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Sue 
Posts:4175
Zoner
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| 07/03/2008 2:36 PM |
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To cici:
I just finished making my Zone Pasta and tuna salad for tomorrow. I made it early so it would chill thoroughly and the flavors could mix together. Tomorrow I plan to freshen it up by tossing in a little of the dressing that I reserved.
The salad contains about 40-42 P blocks, it's made so that a 3 block meal would be 3P, 2 1/2 C, 4 or 5 F, and it's delicious! I used approximately the following: 2 1/2 packages of Zone Fusilli, a few cans of tuna (drained), 3 large green peppers, 5 or 6 stalks of celery, 1/2 a red onion (minced finely), a dressing of: approx. 100 blocks of Zone Olive Oil (the pasta's fat free), the juice of 4 lemons, white wine vinegar, onion powder, grey sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper.
I just ate a block of it for my snack! :)
Have a great 4th! |
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sue
lost 100 lbs 13 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil!
for more photos, scroll over this photo and click when the link appears
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Cici 
Posts:49
Aspiring
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| 07/03/2008 2:57 PM |
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It sounds wonderful, Sue! I'll bet it gets gobbled up right away.
Thanks for posting your recipe. I saved it so I can try it out when my pasta arrives.
Happy 4th to you!
:)
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Cici |
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Sue
Posts:4175
Zoner
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| 07/03/2008 6:40 PM |
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Thanks cici!
Love those flowers! |
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sue
lost 100 lbs 13 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil!
for more photos, scroll over this photo and click when the link appears
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Cranberrycat
Posts:1994
Zoner
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| 07/03/2008 11:57 PM |
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Sue,
So, what percentage of the carbs are actually coming from the pasta?
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Cranberrycat
We don't own the earth; we borrow it from our children.
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Cranberrycat
Posts:1994
Zoner
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| 07/06/2008 8:39 PM |
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Sue,
I am assuming that you probably missed my question, so I thought I would post it again so that hopefully you will see it.
The question was, "what percentage of the carbs are actually coming from the pasta?"
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Cranberrycat
We don't own the earth; we borrow it from our children.
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Jan
Posts:44
Aspiring
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| 07/06/2008 11:03 PM |
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| Hi Aussie Jan here, Has anyone tried making their own pasta with soy flour? I have just moved so I haven't unpacked all my boxes yet so as soon as I find my pasta maker I will give it a try and let you know how it turned out. I have just compared the Zone pasta with pasta available from the supermarket and the carb content is about half so I can't use that unless we go hungry LOL. : ) |
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Love Aussie Jan
Stay healthy keep happy |
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Cranberrycat
Posts:1994
Zoner
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| 07/13/2008 9:58 PM |
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Hi, Aussie Jan!
I have never heard of anyone making their own pasta from soy flour. You will definitely have to let us know how that comes out!
Speaking of pasta from the supermarket, have you seen Dreamfields pasta? I think that you may find the carb content to be lower in that pasta, than in other brands of pasta. And, I think it is probably cheaper than buying the zone pasta online. They make some claims about the fact that there are only 5 grams of net carbs in their pasta, but I don't see how the math works on that claim. But, either way, I think you could work it into your meal. And, there is more flexibility with recipes from Dreamfield pasta; since there is no added protein, you can add your own protein to it. I like a hearty meat sauce with my pasta, and if I were using the Zone pasta, I would not be able to do that.
However, either way you look at it, pasta is still an unfavorable food item in the Zone (even the Zone pasta is made from wheat, which is unfavorable). So, those who choose to eat pasta would need to work it into their lifestyle using the Zone guidelines, in order to stay in the Zone. |
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Cranberrycat
We don't own the earth; we borrow it from our children.
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Leroy
Posts:8
Newbie
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| 07/13/2008 10:13 PM |
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| I have Zone pasta for 4 to 5 meals a week, but now your saying it is unfavorable wonderful. I also have the Zone cereal most every morning don't tell me that is unfavorable too :O |
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Sue
Posts:4175
Zoner
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| 07/14/2008 8:01 AM |
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Hi Leroy,
I don't think Zone pasta is considered unfavorable for the Zone. If it were, I doubt Zone Labs would be promoting it to be eaten as a 3 block meal. It works well for me, but I don't eat it as often as you do. I have some about once every week to week and a half lately, and usually include other foods in the meal with it. If anyone wants to know for sure, I'd suggest they call Zone Labs and ask.
