Peter D'Adamo created the "Eat Right 4 Your Type" diet based on the premise that people should eat according to their blood type. Under D'Adamo's plan, if you have blood type O, it's better to eat some foods while avoiding others. Knowing which foods to avoid can help you adhere to the diet plan. Blood type O individuals can eat brown rice without fear of violating D'Adamo's guidelines. Always talk with your physician before beginning a new diet.
Type O
If you're a type O individual, D'Adamo classifies you as a "canny, aggressive predator." Positive attributes include leadership, energy and focus, according to his blood type diet. The plan says people with type O blood can become susceptible to health problems related to insulin resistance, sluggish thyroid function and weight gain. You might have higher levels of stomach acids, resulting in irritation or ulcers. Eating prescribed foods might prevent these problems from happening, D'Adamo says.
Brown Rice
Brown rice, also called "unpolished rice," is often considered to be healthier than white rice because it doesn't lose the nutrients housed in its brown layer that is polished off to create white rice, according to website Health Food Recipe Cooking. It tends to have a firmer texture when cooked, compared with white rice. Brown rice isn't one of the foods considered problematic for type O individuals, but neither is it considered to be a food that works especially well for this type. Instead, brown rice falls into a "neutral" category that doesn't particularly help or hurt type O people.
Menu
If you're eating for blood type, type O individuals can embrace beef, lamb, salmon, walnuts and black-eyed peas, according to the Four Winds Nutrition Club. Beneficial vegetables include artichokes, kale, garlic, pumpkin and turnips. Spices advocated for type O individuals include curry, kelp, cayenne pepper and turmeric. Type O individuals are also encouraged to exercise three or four times weekly.
Foods to Avoid
Certain food groups should be avoided by type O eaters under this diet plan. All dairy foods and eggs don't work well with individuals with blood type O, according to the Four Winds Nutrition Club. Most beans, cereals and breads are also excluded. Grains including pasta, couscous, gluten, oats and wheat are to be avoided. Condiments, including pickles and mayonnaise, are also considered detrimental for type O blood. Like brown rice, other foods fall into the neutral category, including alcohol, rye flour, black beans and shellfish.
References
- Eat Right for Your Type: Welcome to Personalized Nutrition
- Eat Right for Your Type: What Makes a "Type O" an Individual
- Dr. Lam; "Blood Type Diet -- Type O"; Michael Lam
- Mayo Clinic; "What is the Blood Type Diet?"; Katherine Zeratsky
- Four Winds Nutrition Club: Blood Type "O"
- Natural Health Place: Blood Type O
