The ZonePerfect Nutrition Company has continued to expand and is expected to sell in excess of one hundred million dollars worth of ZonePerfect foods this year. These include Zone diet bars, Zone diet meals, protein shakes and powders, supplements and fish oil capsules to be used as supplements. While these products are labeled as Zone Diet products, Dr. Sears does not agree that they are following the Zone Diet principles, and he is not endorsing several of the products.

In fact, Dr. Barry Sears is endorsing a new product called Smart Zone which is a meal supplement bar produced by Hersheys. There have been several lawsuits regarding the use of the Dr. Sears implied endorsement of ZonePerfect products. Dr. Sears is very clear that he does not endorse these products despite the fact that they use the ZonePerfect name.

What is the issue?

Dr. Barry Sears now operates a company called Zone Labs. They have the only Zone Diet products that Dr. Sears endorses at this time. The Hershey SmartZone bars will also carry Dr. Sears stamp of approval as soon as they are marketed.

The concern with the non-endorsed products is that while they appear to be the Zone products, they are not correctly chemically balanced to control insulin. Since the whole premise of the Zone Diet is to eat foods that will help your body control the hormones that produce and regular insulin it is very important that the chemical composition of the food is exactly correct.

Dr. Sears explains that a diet bar can be a prime example of how things can appear to be Zone foods but are not chemically balanced to work with the program. There are many nutrition bars that are composed of a 40/30/30 balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fat. The fat in Zone bars comes from a patented fish oil product that actually helps the body slow down the production of insulin and prevents hunger and cravings. Other bars marketed as Zone products have the 40/30/30 ratio but they use flaxseed or soybean oils that don't have the same chemical composition. This oil does nothing to help the body with insulin control and will result in hunger and cravings.

What does Dr. Sears endorse?

Currently Dr. Sears endorses his own line of supplements that include:

• OmegaRx® Fish Oil Concentrates that act to optimize heart, brain and immune system functions as well as help with the hormonal control of insulin production.
• Zone Bars and Shakes that are available for on-the-go meals and snacks. These bars and shakes follow the 40/30/30 ratio and have the added benefit of the omega fish oil for insulin control.
• Zone Ribose is another supplement that is used to increase energy and decrease muscle stiffness and fatigue after exercise.
• SeaHealth Plus is a liquid supplement that provides the vitamins and minerals found in 2-3 servings of fruit and vegetables. It is high in anti-oxidants that rid the body of free radicals.
• An additional line of supplements for body and skeletal health that includes cardio support, bone supplement, hepatic support for detoxification and Zone foundation and micro nutritional support.

The only meal that is endorsed by Dr. Sears as a Zone diet product is the new line of frozen dinners he has developed with Cedarlane, a producer of organic and natural frozen dinners. These Zone endorsed meals include pizza, omelets, enchiladas and burritos. They are designed to be cooked in a microwave and enjoyed.

Dr. Sears continues to develop more supplements and meals that fit into the Zone Diet. Be careful to check that the product you're buying does have Dr. Sear’s endorsement to ensure that you are truly staying in the Zone.

Martin Beans shows you how the Zone Diet works at http://www.enterthezonediet.com - a complete guide on the Zone diet where you'll learn how to calculate your daily intake of protein, fat and carbs and you'll find allowed food lists, Zone diet menus and tips that will ensure your success with the program.

The GI diet, based on the Glycemic Index, has recently become very popular, but the GI ranking system has been around since 1981. There have been several books published on the success of the GI diet, but is it really a diet or a lifestyle change?

The glycemic index

Dr. David Jenkins, from the University of Toronto in Canada, developed the glycemic index to measure the speed at which foods break down in the body to produce glucose. While originally intended to help diabetic patients control their glucose levels, it was soon used to help individuals trying to lose weight to control their eating habits and hunger. The key was to decrease the fast breakdown of foods into glucose. Glucose is the natural source of energy for the body. It produces a rush of energy when the food is broken down, and then when it is burned up, it leaves a feeling of hunger and fatigue.

Depending on how fast they elevate the blood sugar level after eating, foods are considered high, medium and low GI foods. Low GI foods rank less than 55 on the glycemic index scale, medium GI foods go from 55 to 70 and high GI foods rank higher than 70. High GI foods break down very quickly in the body and make you feel hungry again soon after consuming them. Low GI foods are slowly digested and absorbed so you feel fuller for a longer period of time after you eat.

High GI foods include:

• white flour products like white bread, croissants, doughnuts;
• heavily processed foods like corn chips, potato chips or pretzels;
• foods high in sugar like cookies, rice krispies, ice cream;
• high starch vegetables such as potatoes and parsnips;
• fruits high in sugar - watermelons, dates and other dried fruits.

Medium GI foods include:

• most types of pasta;
• rice;
• some fruits like mangos, apricots and raisins;
• some vegetables like baked beans.

Low GI foods include:

• most fruits and vegetables;
• legumes;
• cereals that are high in fibers but low on sugar;
• dairy products like low fat plain yogurt, whole, low fat or skimmed milk;
• whole grain breads.

The Low GI Diet

The low GI diet focuses on changing eating habits so that the majority of the foods consumed are from the low GI food group. These foods take longer to break down into glucose in the body. This does two basic things:

• Produces a more even level of glucose throughout the day to avoid those high glucose times followed by the low glucose slumps.
• Stops cravings and hunger from occurring as much.

When these two components combine, they allow the dieter to eat a balanced meal and not experience the "energy slumps". The whole grains and unprocessed foods take more time for the body to convert to glucose and keep the feeling of being full for longer. It also prevents those cravings which tend to cause overeating or consuming foods that are not on the eating plan.

However, the diet should not rely exclusively on the glycemic index as low GI foods aren't necessarily healthy. Foods should be chosen based on their overall nutritional value. The glycemic index is influenced by a sum of factors like: the nutrient content of the foods, the extent to which they are processed, the cooking method, food combination or ripeness in the case of fruits and vegetables.

Products that are high in fat have a low GI as they don't break down as easily as the ones high in carbs. That doesn't mean you should choose to eat high fat foods in order to stick to the index. As an example, whole milk is ranked lower than the fat free or low fat one.

The glycemic index doesn't rank foods that do not contain carbohydrates, like fresh meat, chicken, fish, eggs and cheese. However, it includes processed foods that include meat and diary products. For a healthy low GI diet you should choose lean or low-fat meats that have been trimmed of visible fat, skinless poultry, fish and low-fat dairy products, even though they aren't ranked.

The nutrient content is also very important. Between dates or watermelon and a bag of crisps the obvious choice is the fruit even though the watermelon is considered high GI because of the sugar content and the crips are considered low GI as they are high in fat and slow down the absorbtion process.

It is also important to remember that the glycemic index ranks invidual foods only, not whole meals. Depending on how the foods are combined, the overall GI value of the meal can change and cannot be measured accurately, but the main idea is that including low GI foods in your meal will result in lower GI value overall.

The low GI diet does not lead to rapid weight loss; rather it results in a steady and constant decrease in body weight. The individuals who use this plan find that they have more energy and therefore are more likely to exercise.

So is the low GI plan a diet or a lifestyle? Most experts agree that it is a diet plan that leads to changes and becomes a lifestyle. Eating low GI foods just makes good sense for weight control and maintenance, energy levels and healthy eating.

Jane Flinders reviews some of the most popular diets and diet aids at http://www.DietsIndex.com where you can find different diet plans, sample menus, food lists, diets classifications, tips and tricks on how to stay on the diet you choose.