“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” — Virginia Woolf
I’m currently researching the Zone diet to learn more patterns and practices for health, fitness, and vitality.
This post is a list of the Top 100 Zone Foods.
This list is organized by carbohydrates, proteins, fats, spices and condiments.
Each item includes a note on what portion equates to a Zone Food Block.
After the list, I summarize important points about Zone Food Blocks.
Using Food to Improve How You Think and Feel
The main way to use the list is to become familiar with high-quality foods and the relative portions. This way you can make more effective food choices when you want to improve how you think and feel.
This list is based on the book, The Top 100 Zone Foods: The Zone Food Science Ranking System, by Dr. Barry Sears.
Zone Food Blocks
According to Dr. Sears, each Zone meal consists of Protein Blocks, Carbohydrate Blocks, and Fat Blocks:
- Protein Block. One Protein Block contains 7 grams of protein. The average male needs four Protein Blocks and the average woman needs three Protein blocks.
- Carbohydrate Block. One Carbohydrate Block contains 9 grams of carbohydrates. 3 Carbohydrate Blocks would contain 27 carbohydrates. 4 Carbohydrate Blocks would contain 36 carbohydrates.
- Fat Block. One Fat Block contains 3 grams of fat. 3 Fat Blocks would contain 9 grams of fat. 4 Fat Blocks would contain 12 grams of fat.
Keys to the Zone Blocks
The keys to the Zone Blocks:
- The number of Protein Blocks you need depends on whether you are a man or a woman.
- Eat the same number of Carbohydrate Blocks at every meal as Protein Blocks.
- Eat the same number of Fat Blocks at every meal as Protein Blocks.
The Average Woman Zone Food Blocks
According to Dr. Sears, a typical woman needs the following blocks for a Zone meal:
- 3 Protein Blocks. The average woman will need three Protein Blocks for each meal (21 grams of protein.) That translates into about 3 ounces of high-quality protein.
- 3 Carbohydrate Blocks. The average woman will need three Carbohydrate blocks for each meal (27 grams of carbohydrates.)
- 3 Fat Blocks. The average woman will need three Fat Blocks (9 grams of fat.)
A typical Zone meal for a woman would contain about 9 grams of fat, 21 grams of protein, and 27 grams of carbohydrates.
The Average Male Zone Food Blocks
According to Dr. Sears, a typical man needs the following blocks for a Zone meal:
- 4 Protein Blocks. The average man will need four Protein Blocks for each meal (28 grams of protein.) That translates into about 4 ounces of high-quality protein.
- 4 Carbohydrate Blocks. The average man will need four Carbohydrate Blocks for each meal (36 grams of carbohydrates.)
- 4 Fat Blocks. The average man will need four Fat Blocks for each meal (12 grams of fat.)
The typical Zone meal for a man would contain about 12 grams of fat, 28 grams of protein, and 36 grams of carbohydrates.
Alphabetical List of The Top 100 Zone Foods
According to Dr. Sears, here is an alphabetical list of the Top 100 Zone Foods:
Alfalfa Sprouts – Almonds – Apples – Apricots – Artichokes – Asparagus – Avocados – Barley – Basil – Beef Tenderloin (Well-trimmed) – Black Beans – Blackberries – Blueberries – Bok Choy – Broccoli – Brussels Sprouts – Cabbage – Canola Oil – Cashews – Cauliflower – Celery – Cherries – Chicken Breast (Skinless) – Chickpeas – Chili Peppers – Cinnamon – Cod – Cottage Cheese (Low-Fat) – Crabmeat – Cucumber – Curry – Eggplant – Egg Whites – Emu – Fennel – Garlic – Ginger – Grapefruit – Grapes – Green Beans – Haddock – Kale – Kidney Beans – Kiwi – Kohlrabi – Leeks – Lemons – Lentils – Lettuce – Lobster – Macadamia Nuts – Mackerel – Milk (Skim) – Miso – Mushrooms – Mustard Greens – Navy Beans – Nectarines – Oats (Slow-Cooked) – Okra – Olive Oil – Onions – Oranges – Parsley – Peaches – Peanuts – Pears – Plums – Pork Tenderloin – Protein Powder – Radishes – Raspberries – Red Bell Peppers – Salmon – Salsa – Sardines – Scallops – Sea Bass – Sesame Seeds – Shrimp – Soybeans (Boiled) – Soybean Hamburger Crumbles – Soybean Imitation Meat Products – Soy Cheese – Soy Milk – Spinach – Strawberries – Swiss Chard – Tangerines – Tempeh – Tofu – Tomatoes – Trout – Tuna – Turkey Breast (Skinless) – Turnip Greens – Wine – Yellow Squash – Yogurt – Zucchini
The Best Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats
The list is organized by carbohydrates, proteins, fats, spices and condiments. Each item includes a note on what portion equates to a Zone Food Block. After the list, I summarize important points about Zone Food Blocks. The main way to use the list is to become familiar with high-quality foods and the relative portions.
| Category | Top Items |
| Carbohydrates |
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| Proteins |
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| Fats |
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| Spices and Condiments |
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