Is your blood trying to tell you something? According to Peter D'Adamo, it is. The blood type diet, also known as genotype or biotype diet, is a method that offers individualized nutrition guidelines based on the four primary blood types: A, B, AB and O. D'Adamo's theory is based on the idea that each blood type produces antigens that react to different foods. He says eating foods that don't react well with your blood type can cause fatigue, fluid retention and weight gain. Eating foods compatible with your blood type increases energy, prevents disease and reduces weight, according to D'Adamo.
Blood Type O
If you are type O, you have the oldest and most common blood type. About 45 percent of Americans are type O. According to the blood type diet, people with type O blood are best suited for a high-protein, meat-rich diet. Type O individuals have more stomach acid than other blood types, making them better suited to digesting meat. This diet recommends grass-fed, lean meats and free-range poultry.
Blood Type A
Thirty-eight percent of Americans have blood type A. According to the blood type diet, people with type A blood are best suited for vegetarianism, because they lack enough stomach acid for proper meat digestion. You do best on a plant-based protein diet emphasizing beans, legumes, soy and complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, according to D'Adamo's diet.
Blood Type B
Around 12 percent of Americans have type B blood. According to the blood type diet, if you are type B, corn, wheat, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts and sesame seeds negatively affect your metabolism and lead to fatigue and fluid retention. The diet also recommends you avoid chicken, which contains lectins in its muscle tissue that do not react well with your blood type. Lectins are molecules that bind to outside cells, causing biological changes in them. Eat a balanced, omnivorous diet, says D'Adamo's plan. Focus on meats like lamb, mutton, rabbit and venison, and eat plenty of vegetables.
Blood Type AB
Type AB is the rarest blood type, representing 5 percent of Americans. Because your blood type inherited a mix of genes, you are best suited for a mixed diet of seafood, grains and vegetables. According to the blood type diet, AB individuals lack sufficient stomach acid for proper meat digestion, but can eat fish. Focus on tofu, green vegetables, deep-ocean fish and low-fat dairy, and avoid smoked and cured meats. Eat small, frequent meals and do not combine starches and protein in the same meal.
Scientific Data
According to Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., of the Mayo Clinic, no solid research supports the blood type diet's claims. When choosing a diet, she advises looking for one that emphasizes slow, steady weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week through balanced diet and exercise.
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