The Blood Type Diet
The Promise
Could eating a diet based on your blood type -- O, A, B, or AB -- help you trim downand get healthier? That's the idea behind the Blood Type Diet, created by naturopathPeter J. D'Adamo.
D'Adamo claims that the foods you eat react chemically with your blood type. If youfollow a diet designed for your blood type, your body will digest food more efficiently.You'll lose weight, have more energy, and help prevent disease.
Does It Work?
It's hard to tell whether the Blood Type Diet works, because there haven't been anystudies directly comparing weight loss and health in people who were on the dietagainst those who weren't.
Only one study has evaluated this kind of diet. It found that people with certain bloodtypes got more of a cholesterol-lowering benefit from eating a low-fat diet. But it didn'tprove that the Blood Type Diet works for weight
loss.
What You Can Eat
That depends on your blood type. Here's what D'Adamo recommends for each type:
Type O blood: A high-protein diet heavy on lean meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables,and light on grains, beans, and dairy. D'Adamo also recommends varioussupplements to help with tummy troubles and other issues he says people with typeO tend to have.
Type A blood: A meat-free diet based on fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes,and whole grains -- ideally, organic and fresh, because D'Adamo says people withtype A blood have a sensitive immune system.
Type B blood: Avoid corn, wheat, buckwheat, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts, andsesame seeds. Chicken is also problematic, D'Adamo says. He encourages eatinggreen vegetables, eggs, certain meats, and low-fat dairy.
Type AB blood: Foods to focus on include tofu, seafood, dairy, and greenvegetables. He says people with type AB blood tend to have low stomach acid. Avoidcaffeine, alcohol, and smoked or cured meats.
Level of Effort: High
If you don't already know your blood type, you'll need to find that out. The results willdetermine exactly what you need to do.
Limitations: Depending on your blood type, you may need to severely restrict thefoods you eat.
Cooking and shopping: Your blood type will determine your shopping list and yourchoices when eating out.
Packaged foods or meals? None required.
In-person meetings? No.
Exercise: The Blood Type Diet recommends exercises based on your blood type.For instance, it suggests yoga or tai chi for type A’s, and vigorous aerobic exerciseslike jogging or biking for up to an hour a day for type O’s.
Does It Allow for Dietary Restrictions or Preferences?
Because the diet dictates that you eat very specific types of food based on yourblood type, it doesn't allow much for personal tastes.
For example, if you're a big fan of meat and potatoes, you won't be very happy on thetype A diet, which is mostly vegetarian.
There are even recommendations about the types of spices and condiments you canuse.
If you're looking for a diet that's gluten-free, you should know that this diet doesn't bangluten. You may be able to make choices that are gluten-free, if you read food labelscarefully.
What Else You Should Know
Cost: D'Adamo recommends a lot of specialty and organic foods (such as soy milkand carob chip cookies), which can be pricey. Vitamin and herbal supplements arealso part of the diet.
Support: You do this diet on your own.