I'm a very carb sensitive individual with a usual meal balance of 3P, 2C, 4 to 6 F. I've never had a problem staying in the Zone after eating it, and my most recent fasting insulin test result, done about a month ago, was 3, the best It's ever been! I'm assuming it has a lower GL, which makes it OK for the Zone. Any food's ingredients alone are not the only consideration that determines whether a food will keep you in the Zone. The GL is of extreme importance. The quality, specific variety, and forumlation of the ingredietns can make a big difference in whether or not you will be able to maintain insulin levels in the Zone when eating the product. Zone Cereal has a relatively low GL (I think it's 22, but look on the box to know for sure), which sets it apart form other cereals in regard to being Zone friendly. There's no need to hesitate to eat either product.
Everyone is their own best resource on what keeps them in the Zone. Judge whether a food works for you based on how you feel, and on your overall personal results.
Enjoy! |
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sue
lost 100 lbs 13 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil!
for more photos, scroll over this photo and click when the link appears
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Leroy
Posts:8
Newbie
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| 07/14/2008 4:47 PM |
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I tend to agree with you Sue, I too am very sensitive to carbs and the pasta doesn't seem to spike my insulin. Plus I have lost 30 pounds so far. I have the Zone pasta and add some protein plus add 3 blocks of carbs and 5 blocks of almonds or zone EVOO completing my 5 block zone meal. I don't plan on changing because it tastes good. I love the cereal as a meal or just a quick dry snack.
I am fighting with my Dr. he of course wants me on BP meds I say wait till I get my weight down. I told him I am on the Zone diet, and his response was "whats that" grrrr. I am hoping my BP will come down as I shed the weight and stay in the zone. Then I can do a "I told you so" to my Dr. who just wants to treat a symptom. I have a long way to go, but I am confident that the Zone diet can get me to where I need to be.
I was 360lbs and last time I weighed myself I was at 330 yeah. My endurance is getting better, and clothes are getting loose how great is that. |
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Sue
Posts:4175
Zoner
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| 07/14/2008 5:12 PM |
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Congrats on your progress Leroy! That's great!
In case you aren't aware, taking an ulrtra-refined fish oil concentrate (Omega Rx or Eico Rx) in the dose to meet your individual need will quickly help to lower and normalize blood pressure. You'll have the full effect of your fish oil dose after 4 weeks on the dose. Fish oil is a vasodilator. It's amazing stuff. After 2 weeks takign Zone labs fish oil I was off the 2 BP meds I'd been takign for years. That was in 2001 and I haven't needed any since. In fact fish oil has resulted in better BP readings for me than I ever had on the 2 meds together (an ACE inhibitor plus a beta blocker)! |
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sue
lost 100 lbs 13 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil!
for more photos, scroll over this photo and click when the link appears
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tamsyn
Posts:3
Newbie
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| 07/14/2008 6:10 PM |
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If anyone is looking for another good pasta substitute, consider Shiritake Noodles. These are made from Konjac flour -- a wild yam, and may also have some soy in them. The Japanese have been using Konjac for centuries...
An entire bag of Shiritake Noodles contains something like 3 or 6 grams of carbs. They have become more widely available in grocery stores over the past few years ... Whole Foods definitely carries them, but out here in Columbia, MO, I am far away from a WF, and I can get them at HyVee Grocery (for those with a HyVee chain nearby) and my local organic store. In my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA, the Giant Eagle stores carry them as well (at least the ones we shop at).
You can get them in Spaghetti, Fettuccine, or Linguine. They are a bit floppier in texture than regular pasta, but I still personally enjoy them very much -- and it's easy to use them to create Zone meals that are more advanced-Zone (meaning, meals that have moved on to the more ideal sorts of low-glycemic foods Barry Sears suggests we all progress to once we've mastered the Basic Zone). I use them in everything from Asian-style soups to veggie ratatouilles to more traditional pasta meals harkening back to my former (Zone-ignorant) days when I used to eat pasta regularly. It's a good alternative, similar to spaghetti squash.
RE the discussion about whether Zone Pasta is a good choice -- yes, it is probably reasonable to use in extreme moderation, or for times when you feel like having a more traditional pasta meal.
But, keep in mind that Barry Sears is trying to make the Zone Diet as accessible as possible to as many people as possible -- many of whom are very loathe to give up the foods they have grown up with or enjoy. Pasta is one of those staple foods that has a grip on the American diet, and people can be very sensitive about giving up something so personal and quintessential to us as the foods we eat daily.
