I have some paleo recipes that I eat regularly, and I'd like to know how to calculate the Zone blocks for them. For example, this is a personal favorite for post-workout:

Salmon Cakes, makes about 5-6 cakes:
1 can (14.75 oz) wild-caught pink or red salmon
1 cup sweet potatoes (I cut them up and grind them in my food processor - usually one potato yields about 1 1/2 cups this way)
1 large egg
1/2 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons parsley
2 teaspoons dill
1 thinly sliced scallion
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt

You mush all this together, then scoop with a 1/3 measuring cup. Cook on parchment paper, brushed with melted coconut oil, on a cookie sheet at 425 for 20 minutes (one side) and 10 minutes (second side). They're yummy...

I calculated this as the following for two cakes:

4 protein blocks (for the salmon and egg)
1 carb block (for the sweet potato)

Does that sound right?

I also have an olive oil/egg mayo recipe that seems to be about three fat blocks? Does that sound right?

Thank you...

I don't have all of the nutritional info for the products in your recipe, but basically you just figure it out by totalling up all of the grams of carb, protein, and fat, and then dividing the carbs by 9, protein by 7, and fat by 3.

So, for instance (happen to have a can of wild caught salmon in my pantry),
the can says there are 12g protein per serving and 7 servings per container. So, you would multiply 12 x 7 = 84 for the total grams of protein per container. Then, you divide 84/7 to get the total number of blocks of protein (which happens to be 12).

If you want to figure out the fat in that can, same thing... there are 5g fat per serving, 7 servings per container. 5 x 7 = 35, then divide by 3 to get 12.

For items without a label, use the food block list on this site. Since mashed sweet potatoes are 1/4 cup per block, and you are using 1 1/2 cups, then that would be 6 blocks of carb.

The egg would be 1 protein and 1 fat.

I am not really sure about the almond flour, do you have a nutritional label? There are likely some carb grams to count in it.

After you get the total blocks figured out for the recipe, then divide it all by the number of servings in your recipe.

I would concur that the carb blocks per serving in that recipe is around 1 block. Looking at my figures, I am not quite sure on the protein blocks, maybe closer to 2-3 blocks (pending protein in the almond flour, which is use-able protein).

Oh, forgot about the fat... your fat blocks may be a bit higher, due to the fat in the almond flour.

[quote]
Posted By Linda on 21 Sep 2012 06:28 PM
.
Salmon Cakes, makes about 5-6 cakes:
84 g P - 1 can (14.75 oz) wild-caught pink or red salmon
23.4 g C - 1 Medium Sweet Potato - 1 cup sweet potatoes
6 g P - 1 large egg
28.5 g F - 1/2 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons parsley
2 teaspoons dill
1 thinly sliced scallion
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
.
You mush all this together, then scoop with a 1/3 measuring cup.
Cook on parchment paper, brushed with melted coconut oil, on a cookie sheet
. . . at 425 deg F for 20 minutes (one side) and
. . . 10 minutes (second side).
.
They're yummy...
Does that sound right?
[/quote]
.
6 ea;
P = 90.0 / 6 = 15 g, x 2 = 30 g P = 4 blocks
C = 23.4 / 6 = 3.9 g x 2 = 7.8 = 1 C block
F = 28.5 / 6 = 4.75 g x 2 = 9.5 = 3 F blocks
.
Sweet Potato is not the best Carb, though we eat them occasionally because they have a lot of good nutrition.
But since they only make up 1 block C, you can add more favorable C to this meal.
Fat is a bit high, but that's OK.

Correction:
I forgot to include the Fat from the Salmon,
My Salmon can appears to be similar to the one CranCat was looking at!
And I appeared to be writing my response at the same time she was.
So add 35 g Fat / 6 cakes = 6 g Fat x2 cakes = 12 g Fat + 9 g fat from Almond flour = 21 g Fat per 2 cakes.
As Paleo, that's OK, but not Zoned.

Protein in Almond flour is negligible, as is the Fat & Protein in Sweet Potato.

Yeah, looks like we were doing our figures at the same time!

I don't understand how you did your math, looks like you divided the total grams by total servings to get the number of grams per serving, but why do you multiply that by 2? (forgive me, it's Friday)

Because she was asking about 2 Salmon cakes as 1 serving out of a batch that makes 5 or 6.
I also used 6 as the number of salmon cakes and 2 as the number per serving.

Oh, duh! Got it!

