What is the Block

The Zone Diet is a diet where it is established that each meal must be composed by a right ratio among Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats (also called Diet 40-30-30). To implement this ratio the Zone Diet introduces the concept of Block.
Each Block is composed by 1 mini-block of Proteins, 1 mini-block of Carbohydrates and 1 mini-block of Fats.

Let's take another step forward:

• 1 mini-block of Carbohydrates contains 9 grams of Carbohydrates
• 1 mini-block of Protein contains 7 grams of Protein
• 1 mini-block of Fats contains 3 grams of Fats

Furthermore, we remind you that:

• 1 gram of Carbohydrates develops 4Kcal
• 1 gram of Protein develops 4Kcal
• 1 gram of Fats develops 9Kcal

Therefore, each mini-block of Carbohydrate is equivalent to 9 grams of Carbohydrates, each gram of Carbohydrate develops 4Kcal, so each mini-block of Carbohydrate develops a total of 36Kcal (4 Kcal for each of the 9 grams of carbohydrates contained in a mini block of Carbohydrates).
Furthermore, each mini-block of Protein is equivalent to 7 grams of Proteins, each gram of Proteins develops 4Kcal, so each mini-block of Protein develops a total of 28Kcal (4 Kcal for each of the 7 grams of protein contained in a mini block of Proteins).
Finally, each mini-block of Fat is equivalent to 3 grams of Fats, each gram of Fats develops 9Kcal, so each mini-block of Fat develops a total of 27Kcal (9 Kcal for each of the 3 grams of fat contained in a mini-block of fats).

Summarizing in tabular form:

Mini-block	Macro-nutrient grams per Mini-block	KCal developed per gram	Tot. Kcal	% on the Meal
Carbohydrate	9 gr.	4 Kcal per gr.	36 Kcal	40%
Protein	7 gr.	4 Kcal per gr.	28 Kcal	30%
Fat	3 gr.	9 Kcal per gr.	27 Kcal	30%

Exactly the 40-30-30 of the Zone Diet.

An example to go in depth: the first column shows the detail of a block:

Meal	Mini-block Protein	Mini-block Carbohydrate	Mini-block Fat
Chicken: 27gr.	0,9	0	0,1
Pasta: 12gr.	0,1	1	0
Oil: 3gr.	0	0	1
Meal Total Block	1	1	1,1

Perfectly in the ZONE!!