The blood type diet is a relatively new diet that is starting to make a splash but what it's all about and how does it work? Read on to find out more.
About the Blood Type Diet
The blood type diet was developed by Dr Peter D'Adamo, the author of "Eat Right For Your Type". When you eat, a chemical reaction occurs between the foods eaten and your blood, and this reaction is due to your genetic inheritance. It is caused by lectins, proteins that are found in foods. Lectins have agglutinating properties that affect your blood, meaning that when you eat a food that contains lectins that are incompatible with your blood type, the lectins target part of your body and begin to agglutinate the blood cells in that area. Different lectins target different parts of the body. Fortunately, most lectins are not so life threatening, although they can cause problems, especially if they are specific to a certain blood type. Your immune system protects you from the effects of lectins for the most part with 95 percent of lectins from the diet being removed from the body. However, this leaves 5 percent of lectins which are filtered into the bloodstream.
The blood type diet is designed to restore the body's natural genetic rhythm, with each food group being divided into three categories – highly beneficial, foods allowed, and foods not allowed.
Blood Types and their Associated Diets
Blood type O is the hunter and is the earliest human blood group. They have the strongest digestive systems. If you are type O, you thrive on a high protein diet and are naturally meat eaters. You are allowed to eat meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit. Grains, beans, and legumes should be eaten in limited amounts. For weight loss, you should avoid wheat, corn, kidney beans, navy beans, lentils, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and mustard greens. To help with weight loss, eat kelp, seafood, salt, liver, red meat, kale, spinach, and broccoli.
Blood type A is the cultivator and it dates from the dawn of agriculture. Type A are naturally vegetarian and should eat vegetables, tofu, seafood, grains, beans, legumes, and fruit. To lose weight, they should avoid meat, dairy, kidney beans, lima beans, and wheat. To help with weight loss, type A people should eat vegetable oil, soy foods, vegetables, and pineapple.
Blood type B is the nomad and is associated with a strong immune system and a flexible digestive system. Type B people are balanced omnivores and can eat meat (but not chicken), dairy, grains, beans, legumes, vegetables, and fruit. To lose weight, they should not eat corn, lentils, peanuts, sesame seeds, buckwheat, and wheat. For weight loss, eat greens, eggs, venison, liver, licorice, and tea.
Blood type AB is the enigma and is the most recently evolved blood type. Type AB people can eat a mixed diet in moderation and should eat meat, seafood, dairy, tofu, beans, legumes, grains, vegetables, and fruits. To lose weight, try not to eat red meat, kidney beans, lima beans, seeds, corn, and buckwheat. Weight loss is helped by eating tofu, seafood, dairy, greens, kelp, and pineapple.
Originally published on May 07, 2018
