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The Zone Diet Plan
How Does Zone Diet Work
Sample Meal
Zone Diet Recipes
The Zone Diet Vs Others
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The
body needs both protein and carbohydrates, although not in the way other diets
have taught. With The Zone, the majority of your carbohydrates will
come from fresh fruits and vegetables instead of bread, starches, pasta, and
grains. This does not mean the latter types of carbohydrates cannot be
enjoyed, but instead, consumed in moderation. Keep in mind that the amount
of insulin your body produces is determined by the amount of carbohydrates that
enter your bloodstream as sugar glucose. You will eat only enough
protein to meet your body’s requirements and since you will be consuming more
carbohydrates than protein, ketosis will never be a problem.
Proper Balance - Protein
And Carbohydrates
With The Zone, protein, carbohydrates, and fats are all managed in
blocks, which are designed specifically to help keep you on track with the foods
you consume. For example, the carbohydrate block consists of 9 grams being the
type of carbohydrates that would promote insulin. The number 9 was used
specifically since the body needs 9 grams of insulin-promoting carbohydrates to
balance the 7 grams of protein hormonally, which is how the protein block is
defined. Getting your carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables will provide
your body with a substantial amount of fiber and important levels of minerals
and vitamins.
A
glycemic index
table is also provided at this site as an important
reference. The higher the glycemic index of a specific carbohydrate, the
quicker it will enter the bloodstream as sugar. Generally, glucose is the only
simple sugar that can enter the bloodstream, and the faster it enters, the more
insulin the body produces. This means that carbohydrates with a high glycemic
index have more impact on the amount of insulin being secreted than
carbohydrates with a lower index.
Some fibers play a role in the glycemic index as well. With fiber, there are
two types, soluble and non-soluble. The soluble fiber actually slows the rate
in which carbohydrates enter the bloodstream. This type of fiber is the kind
you generally find in many breakfast cereals and apples. Non-soluble fiber is
found in cellulose and bran, which does not help to slow the entrance of
carbohydrates into the bloodstream. Another important consideration is how
carbohydrates are cooked. The longer they are cooked, the more the cell
structure breaks down, resulting in the carbohydrate being digested faster.
While carbohydrates are not good for anyone, some people are exceptionally
sensitive. To determine if you are extra sensitive to carbohydrates, pay
attention to how they affect your body. As a test, fix pasta for lunch and the
monitor how you feel 1 to 2 hours later. If you feel exhausted and you have
difficulty concentrating, then you are sensitive to carbohydrates. Remember
that no matter what you have been told before, you do not need to eat heavy,
frequent intakes of carbohydrates for your mind to be clear. In fact, when you
eat too much carbohydrate, your body will react by boosting the amount of
insulin secretion as a way of driving down the sugar in your blood. Instead,
your body needs a balance of carbohydrates, or a “zone.” This zone is what
helps maintain the amount of insulin being produced by helping you eat the right
kind and right amounts of carbohydrates – not too much and not too little. The
reason people are overweight is because the levels of insulin in the bloodstream
are increased – it is that simple!
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