The Zone Diet

Created by Dr. Barry Sears, PhD, the Zone Diet is also called the 40-30-30 plan (40% carbohydrate, 30% protein, and 30% fat).  Supposedly, this ratio helps control the amount of insulin in the bloodstream—insulin being the culprit behind fat storage and the inflammation associated with obesity and heart disease. Again, its claims all boil down to metabolism: supposedly once you manage insulin, you burn excess body fat.

Unlike the Atkins Diet, The Zone doesn’t ban a food group; rather, it restricts food types. Grains, starches, pastas are a definite no-no, although you can take carbs from fruits and vegetables. Monounsaturated fats (olive oil, almonds, and avocados) win over hamburgers any day, and protein is encouraged.   

One of the more interesting theories pushed by the Zone Diet is that the human body was never designed to handle grains and starches. Long before we invented the nifty little thing called the oven, we were meat eaters and fruit gatherers—and Sears argues that our digestive systems never got used to the pasta, rice, breads and potatoes that later crept onto our tables. Because of this, the Zone Diet has an unusually high protein content.  

 The Zone Diet has gotten a lot of publicity from Madonna, Demi Moore and Jennifer Aniston, but health experts are undecided on whether or not it works, or even if it’s safe. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) consider it a “fad”, the AHA (American Heart Association) outright issued a warning against it because it restricted the intake of essential vitamins and minerals. The protein ratio is considered high, and its basic premise—the role of insulin in controlling weight—has yet to be proved.