"Eat Right 4 Your Type" by Dr. Peter D'Adamo and co-author Catherine Whitney is an eating plan that suggests that your eating habits should be aligned to your blood group. There are four blood groups: O, A, B and AB, all of which can be additionally labeled as positive or negative. According to D'Adamo, the positive or negative label has no impact on your food selections, whereas your actual blood group is far more important.
Blood Group Type B
In "Eat Right 4 Your Type" Dr. D'Adamo suggests that if you are blood group type B, you posses the genes of a nomad. Subsequently, blood type Bs should consume a wide variety of foods to simulate moving from one geographical area to another. According to D'Adamo and Whitney, type B is the most flexible of all the blood groups and can safely consume many of the foods that should be avoided by type As, ABs and Os.
Highly Beneficial Foods
In "Eating Right 4 Your Type," the authors categorize foods as highly beneficial, neutral and those best avoided. According to the diet, blood type Bs should consume plenty of lamb, mutton, rabbit and venison, and a wide variety of fish including cod, haddock, mackerel, sardines and sturgeon. They are also encouraged to consume most dairy products, such as cheese, milk, cream and butter. Blood type Bs are also encouraged to eat almonds, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts and walnuts. Most fruits and vegetables are also beneficial, and blood type Bs are encouraged to consume a wide variety of plant foods.
Foods to Avoid
The individual biochemistry of blood type Bs means there are a few foods that should be avoided, says D'Adamo. These foods may cause mild digestive discomfort, allergies or even serious chronic diseases. Some examples include avocado, tomatoes, barley, buckwheat, lentils, chickpeas, crab, prawns, chicken, pork and quail. In addition to having a negative impact on your health, theses foods may also cause insidious weight gain.
Blood Group Type B and Exercise
The genetic origins of this once nomadic blood group means that type Bs should engage in regular strenuous exercise alternated with periods of relaxation and recovery. D'Adamo suggests that three strenuous workouts a week should be separated by sessions of Yoga, Pilates or T'ai Chi.
Considerations
Despite the compelling information in "Eat Right 4 Your Type," critics of the blood type diet often cite that lack of empirical data to support Dr. D'Adamo's claims that your blood group has anything to do with the types of food you should eat. "Eat Right 4 Your Type" contains a lot of anecdotal evidence from Dr. D'Adamo's patients but no scientifically backed peer reviewed studies of the effect of eating according to your blood type.
References
- "Eat Right 4 Your Type"; Peter D'Adamo and Catherine Whitney; 1998
- "Blood Type B Food, Beverage and Supplemental Lists"; Peter J. D'Adamo and Catherine Whitney; 2001
- The Skeptic's Dictionary: Blood Type Diets
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