced 4 cups Scallops 1 ½ oz. Salsa ½ cup
- 3. Snapper 1 ½ oz. Snow peas 1 ½ cups Swordfish 1 ½ oz. Spinach 20 cups Shrimp 1 ½ oz. Spinach Salad (3 cups raw spinach, ½ raw onion, and 1 raw tomato) 1 Trout 1 ½ oz. Tomato 2 Tuna (steak) 1 oz. Tomato, cherry 2 cups Tuna, canned in water 1 oz. Tomato, chopped 1 ½ cups *Rich in EPA Tossed salad (3 cups shredded lettuce, ½ raw green pepper, and 1 raw tomato) 1 Eggs Water chestnuts 1/3 cup Best Choices Water cress 10 cups Egg whites 2 Fruits Egg substitute ¼ cup Apple ½ Fair Choices Applesauce (unsweetened) 1/3 cup Whole egg* 1 Apricots 3 *Arachidonic Acid Blackberries 3/4 cup ProteinRich Dairy Blueberries ½ cup Best Choices Boysenberries ½ cup Cheese, nonfat 1 oz. Cherries 8 Cottage cheese, lowfat ¼ cup Fruit cocktail (light) 1/3 cup Fair Choices Grapes ½ cup Cheese, lowfat 1 oz. Grapefruit ½ Mozzarella cheese, skim 1 oz. Kiwi 1 Ricotta cheese, skim 2 oz. Lemon 1 Poor Choices Lime 1 Hard cheeses 1 oz. Nectarine ½ Vegetarian (always check package labels) Orange ½ Protein powder 7 grams, 1/3 oz. Orange, Mandarin, canned in water 1/3 cup Soy burger ½ patty Peach 1 Soy Canadian bacon 3 slices Peaches, canned in water ½ cup Soy hotdog 1 link Pear ½ Soy hamburger crumbles ½ cup Plum 1 Soy sausage links 2 links Raspberries 1 cup Soy sausage 1 patty Strawberries 1 cup Tofu, firm or extra firm 2 oz. Tangerine 1 Mixed Protein Sources (Contain more carbohydrate, so read labels carefully) Grains (read labels) Soybeans, boiled ¼ block Barley (dry) ½ tbs. Soybean hamburger ¾ patty Oatmeal (slowcooking) (cooked)** 1/3 cup
- 4. Tofu, silken 5 oz. Oatmeal (slowcooking) (dry)** ½ oz. Tofu, soft 4 oz. **Contains GLA Mixed Protein / Carbohydrate (Contain 1 block protein and 1 block carbohydrate) High Density Carbohydrates (use in moderation) Cooked Vegetables Milk, lowfat (1%) 1 cup Acorn squash ½ cup Soy milk 8 oz. Beans, baked ¼ cup Soy Flour 10 grams Beans, refried ¼ cup Yogurt, plain ½ cup Beets, sliced ½ cup Tempeh 1 ½ oz. Butternut squash ½ cup Carrot 1 Fat Carrots, sliced 1 cup Most women should choose 3 blocks and men should choose 4 blocks from the fat list per meal. (Each fat block below contains 1.5 grams of fat.) Carrots, shredded 1 cup Corn ¼ cup Best Choices (rich in monounsaturated fat) French fries 5 Almond butter ½ tsp. Lima beans ¼ cup Almond oil 1/3 tsp. Parsnips 1/3 cup Almonds (slivered) Almonds (whole) 1 tsp. Peas ½ cup 3 Pinto beans ¼ cup Avocado 1 tbsp. Potato, baked ¼ cup Cashews 2 Potato, boiled 1/3 cup Guacamole 1 tbsp Potato, mashed ¼ cup Macadamia nut 1 Sweet potato, baked 