Each person has one of four main blood types: type A, type B, type AB or type O. According to Dr. Peter D'Adamo in his book "Eat Right 4 Your Type: The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer and Achieving Your Ideal Weight," each blood type responds differently to stress, illness and foods. Therefore, according to Dr. D'Adamo, people with the blood type O should eat a different diet than people with the other three blood types.
Kelp
Kelp, a type of seaweed, is rich in iodine. According to the Eat Right for Your Type website, people with type-O blood are prone to thyroid troubles. Iodine is believed to help regulate the function of the thyroid gland, according to "Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies." Eating kelp, as opposed to taking supplements, will ensure that your body receives the proper amount of thyroid-regulating iodine, according to "Eat Right 4 Your Type."
Saltwater Fish
Saltwater fish, such as tuna and mackerel, provide valuable protein for a type-O person's diet. According to "Eat Right 4 Your Type," the protein requirement for people with blood type O is greater than that of any of the other blood types. Saltwater fish is preferable to other types of protein because of its natural iodine content.
Red Meat
According to "Eat Right 4 Your Type," people with blood type O often crave meat, mainly because they have a higher-than-average need for iron. Therefore, red meat is the best type of meat for type O's because it contains the most iron.
Leafy Green Vegetables
Dark green leafy vegetables should be a staple of everyone's diet because of their high vitamin, mineral and fiber content, but according to "Eat Right 4 Your Type," they are especially important to the diet of people with blood type O because of their rich iron content. Broccoli, spinach and kale are recommended by D'Adamo as being some of the best choices.
Considerations
The concept of people with various blood types having vastly different nutritional needs has not been accepted by the medical community at large. According to "Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies," all people have the same basic nutritional needs regardless of their blood types, and diets that require you to change your eating habits based solely on your blood type are regarded as fad diets. Consult a dietitian if you are unsure of your personal nutritional needs.
References
- Eat Right for Your Type: What Makes Type O Individual?
- "Eat Right 4 Your Type: The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer and Achieving Your Ideal Weight"; Dr. Peter D'Adamo; 1996
- "Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies"; Frances Sizer; 2008
