Sample Menu
Here’s a typical day of meals on the Zone diet:
Breakfast
6-egg-white omelet mixed with asparagus and 2 tsp. of olive oil
2/3 cup slow-cooked oatmeal
1 cup strawberries
Lunch
Grilled chicken salad with 3 oz. of chicken breast, olive oil, and vinegar dressing
Fresh fruit
Snack
¼ cup low-fat cottage cheese
½ cup pineapple
1 tsp. slivered almonds
Dinner
5 oz. salmon with a tablespoon of almonds
2 cups steamed vegetables
Cup of mixed berries
Snack
1 oz. cheese
8 oz. red wine
Nutrition
Here’s a breakdown of the nutritional content of a typical day on the Zone diet, alongside recommendations from the government’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Diet figures were calculated by U.S. News using ESHA Food Processor software.
| Zone Diet | Recommended | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 1,092 | Women | Men |
|
21-25: 2,000 26-50: 1,800 51+: 1,600 |
21-40: 2,400 41-60: 2,200 61+: 2,000 |
||
| Total Fat | 33% | 20%-35% | |
| Saturated | 0.09% | Less than 10% | |
| Trans | 0% | N/A | |
| Total Carbohydrates | 42% | 45%-65% | |
|
Sugars (total except as noted) |
27% | N/A | |
| Fiber | 22 g. | Women | Men |
|
19-30: 28 g. 31-50: 25 g. 51+: 22 g. |
19-30: 34 g. 31-50: 31 g. 51+: 28 g. |
||
| Protein | 29% | 10%-35% | |
| Sodium | 1,346 mg. | Under 2,300 mg., under 1,500 mg. for 51+ | |
| Potassium | 2,353 mg. | At least 4,700 mg. | |
| Calcium | 558 mg. |
19-50: 1,000 mg. 51+: 1,200 mg. |
|
| Vitamin B-12 | 2.68 mcg. | 2.4 mcg. | |
| Vitamin D | 0.11 mcg. | 15 mcg. | |
Recommendations apply to adults 19 and older except as noted. Recommended calories assume a sedentary lifestyle. g.: grams. mg.: milligrams. mcg.: micrograms. Because of rounding, protein, fat, and carbohydrate content may not add up to 100 percent.
Last updated by Angela Haupt | January 02, 2013
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