1/3 cup Olives 3 Sweet potato, mashed ¼ cup Olive oil 1/3 tsp. Fruits Olive oil and vinegar dressing 1/3 tsp olive oil plus vinegar to taste Banana 1/3 Peanuts 6 Cantaloupe ¼ melon Peanut butter, natural ½ tsp. Cantaloupe, cubed ¾ cup Peanut oil 1/3 tsp. Cranberries ¾ cup Pistachios 3 Cranberry sauce 3 tsp Almond butter ½ tsp. Dates 2 Sesame oil 1/3 tsp. Fig 1 Tahini ½ tsp. Guava ½ cup Fair Choices (low in saturated fat) Honeydew melon, cubed 2/3 cup Canola oil 1/3 tsp. Kumquat 3
- 5. Mayonnaise, regular 1/3 tsp. Mango, sliced 1/3 cup Mayonnaise, light 1 tsp. Papaya, cubed ¾ cup Sesame oil ½ tsp. Pineapple, diced ½ cup Soybean oil 1/3 tsp. Prunes, dried 2 Walnuts, shelled and ½ tsp. Raisins 1 tbsp chopped Poor Choices (high in saturated fat) Watermelon, cubed ¾ cup Bacon bits, imitation 2 tsp. Butter 1/3 tsp. Fruit Juices Cream (half and half) ½ tbsp. Apple 1/3 cup Cream cheese 1 tsp. Apple cider 1/3 cup Cream cheese, light 2 tsp. Cranberry ¼ cup Lard 1/3 tsp. Fruit punch ¼ cup Sour cream ½ tbsp. Grape ¼ cup Sour cream, light 1 tbsp. Grapefruit 1/3 cup Vegetable shortening 1/3 tsp. Lemonade, unsweetened 1/3 cup Lime 1/3 cup Orange 1/3 cup Pineapple ¼ cup Tomato 1 cup V8 ¾ cup Grains, Cereals, and Breads Bagel, small ¼ Biscuit ½ Bread crumbs 1 oz. Bread, whole grain or white ½ slice Breadstick, hard 1 Breadstick, soft ½ Buckwheat, dry ½ oz. Bulgur wheat, dry ½ oz. Cereal, dry ½ oz. Cornbread 1inch square Cornstarch 4 tsp. Couscous, dry 1 oz. Cracker, graham 1 ½ squares Cracker, saltine 4 Cracker, Triscuit 3 Croissant, plain ¼ Crouton ½ oz. Doughnut, plain 1/3 English muffin ¼ Granola ½ oz. Grits, cooked 1/3 cup
- 6. Melba toast ½ oz. Millet, dry ½ oz. Muffin, blueberry, mini ½ Noodles, egg, cooked ¼ oz. Pancake, fourinch 1 Pasta, cooked ¼ cup Pita bread ½ pocket Popcorn, popped 2 cups Rice, brown, cooked 1/5 cup Rice, white, cooked 1/5 cup Rice cake 1 Roll, bulkie ¼ Roll, small dinner ½ Roll, hamburger ½ Taco shell 1 Tortilla, sixinch corn 1 Tortilla, eightinch flour ½ Waffle ½ Alcohol Beer, light 6 oz. or ½ bottle Beer, regular 4 oz. or 1/3 bottle Distilled spirits 1 oz. Wine 4 oz. Others Barbecue sauce 2 tbsp Cake 1/3 slice Candy bar ¼ Catsup 2 tbsp Cocktail sauce 2 tbsp Cookie, small 1 Honey ½ tbsp Ice cream, regular ¼ cup Ice cream, premium 1/6 cup Jam or jelly 2 tbsp Molasses, light ½ tsp Plum sauce 1 ½ tbsp Potato chips ½ oz. Pretzels ½ oz. Relish, pickle 4 tsp Sugar, brown 2 tsp Sugar, granulated 2 tsp
- 7. Sugar, confectionary 1 tbsp Syrup, maple 2 tsp Syrup, pancake 2 tsp Teriyaki sauce 1 tbsp Tortilla chips ½ oz.