Blood Type Diet

The Blood Type Diet offers a different diet plan for each of the four blood types, based on the theory that each blood type has certain foods and nutrients that it can best utilize. This personalized plan allows dieters to achieve and maintain their ideal weight, improve their overall well-being, increase their energy, and learn which foods will help them manage their weight on an individual basis. Dieters will receive weekly meal plans as well as shopping lists

Some doctors represent the idea that a person's blood type determines what types of foods they should include in their diet. Weight management would then be an issue of having your diet coincide with your blood type.

Eat according to your blood type

For example, according to the diet, people with type A are naturally vegetarians. They should eat lots of fruits and vegetables as they are high in carbs and low in fat. This is based on the idea that their blood is thicker than that of other blood types. They should refrain from consuming dairy products, animal fats, and meats.

Type B people should have a diet that is balanced between plant and animal proteins.

Type O people are carnivores. High protein foods such as red meats, fruits, and vegetables should make up the bulk of their diet.

The science to back up that you should eat according to your blood group?

The science behind this diet is highly questionable. At its core is the idea that blood types are an evolutionary indicator of what foods our ancestors were accustomed to - Type A's were farmers who ate lots of vegetable products, Type B's were omnivores who ate dairy, meat, and vegetables, and Type O's were hunter-gatherers who ate diets heavy in animal protein. There are few scientific studies that have shown any direct correlation between blood type and an individual's ability or inability to digest and absorb foods in their diet.

Claims made about the Blood Type Diet

The author of the book "Eat Right For Your Type", Peter J. D'Adamo N.D., makes many blanket statements about the adverse physical reactions that certain blood types have when eating certain foods. For example, on page 63 he states that people with Type O blood "do not tolerate whole wheat products at all," yet provides no scale by which to grade this intolerance. Obviously, millions of people with Type O blood eat wheat every day, and suffer no irreparable harm. Overall, the theories of the Blood Type Diet would have to be backed up by a significant number of scientific studies before they could be taken seriously. While it is certainly possible that individuals may have allergies to individual foods including such common staples as corn, wheat, and milk products, there is currently no evidence to support that these allergies are due to blood type.

Your tolerance to different foods

If you suspect yourself of having a food allergy, the best thing to do is see a physician, who will perform simple tests to determine if you are intolerant to certain foods. The recommendation may be as simple as eliminating certain foods from your diet for a week or two to see if you feel any different. The reason that people have different nutritional needs is due to many variables.