My best friend, whom I love dearly, is a pasta addict -- and no matter how much I have tried to talk to her about Zone principles, she refuses to accept them, because it would mean having to reduce how much pasta she eats, and the sorts of traditional ingredients she uses... It shows in her degrading health, increased weight and appearance... She is my age (mid-20s), and I have seen her get onto a bad track that will probably follow her through life as she ages....
There are many people like her out in the U.S. and world, and in order to reach out to them, Barry Sears has created products that may help to bring skeptics like my friend into the Zone way of life... The Zone Pasta is one such product. This is a fine start towards creating a Zone lifestyle -- but keep in mind that it is just a start. In Barry Sears' book "Mastering the Zone" he tries to teach about moving beyond these poor carb choices, or using them sparingly at most, and increasing the benefits of the Zone significantly more by eventually migrating to ideal food choices....
This doesn't mean never eat pasta ... or potatoes, or rice, or pancakes, or whatever ..... But that one see them as more of a specialty food, rather than a more regular staple of one's diet. It is very true that everyone's body will have different tolerance levels and insulin sensitivity....
But, scientifically speaking, pasta is a very high-glycemic food, and that includes Zone Pasta, regardless of special formulations to slow stimulation of insulin.... My brother was among the first generation of Zoners, back when nobody had heard of the Zone, Barry Sears was still seen as a radical in the nutrition world and the Zone Diet was summarily dismissed by the establishment. My brother was a serious athlete in training for hockey, minor league in Canada, and he has personally spoken with Barry about many of these questions.... (my brother is how I have learned much of what I know today about the Zone).
Especially for those trying to lose weight or deal with a health problem, pasta should be close to last on the list of foods. To maximize the speed and effectiveness of the Zone, quickly moving to the more advanced Zone, consisting primarily of low-density carbs like veggies, fruits and low-fat proteins and fats is really the way to go .... The bulk of our diet should ideally derive from low-density veggies and fruits as our carb source. We can all try to zone a meal consisting of french fries or a baked potato or some other less-desirable Zone food -- but that's really at the more basic, initial level of Zone living.
It may be interesting or helpful to see how Barry Sears is doing working with Manuel Uribe.... I doubt that pasta is one of the staple foods of that diet.
Just some food for thought! :) (no pun intended...).
tamsyn
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Leroy
Posts:8
Newbie
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| 07/14/2008 10:07 PM |
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| Thanks Sue I like the encouragement, and I have been taking Zone fish oil caps since I started. I just switched to Eico Rx, and have been taking 6 caps a day (2 per meal) but I have only seen a small change in my BP (for the good) Maybe I need to up the dosage. |
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Leroy
Posts:8
Newbie
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| 07/14/2008 10:31 PM |
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| Thanks for the 411 Tamsyn first time I have heard about this product. There is a lot of info on the web about it and claims of it lowering cholesterol, and cleaning the digestive tract. Some of the users say it has a fishy smell and to boil it to get rid of the smell. The noodles are actually tubers which isn't good or bad I don't think. A few people on the Atkins bulletin board claimed the product made them sick possibly a allergy. I wonder what Dr. Sears has to say about Shiritake Noodles? There also is aTofu Shirataki Noodle which is suppose to take the rubbery texture out and add some protein and carbs. They might be worth a try. |
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Sue
Posts:4175
Zoner
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| 07/15/2008 11:28 AM |
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[quote]Posted By tamsyn on 07/14/2008 6:10 PM
But, scientifically speaking, pasta is a very high-glycemic food, and that includes Zone Pasta, regardless of special formulations to slow stimulation of insulin....
[/quote]
Hi tamsyn!
Not trying to put you on the spot, but just curious. Do you have actual GI and GL info on Zone Pasta, or are you making an assumption that it "is a very high-glycemic food"? If you have such info it might be helpful to some of the forum members who have questions in regard to Zone Pasta. :)
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sue
lost 100 lbs 13 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil!
for more photos, scroll over this photo and click when the link appears
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tamsyn
Posts:3
Newbie
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| 07/15/2008 1:17 PM |
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Hi Sue,
To answer your question, no, I don't have actual GI or GL information, but am just going off of the ingredients listed and the nutritional information. Here are the ingredients listed on one of the Zone Pasta boxes on the website here:
Ingredients: Durum wheat semolina, pea protein isolate, soy protein, high amylose maize starch, and egg white.