Linda, just keep these figures in mind when you do the calculations:
7g protein per block
9g carb per block
3g fat per block
Go line by line in your recipe, figure out the total grams of protein, carb and fat, then divide by # grams per block to get the number of blocks.
(John did his math slightly different than mine, divided by the number of servings to get to the blocks, either way will work)

I was lazy last night, so today I have done it for you, line by line:

1 can (14.75 oz) wild-caught pink or red salmon
12g protein x 7 servings = 84g protein, 84g / 7g = 12 blocks Protein
5g fat x7 servings = 35g fat, 35g / 3g = 12 blocks fat

1 cup sweet potatoes (I cut them up and grind them in my food processor - usually one potato yields about 1 1/2 cups this way)
22g carb per sweet potato (from nutritiondata.com), 22g / 9g (number of grams per block of carb) = 2 blocks carb

1 large egg
per food block guide on this site = 1 block protein, 1 block fat (yolk)

1/2 cup almond flour
per Bob's Red Mill label, using 1/4 cup per serving
14g fat x 2 servings = 28g fat, 28g / 3g = 9 blocks fat
6g protein x 2 servings = 12g protein, 12g / 7g = 1 block protein
3g carb x 2 servings = 6g carb, 6g / 9g = less than1 block protein
These items are negligible:
2 teaspoons parsley
2 teaspoons dill
1 thinly sliced scallion
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt

So, going through the totals, this is the block total for the recipe:
Protein = 14 blocks
Carb = 3 blocks
Fat = 22 blocks

Per salmon cake (6 per recipe), this would be:
Protein = 2 1/3 blocks
Carb = 1/2 block
Fat = 3 2/3 blocks

My figures look pretty similar to John's figures, a few differences.

It really isn't that far off from a balanced zone recipe. The problem is the amount of fat (not severe), you can adjust this by decreasing the amount of almond flour and by using 2 egg whites instead of 1 whole egg. A bit less almond flour would not change the protein, but will have a larger impact on the fat content. I don't know if that is possible to do in your recipe, if it would change the consistency, etc.

John pointed out the fact that sweet potato is not a favorable carb, but really in this recipe, and as John mentioned, it probably contributes a lot of flavor and nutrition, and it is really not having a huge impact on the carb content. You can easily leave that alone and just add some good carbs to eat alongside your salmon cakes.

It actually does sound very tasty! I might do a little tinkering with it and try it for dinner tonight. I don't have the sweet potato, but I could pick one up at the farmers market on the way home. I might try 4 egg whites, maybe a little bit of black bean mashed up, cut back on the almond flour, and see what happens. Will need some more good carbs, too. I have lots of zucchini and red peppers from the generosity of other people giving away their garden produce.

[quote]
Posted By cranberrycat on 22 Sep 2012 09:41 AM
1/2 cup almond flour
per Bob's Red Mill label, using 1/4 cup per serving
14g fat x 2 servings = 28g fat, 28g / 3g = 9 blocks fat
.
So, going through the totals, this is the block total for the recipe:
Protein = 14 blocks
Carb = 3 blocks
Fat = 22 blocks

Per salmon cake (6 per recipe), this would be:
Protein = 2 1/3 blocks
Carb = 1/2 block
Fat = 3 2/3 blocks
.
It really isn't that far off from a balanced zone recipe. The problem is the amount of fat (not severe), you can adjust this by decreasing the amount of almond flour and by using 2 egg whites instead of 1 whole egg. A bit less almond flour would not change the protein, but will have a larger impact on the fat content. I don't know if that is possible to do in your recipe, if it would change the consistency, etc.
.
John pointed out the fact that sweet potato is not a favorable carb, but really in this recipe, and as John mentioned, it probably contributes a lot of flavor and nutrition, and it is really not having a huge impact on the carb content. You can easily leave that alone and just add some good carbs to eat alongside your salmon cakes.
[/quote]
.
.
I had a thought this morning, as I will be trying this for this evening.
Aside from Coconut and Almond flour as part of our mostly grain-free eating,
we also have Cold Milled Ground Flax.
And since the Almond flour is only 1/2 cup, I thought about substituting the ground Flax flour, instead.
2 TBL = 5 g Fat.
C = 5 g -4 g fiber = 1 g net C.
.
So recipe would become:
1/2 cup Flax flour for the almond flour = 10 g Fat = 3-1/3 blocks of Fat instead of 9 blocks of Fat.

So, going through the totals, this is the block total for the recipe:
Protein = 14 blocks
Carb = 3 blocks
Fat = 22 blocks minus 6 blocks of Fat = 16 blocks of Fat
.
Per salmon cake (6 per recipe), this would be:
Protein = 2-1/3 blocks
Carb = 1/2 block
Fat = 2-2/3 blocks
.
Which makes the Protein and Fat very balanced,
and still needing to add 1-1/2 to 2 blocks of Favorable Carbs to have a 2 block meal.
Like a nice big fresh, organic, raw foods salad!
.

