What is a blood type diet?
A blood type diet is defined by your individual blood type.
What are the health benefits of a blood type diet?
Peter D'Adamo, ND, founder of the blood type diet, advocates that a person's blood type defines whether they will have good or bad reactions to foods. Through blood type, people can tailor their diets, and avoid foods that create unhealthy reactions in the body. Dr. D'Adamo's concept focuses on a protein molecule called lectins. Exposure to the right lectins supports health, and eating the wrong lectins creates havoc in the body.
What foods are associated with each blood type, according to Dr. D'Adamo?
O Type
- Emphasize lean, organic meats with some vegetables and fruit
- Avoid wheat and dairy
A Type
- Emphasize a vegetarian diet
B Type
- Emphasize green vegetables, eggs, low fat dairy, and meats such as goat, lamb, mutton, rabbit, and venison
- Avoid corn, wheat, buckwheat, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts, sesame seeds, and chicken
AB Type
- Emphasize tofu, seaweed, dairy, green vegetables, seafood such as mahi-mahi, red snapper, salmon, sardines, and tuna, and cultured dairy such as yogurt and kefir
- Avoid lima beans, corn, buckwheat, sesame seeds, cured or smoked meats, caffeine, and alcohol
Should everyone make dietary choices according to their blood type?
Dr. D'Adamo's website states that 3 out of 4 people achieve positive changes in their overall health by eating according to blood type. These statistics come from an analysis of 7,000 people who reported their results following the Blood Type Diet for one month or more.
The fact that one in four people eating according to their blood type did not respond with improvements indicates that other variables influence the relationship between diet and health.
People affected by cancer should note that Dr. D'Adamo's study of 7,000 people might produce different results if only conducted in cancer patients.
What is the history of the blood type diet?
Dr. D'Adamo developed the blood type diet through his work as a naturopathic doctor beginning in the 1980s.
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