Q: What drinks are Zone-friendly? Is my daily diet cola in the Zone?

Ask Dr. Sears

What Are Zone Diet -Friendly Beverages?

A: I believe the best beverage on Earth is simple, fresh, clean water. One of my basic rules is to try and drink 8 cups of water (that's a half-gallon) every day. Most people don't even drink half that.

As far as soft drinks go, most are out of the Zone Diet due to their carbohydrate and/or caffeine content. A single can of Coca-Cola Classic, for example, contains no protein and no fat, but it does have 39 grams of carbs. That's over an entire Zone, meal's worth. But, since nothing is forbidden in the Zone, I suppose you could make a Zone, meal out of a can of Coke, 28 grams of protein powder, and some almonds or olives (for fat). The only problem would be the caffeine. Caffeine spikes insulin in the same way that carbohydrates do. That's why another beverage I discourage is coffee. Black and green teas are lesser offenders, but caffeinated sodas and coffee are the worst. Try to limit consumption of coffee to one morning cup, and see if you can't switch to caffeine-free, sugar-free soda if you just can't live without it. Diet sodas are rich in phosphoric acid, which can leach calcium from your bones. Also, artificial sweeteners such as aspartame can cause insulin secretion (sodas made with Splenda are a better option), so we suggest that you drink them in moderation.

Juices, unfortunately, can also easily take you out of the Zone, . Since fruit juices lack the beneficial fiber of their original form, I always recommend eating the whole fruit instead. The one "juice" I do approve of, however, is fermented grape juice, also known as wine.

One of my favorite Zone, snacks at bedtime is a half glass (4 ounces) of red wine and 1 ounce of cheese. It not only keeps you in the Zone, overnight, but the dark pigments in the wine help keep your heart healthy, as well. Alcohol acts as a carbohydrate, so even light beers with reduced maltose push you farther out of the Zone, than red wine. If you don't drink alcohol, then vary your water with unsweetened grape or cranberry juices since they offer the same heart-healthy benefits.

Dr. Barry Sears, the Zone Diet