As ZONERS, we do not eat sugar; however we might find ourselves in other than ideal situations,
where some unfavorable (higher glycemic value) carbohydrates (broken down into Glucose, sugar), is inevitable.
Here are some tips to consider, now, if you find yourself in those situations:
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Saturday, April 28, 2012
7 Sugar Blockers
Did you know you can slow the absorption of sugar just by using the natural power of food? Believe it or not, this doesn’t involve any extreme or gimmicky diets, just some basic tips of what to eat and when to eat it. Check out these 7 sugar-blocking tips:
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1.) Eat a fatty snack up to 30 minutes before a meal. A teaspoon of nuts or cheese will trigger the pyloric valve between your stomach and small intestine. This valve regulates the flow of food to help slow down digestion. This helps you reduce sugar spikes and keeps you feeling fuller longer.
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2.) Begin a meal with a salad. The soluble fiber in plants, beans, carrots and even some fruit helps absorb starch and sugar. As soluble fiber passes through your intestines, it expands and traps sugar. This fiber eventually dissolves, but this slower rate of absorption helps reduce the amount of insulin your body needs to handle it.
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3.) Use vinegar on that salad! Its high acetic acid content helps deactivate amylase, the enzyme that turns starch into sugar, which helps slow down the digestive process. Vinegar also "increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin, so your pancreas won’t need to produce as much."
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4.) Don’t overcook vegetables. Lightly cooked vegetables take longer to digest, so you’ll feel fuller longer. Roasted vegetables are a tasty alternative to starchy sides.
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5.) (This one is actually a Zone principle.) Add some protein to your meal, so you won’t need as much insulin to process starches. In fact, a serving of protein eaten with starch "can reduce the subsequent blood sugar surge by 44%." Eat an egg with your toast in the morning or have a turkey meatball with your favorite pasta!
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6.) Although not for everyone, a glass of vino with a meal actually temporarily stops your liver’s production of glucose. This means the blood sugar load of a typical serving of starch can be reduced by up to 25% when accompanied by a glass of wine! Something to keep in mind when ordering a starch-heavy meal at your favorite ristorante.
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7.) Eat sweets for desert, only.
ALL of the above! If you must eat sweets, eat at the end of the meal. As listed above, there is nothing to impede sugar from racing directly and quickly into your blood stream.
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No fat, no soluble fiber, no vinegar, no protein. But if you confine sweets to the end of the meal, you have all of the above protection added to your meals.
And when you do have sweets, have just enough to enjoy and be satisfying - enough to fit in the cup of your hand!

Sugar in MODERATION isn't an issue. Of course "moderation" is key. There is nothing wrong with a little sugar in your food. It is not uncommon for me to use a little brown sugar as part of a rub or sauce and occasionally dried fruits like raisons are added to salads and such. As long as you don't go overboard with the sugars and keep it balanced with healthy proteins, fats, and lower GI carbs, adding a bit of sugar shouldn't be a big issue.

That said, and I won't go too deeply into this because I know that Dr. Sears and most Zoners don't accept this, and I created a bit of a debate about it a few years ago here... sugars and protein with very little fat can actually be beneficial during certain short windows of time, particularly during and immediately following intense exercise... believe it or not, a glass of no fat chocolate milk immediately after doing intense weight training is actually good for muscle growth and recovery because your insulin sensitivity is through the roof after serious intense training. Okay... I already said too much... I know this will be met with much resistance, but the research on the subject is pretty compelling (and there has been a LOT of research on the subject).

Personally, I generally view the addition of sugar to my diet as more of an addictive trait. Generally, I don't even feel the need to add extra sweetener to my food, so when I do, I find myself doing ok the first time but then I start doing it more and more because I have fallen into the crave. But, that is just me.

That said, I have also read a lot about how beneficial chocolate milk is after an intense workout. I haven't really studied it, but I have seen those reports. There is ample protein to help with tissue repair, and the additional carb for reasons just as what Matt has been suggesting in the past. Milk by itself is also a pretty good choice given the fact that it is balanced in the Zone, so having chocolate milk is not too far off (at least in concept).

I don't do it often, but I sometimes keep some Ovaltine on hand, as I can control the amount of chocolate (and sugar) that I add to milk.

CranCat:
What about keeping raw, virgin cocoa powder on-hand?
(Instead of Ovaltine.)
Then you can have all of the additional benefits of the beneficial anti-oxidants from the raw cocoa powder,
and add as little of the sweetener of your choice?
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I heat a little milk up in the microwave, about 33 seconds, just enough to warm and make easier to mix.
Add some cocoa powder, a little protein powder, and a touch of sweetener, usually a tsp of true raw maple syrup.
(I also add some mixed green grass powder in, too - Barley Grass, broken-cell Chlorella, etc.)
Then I have this after a work-out.
No fat, which slows the unwanted absorption after a work-out, except what is in the 2% milk.

