Caveman Diet & Blood Type

Both the Caveman diet and the Blood Type diets focus on the eating practices of ancient humans. The theory behind the Caveman diet is that the agricultural revolution negatively changed the way humans eat, while the theory behind the Blood Type diet is that blood types changed when new foods were added to the human diet. The two diets have certain aspects in common, but other components are different. Once you understand the Caveman diet and its relationship to your blood type, you may be better able to determine if it is right for you.

Type O

According to Danna Korn, author of "Wheat-Free, Worry-Free," at one point, the entire population had Type O blood, making it the oldest blood type. Most of the population still has Type O blood. Knowing your blood type helps determine which foods you should include in your diet if you want to follow the Blood Type diet. The Blood Type diet suggests that Type O individuals should eat lean meats and fish, fruits and vegetables, but should also avoid dairy foods. The Caveman diet, also known as the Paleo diet or Paleolithic diet, stresses the importance of eating as ancient humans did, including lean meats, fish, nuts, fruit, eggs and vegetables, while also eliminating dairy foods and grains. The Caveman diet aligns closely with the Blood Type diet for those with Type O blood, with one important contradiction. Korn points out that when on the Blood Type diet, Type O individuals are permitted to eat barley, spelt and rye, which are grains not permitted on the Caveman diet.

Type A

A small number of the population has Type A blood. Korn notes that Type A blood may have evolved from Type O blood after the introduction of grains into the human diet. The Blood Type diet emphasizes that Type A individuals eat lean meat and fish, but that they avoid red meat. Type A individuals should also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, but restrict their intake of grains. The Caveman diet recommends completely removing grains from the diet. Under the Blood Type diet, those with Type A blood should also restrict their dairy intake, while the Caveman diet advises against consuming any dairy foods. The Caveman diet also supports the consumption of red meat, another contradiction to the Blood Type diet for Type A blood.

Type B

Type B individuals make up another small portion of the population, and under the Blood Type diet, should eat differently than other blood types. If you have Type B blood, it is recommended that you avoid chicken but eat other lean meats. You are also permitted to consume dairy foods. If you have Type B blood, you are encouraged to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well. The Caveman diet supports a healthy intake of fruits and vegetables, but encourages chicken as one of the lean meats to include in your diet. The Caveman diet also prohibits dairy foods, which are included in a Type B diet.

Type AB

Type AB blood is less common than the other blood types and requires that you combine the aspects of the Blood Type diet recommended for those with Type A and those with Type B blood. According to the Blood Type diet, if your blood is Type AB, you should eat lean meats, dairy foods, fruits and vegetables. Eating for AB blood strays from the Caveman diet for two important reasons: It is recommended that you limit your intake of grains if you have Type AB blood, which aligns only somewhat with the Caveman diet that prohibits any type of grains; eating dairy foods also goes against the principles of the Caveman diet.