The serving size is about 2 ounces, and the carbs are 27 (minus 5 fiber), to 22 protein. So, on overall nutrient balance, it's a zoned product. But, regardless of formulations (which could lower the actual glycemic index compared to a normal non-Zone pasta), grains are high glycemic foods. Eating potato salad or tropical fruits of some sort (such as mangoes, papaya, starfruit, etc). could be a comparable example -- you can zone a meal involving these foods, but no matter how well you zone it, these foods are still higher glycemic than more optimal choices, such as berries, apples, and lower-density vegetables.
As one other poster mentioned, there's also the limitation in the Zone Pasta of the high protein content, which may put those who are less familiar with Zone portioning, more at risk of over-doing the protein in their total meal, if they decide to add other proteins (e.g., chicken, tuna, etc) -- and too much protein at any given meal will also throw you out of the Zone.
You'd also have to make sure not to go over the serving size, or else you'd be eating too many blocks at a meal, and because pastas are high-density carbs, you have to eat smaller amounts.
My brother may have more specific information about GI / GL of pastas, durum wheat products, etc.... He's done extensive scientific research on nutrition, health, and other food science issues. I do not have his scientific level of knowledge, so have only formed most of my opinions and knowledge base about the Zone and a lot dietary questions from his advice (and cooking skills! .... he lived with me when I was in school and regularly cooked for me ... that was *very* handy, esp. during busy projects or late night studying!).
Kind regards,
tamsyn |
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Sue
Posts:4175
Zoner
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| 07/15/2008 2:36 PM |
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To tamsyn:
Thanks tamsyn!
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To Everyone:
We can't know how much or how fast Zone Pasta stimulates blood sugar without GI and GL info specific to the product itself.
Regarding the points tamsyn addressed about portion sizes and balancing P and C in a Zone meal, that applies to any foods. The fact that Zone Pasta contains balanced amounts of P and C can also be considered a plus. I don't think it detracts from the product.
Zone Pasta is fine for those who choose to include it in the Zone diet, even when eaten 3 blocks at a time, as suggested by Zone Labs. |
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sue
lost 100 lbs 13 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil!
for more photos, scroll over this photo and click when the link appears
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Cranberrycat
Posts:1994
Zoner
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| 07/16/2008 6:13 PM |
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Hello, Sue,
I would love for you to share with me why you feel that the zone pasta is NOT unfavorable?
What are the ingredients on the label? What is it that "magically" turns the duram seminola wheat into a favorable carb?
I called Zone Labs, but unfortunately their "technical" people are out for the day. They said they would research the question and get back to me in an email. However, person who answered the phone said that the wheat is favorable because Sears endorses it. Wow, wouldn't it be nice if Sears's wheat product could be made available for sale? We could make our own breads, muffins, etc. and not have to dream up ways of trying to make it with soy and oat flour (with less than appetizing results).
But really, I think that there are times that companies must put profit in front of ideals, and that this may be just that moment in time.
BTW, Sue, Natural Ovens makes a really tasty whole grain bread. I wonder if they use the same "magical" formula to make their wheat stand out from others?
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Cranberrycat
We don't own the earth; we borrow it from our children.
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Cranberrycat
Posts:1994
Zoner
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| 07/16/2008 6:25 PM |
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Tamsyn,
I agree with your insights wholeheartedly.
Zone pasta is "zoned" as far as the nutrient balance is concerned. But, unless there is someone else out there who has more specific information, I think we MUST assume that the duram seminola wheat is just as high on the GI/GL as it is in other pasta.
Oh, and I should mention that I am not opposed entirely to the pasta being eaten in moderation. I think that is great! There are times that a traditional pasta meal is a MUST!
Also, a sidebar to this discussion: one of the posters below mentioned the low GI/GL of Zone Cereal. However, I wonder how/where this was tested? In order to effectively use the glycemic index, one must consistently use the same index to compare foods. One can't jump from one resource to another, because of the differences in testing. Comparing the GL of different foods using different GL scales is like comparing apples to oranges. |
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Cranberrycat
We don't own the earth; we borrow it from our children.
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snickers
Posts:82
Aspiring
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| 07/19/2008 2:21 PM |
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Hello, long time since I have posted!
Scanning the discussions, I was curious about the pasta, and I found this very interesting thread. Lots of comments regarding the pasta.
Did anyone hear back from customer service? Can't remember who was going to check on that?
Sue, there were some questions on this thread that you didn't address, wondering if you missed that, or what was going on there? Personally, I find it fascinating that you are such a fan of the pasta. I would have had you pegged as one who would be more skeptical of such a product being recommended by Zone Labs.
Personally, I think that the pasta product is a marketing scheme. I don't believe that they could change the wheat and make it a low-glycemic product!
But, would love to hear more! |
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