BTW, there is nothing "magical" about chocolate milk, it is just that it is cheap and readily available and the ratio of sugars to protein is in the Goldilocks zone (between 2:1 and 4:1) that is perfect to use as a post workout recovery drink within about 30 minutes post exercise. Honestly, you could get the same benefit by mixing any high GI sugar with any highly bioavailable protein. You could add a couple tsps. of brown sugar or an equivalent amount of honey to regular skim milk and get the same effect. You could use whey protein powder and table sugar mixed in water if you wanted. One of the old school bodybuilding methods was a glass of skim milk and a banana.

Now, mind you, this is IMMEDIATELY post-workout ONLY. And it isn't just post any workout, it is post INTENSE workout. That means a serious strength, power, or endurance training workout, usually lasting 45 or more minutes (although not always). During this short window of time and ONLY during this short period of time, your body becomes much much much more carb sensitive... in other words, the optimal "zone" shifts briefly from 3:2 to around 2:1 to 4:1 (closer to 2:1 for strength/power/hypertrophy training and closer to 4:1 for endurance training, from what I've read). Also, because fat slows down the insulin response, and this is the only time you don't want to mute the insulin response, you should limit as much as possible any fat.

I know I've gone far afield of the original post with this response. I also know that Dr. Sears does not agree with me on this and my recommendations are not considered "Zone" recommendations, so I encourage others to do their own research. Dr. Ivy of the University of Texas has done a great deal of research in this regard. Dr. Berardi has also written extensively about this too, as have many others (and there are a wealth of scientific studies out there on the subject).

Again, didn't mean to hijack the thread. I think the points made by the OP are good ones, and Cat also makes a good point about knowing yourself and your response to sugar cravings. If a "little" makes your crave a lot more, best to avoid the temptation even if, technically, having a little in moderation won't take you out of the Zone.

Really good discussion, though!

(I like these kinds of discussions, may not be all Zone, but makes one think outside of the box)

So, regarding using cocoa powder into my milk, I have done that, too. I usually don't even feel the need to add any sweetener. I probably do that more often than the ovaltine thing, although I don't really do either one that often. The ovaltine (if I buy it) is usually for the kids, I just like the idea of making chocolate milk (or hot cocoa) rather than buying it ready-made, being able to control the amount that is added (we usually add 1/2 or less of what the serving size is).

Going back to the original post, I have probably tried many of those ideas at one time or another, they do work!

Hello All, I was reading "what to eat in zone" but I couldn't find anything on Almond Milk??

I normally drink this instead, because I have milk allergy ( lots of sneezing and congestion) . Zyrtec works fine for me but I don't
want to take it everyday so I normally avoid dairy except on very special occassions,so, but I use a little almond milk in my oatmeal,
or in my cereal when I have it once in a while.

Is this ok?

Gail, it should be fine, that said, as long as you are using the plain/unflavored variety. Just be careful if you are using a flavored or sweetened almond milk.

I happened to try plain almond milk for the first time a few years ago. I actually liked it very much! Too expensive for me to consider switching over from dairy, but I could definitely live with it if I had to, I like it much better than soy milk.

Ditto to Cran. Watch the flavored or sweetened ones, way too many unfav carbs!
Our daughter is lactose Intolerant, so when she is home from college, we purchase for her.
I've tried it, too. Like it as well.

Gail:

If you have access to certified raw organic milk (non-heat pasteurized and non-homogenized) you may find that you aren't allergic to milk. It isn't legal in many states to sell raw milk to the general public, but even in states where it isn't legal, you can legally get it through joining a co-op. I have a mild milk allergy as well, but can consume raw organic milk without any issue. Of course I live in a state that permits its sale and that regulate the raw milk to make sure it doesn't pose an unacceptable risk. If you live in a state that doesn't allow this, except through co-ops, you have to do your due diligence regarding whatever farm you are getting your raw milk through to make sure they are handling and storing it properly.

Thanks John and Cran, I've been using the vanilla or the plain but frankly they both taste the same, so I'll just switch to the plain

Thanks for the info Matthew, hopefully this is legal in California. will look into it.

It is in NH, one of few states that stores can carry.
But, few do.
One is in Manchester, only 20-25 minutes away.
In MA, you can only get only from the farm that produces, but not retail.

California is a state that allows the public sale of raw organic milk... I know because I live in Los Angeles and am able to buy it at the farmer's market and occasionally at various organic grocers. Even if you can't find it around you, you can always have it delivered to you. California raw organic milk is heavily regulated and has to go through a very stringent certification process in order to be sold.

Thanks Matthew, great! I live in Long Beach,I think there are a few of these markets near here, I wonder if any of the Whole foods Markets carry this as well?If not I know there's a website that lists all of the farmer's markets in the area, I'll go look that up.