Tried it (recipe), them (Salmon cakes) this evening.
Wife's comments: Delish!
.
BUT, I got a good 8 Salmon cakes out of the batch,
and my wife and I had three each, with two left over for lunch, tomorrow (Monday).
.'
And, I did not have Paprika, and since we like it spicier, anyway, I substituted Chile powder.
.
So, going through the totals, this is the block total for the recipe:
Protein = 14 blocks
Carb = 3 blocks
Fat = 22 blocks minus 6 blocks of Fat = 16 blocks of Fat
.
Per salmon cake (8 per recipe), this would be:
Protein = 1.75 blocks
Carb = .375 block
Fat = 2 blocks
.
Per three salmon cake serving:
P 5.75
C 1.125
F 3 blocks
Red Wine = + 1 C
Salad = +1.125 C
1 small apple = +.75 C
+ 2 fat blocks salad / salad dressing

hi everyone, im new to the zone , just picked up the book from under the rug left over 1 year ago cuz i just gained 8 lbs in two weeks, so here´s the drill: im brain freezed with the block and grams calculations so this is what i understand so far...

1 block =7 grs of protein, or 9grs of carbs or 1.5grs of fat (as in the book)

so...

ei:

i can get over the deli style chicken which is 1.5 oz = 7 grs of proteins .. cool..!!! i got that one cuz its in ounces so i multiply this by 4? cuz im a male and should be 28 grs of prots which is about the serving of a chicken filet..of 100grs aprox ? (maybe im wrong aswell)
so the next drill is:

carbs :

i woke up today and found 1 cucumber and several tomatoes..

so i have:

1 cucumber= 1 block (if thats right)

im male so i gotta put up for the rest of the carbs

that means i have to multiply 3 blocks of 2 tomatoes woow.. thats a lot of tomatoes for me but i dont mind if its right ( 9grs per block= 2 tomatoes= male x 3 blocks (plus the cucumber that i already have ) ughh-..!!!= 6 tomatoes.. to make 4 blocks

i know im doing this very wrong but i havent slept all night, so please bear with me on my bad math..

same slippery road with the fat..

but foremost:

i cant get the concept if its cups or strips

1 cup equals what? 1 block or #grs of carbs prots or fat..

i mean if 3 slices of bacon = 7 grs of proteins for me that would be 7x4 blocks= 3 slices x 4 = 12 slices ?

im supposed to get 68 grs of prots or 10 blocks of each daily according to the mass calculator BMI stuff..! done that...so:

i dont get it.. im supposed to get 68 grs of prot per day ...or....per meal per day? 68 grs seems a very small amount considering that 1 chicken filet has 21 roughly, so if i eat that im only left with 47? for the rest of the day ? woow

so if eat salami at night to complete the prots that would be 1oz of salami = 7grs of prot= x 3 =21 grs of prots =558grs roughly of whole salami)
woow thats a lot of salami.. 1lb

not counting lunch..:D

by the way i have the first book which is right up front ,, TOO UP FRONT.. for me but and also again i repeat im sleeples and brainfreezed,,
any thoughts on my very bad math.? pls help

thks..

Luis,

I'll let someone else your math questions. Did you know there's a much easier way to do the Zone doing all those calculations? It's called Zone At-a- Glance and no math is needed. To put together a meal start with a dinner sized dinner plate. Place lean protein about the size and thickness of the palm of you hand on the plate, fill the rest of the plate with non-starchy vegetables and some fruit, and then add a dash of monounsaturated fat. That's all there is to it. You can read about it here http://www.zonediet.com/tools/zone-classic

tupo. I meant to say: without doing all those calculations

At a glance of Protein is also about the size of a deck of cards. (Not the Jumbo size!).
.
1.) You should be getting a minimum of 11 blocks of Protein per day.
You might want to recheck the calculator under TOOLS on this website.
2.) The Fat and Carbs match the Protein, at least to start with. (adjust from there later on.)
3.) Bacon is not the best Protein, unless it is Turkey bacon which has low saturated fat.
4.) You can supplement bacon with other Protein, like egg whites, 2 egg whites = 1 block Protein.
(Whole eggs not recommended, and if you do, has additional fat.)
5.) You should not go more than 3-4 hours between snacks.meals.
6.) 11 blocks can look like: 3-1-3-3-1. (3 blocks breakfast, 1 block mid morning snack, etc.)
7.) Have your last snack/meal about an hour before sleeping for the night.
8.) You can add dense Favorable Carbs to meals to help cut down the volume,
such as 1/4 cup black beans is 9 g net Carbs or 1 block carbs or
1/2 cup (most) tomato sauce is 9 g net Carbs or 1 block carbs - read the label.
9.) Most Protein sources have some Fat, so yes add only 1.5 g fat per block of Protein.
10.) Its OK if the Fat is a little higher; better a little higher than a little lower.
11.) If your Protein source is fat-free, then double the Fat and add 3 g Fat per block of Protein.
.
I hope this answers most of your Q's, at least to get you started.

