The "Eat Right for Your Type" diet, or blood type diet, offers four different eating patterns and exercise styles based on your blood type: A, B, O and AB. Although there's no solid research to support the claims of this diet, the idea is that avoiding certain food based on your blood type can offset your susceptibility to health problems such as allergies, asthma, fatigue, obesity, cancer or heart disease. Consult your physician before starting any new diet.
Background
In his 1996 book "Eat Right 4 Your Type," Peter D'Adamo, a naturopathic physician, explains how your blood type determines which food is best for you. His theory is that lectin, a sugar-based protein, digests differently depending on your blood type. So if you tailor your food choices to your blood type, you can lose weight and improve health. Each blood type gets its own recommendations of highly beneficial food, neutral food and food to avoid. Positive and negative variations of blood type do not make a difference, according to D'Adamo.
Type O
DD'Adamo describes those with type O blood as "hunters," who are susceptible to ulcers, thyroid disorders, weight gain and insulin resistance. A high level of stomach acid enables them to thrive on animal proteins, fruit and vegetables. However, type O blood types should avoid dairy and wheat products, caffeine and alcohol.
Type A
Because those with type A blood tend to have low stomach acid, D'Adamo recommends embracing a vegetarian diet and avoiding meat, dairy and wheat, all of which are difficult to digest. He advocates a focus on fresh, organic food and calming exercises such as tai-chi or yoga to offset susceptibility to stress symptoms such as disrupted sleep and lack of concentration, insulin resistance and hypothyroidism.
Type B
With a strong immune system, those with type B blood are adaptable, but susceptible to inflammation and auto-immune diseases. Foods to avoid include corn, wheat, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts and sesame seeds, all of which might result in weight gain, fatigue, fluid retention and hypoglycemia. Chicken is also not recommended for type B blood types because of its alleged potential to lead to strokes and immune disorders. D'Adamo suggests eating game meats, green vegetables, eggs and low-fat dairy.
Type AB
Those with AB, the rarest blood type, share the low stomach acid of a type A and the adaptability to meat of a type B, which means it gets stored in the body as fat, says D'Adamo, who recommends avoiding meat if you wish to lose weight. If you're a type AB, focus on seafood, dairy, and green vegetables and avoid caffeine, alcohol, and combining starches and proteins in the same meal, he suggests.
Considerations
The blood type diet falls under the category of "fad" diets and might detract from nutritionally balanced meals, although the low-carb type O diet might result in losing weight, according to the University of Michigan Health System.
Member Comments