Understanding Blood Type Diets

Blood Type Diets is the key to how foods affect your body and as a consequence it provides a guide that can improve your health, physical vitality and emotional strength. The link between blood types and food explains many of the paradoxes that have been observed in dietary studies over the years, it also explains why some people are able to lose weight on particular diets whilst others do not.

You’re born with a certain blood type depending on the blood types of your biological parents. The four major blood groups are categorized based on two antigens, A and B, either being present or absent on the surface of your red blood cells. For example, someone with both antigens has AB blood, but someone with neither antigen present has O blood.

How Do I Start the Blood Type Diet?

The first thing you need to know before starting this diet is your blood type. Take a blood test to find out your blood type if you don’t already know it. You can request a test from your doctor, or you might be able to get your blood type confirmed while donating blood at a blood drive.

It’s worth noting that each person has an Rh, or Rhesus, factor in their red blood cells. Your blood will either be positive (+) if you have the Rh factor present, or negative (-) if you don’t. For the Blood Type Diet, your blood being positive or negative doesn’t play as big a role as the blood type group.

Once you know whether you’re type O, A, B, or AB, you can plan your snacks and meals around which foods are best for you. It’s possible for you to start this diet right away, or by slowly replacing the foods in your kitchen with ones that are better suited to your blood type.

Blood Type Diet Foods

What you’ll eat on this diet depends on your blood type. Here’s what D’Adamo suggests for each group:

O blood type diet

It’s a high-protein diet that’s heavy on lean meat, poultry, fish, fruits, and vegetables, and light on grains, beans, and dairy. If your goal is to lose weight, you should avoid carbs and choose seafood, kelp, red meat, broccoli, spinach, and olive oil. D’Adamo also recommends various supplements to help with tummy troubles and other issues he says people with type O tend to have.

A blood type diet

This involves a vegetarian diet based on fruits and vegetables, tofu, beans and legumes, and whole grains — ideally, organic and fresh — because D’Adamo says people with type A blood have a sensitive immune system.

Vegetables, pineapple, olive oil, and soy are best for weight loss, but dairy, wheat, corn, and kidney beans may lead to weight gain, he adds.

B blood type diet

It’s a mixed diet that includes meat, fruit, dairy, seafood, and grains. Avoid corn, wheat, buckwheat, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Chicken is also problematic, D’Adamo says. He encourages eating green vegetables, eggs, certain meats, and low-fat dairy.

AB blood type diet

Foods to focus on include tofu, seafood, dairy, and green vegetables. D’Adamo says people with type AB blood tend to have low stomach acid and should avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoked or cured meats. Some dairy, such as yogurt and kefir, are also good for this group.