P.S. Cups, oz by weight, oz by volume, etc. - all depends on the food that you are measuring!
There is a Food Block guide (PDF) on this website that has the most up-to-date information.
Refer to that Food Guide unless the food is in a package and has a label listing the Fat, protein, & Carbs.
Ignore any Protein in vegetable/plant sources, unless it is Soy.
That is the only vegetable/plant protein that should really be counted.

wooow thks jhon and sue for your response, i feel like im on the right track this time, tried at least 3 or 4 diets on my lifetime, very poor results, and last night i just went nuts and made up a kiwi shake with1 kiwi 1 cup of low fat milk and isolate brand protein (1 tsp) plus more water.... haaaa what a surprise i was able to spend all night without going to the kitchen to eat, or worse even spending all night watching movies and eating...like on weekends

before.. i would have to take 2oz or powder and 2 cups of milk to feel some effect and go to sleep.. but right now i think im more overexcited about this small accomplishment..so the very reason for today´s insomnia...(im actually weary now, but im on vacation so no worries)

i bought the book cuz i saw a documentary about the worlds fattest man on earth on cable last year and when they said that he lost 200lbs in 1 year and eating loads,, just like the video ,, i went on to get the book , so my faith is there, just lost it for a while but recovered..so testimonies and advice like yours is very important at this point because where i live (NO ONE) has any idea about this diet.

In my desperation last night i took it upon whatever i found in the frigde that i could mix (and understand from 15 min reading ) so now i got to go to the supermarket and remake the whole smash... i put the pork example cuz its what i woke up with,,but thks jhon for clearing that up about the bacon, ive never tried turkey bacon (i thinK) and also about the prots in the veggies, (which i hadnt taken into account),,, and basically thank you clearing my mind on the meal distribution (1 lb of salami is kind of childish) i like 3-3-2-2-1 or whichever is better and much less stressing than trying the old diet rythm i had been used to..

ill be checking out your suggestions on the calculations but the palm-plate technique sounds waaaaay much lighter and easy, Thks Sue..
this morning i envisioned myself cooking half of the day ,,, i dont know how i was gonna pull that off ...!! was just on my way to buy the chef apron just in case..

second zone meal in less than 24 hrs today was a nice juicy sautee sirloin steak fried in butter (1tsp) seasoning, rice 1 cup (i know now im not supposed to have it but it was gonna go bad ) .. poured with 1 tbsp of olive oil which i had previoulsy mixed with salt and garlic (my fav seasoning so far) and wowww.. it took me just like 8-mins to cook it i liked it and had a sip of wine and green tee an voila. just like in paris. i know sounds like pretty corny but mind me, i hardly ever cook for myself (my cooking is disgusting to me ) i actually learned what "sautee" means on youtube,, woow

sorry for the blabing... first time i ever write so much in a blogg, (not a blogger) so this is huge for me..

hope i can keep up , ill be checking the blogg now of course and following the "masters" footsteps from now on..

last thought ,,,: anything on the use of maltodextrin in the sweeteners,, i know that it is not that good to take it even as sugar supplement cuz it maintains constant (but low) levels of insulin secretion even without sugar on the blood so its not that cool, everytime i take it i get a rebound sindrome and low sugar impulse ,so i try to avoid it cuz of my insulin resistance i get "sweats", but most brand of sweetners have it even Stevia@ has it, any thoughts comments or experiences,? is it relevant considering that this diet allows you to have sugar and desserts on some amount?

tomatoes...tomatos....?

bless you all

[quote]


.
Per salmon cake (8 per recipe), this would be:
Protein = 1.75 blocks
Carb = .375 block
Fat = 2 blocks
.
Per three salmon cake serving:
P 5.75
C 1.125
F 3 blocks
Red Wine = + 1 C
Salad = +1.125 C
1 small apple = +.75 C
+ 2 fat blocks salad / salad dressing



[/quote]

I'm new to this so a bit confused but this recipe caught my eye and I'm interested in trying it.

I'm confused about the fat in the servings. If one salmon cake is 2 blocks of fat, wouldn't a three salmon cake serving be 6 blocks of fat? I just want to make sure that I understand this.

Thanks.

YES, you missed the follow=up posting with the TYPO correction .....