What is The Blood Type Diet?
By eating a diet based on your blood type (either O, A, B, or AB), you can stay lean and healthy, according to the diet's founder, a naturopathic physician, Peter J. D'Adamo.
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Private Healthcare Navigation and Patient Advocacy when YOU need it mostThis diet can be very restrictive and may be challenging for you. There is not any necessity for packaged or pre-made meals, which is a plus. But read on to make your own opinion.
Is the Blood Type Diet gluten-free?
If that is important to you, this is not a "gluten-free" diet, but you can make gluten-free choices.
What is the premise?
D'Adamo states that certain foods you eat have a chemical reaction with your specific blood type.
So, he suggests that following a diet specifically designed for your blood type will allow you to digest and process food more efficiently. The endpoint is the ability to lose weight, with more energy, and even have a role in disease prevention.
What can I eat?
This is the "Blood Type" Diet. Thus, what you can eat depends on your blood type.
Here are some typical generalizations made depending on your blood type and foods to focus on.
Type O blood:
A more sensitive digestive system
Foods to focus on include a high-protein diet heavy on lean meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables,
Eat fewer grains, beans, and dairy.
Type A blood:
A more sensitive immune system
Foods to focus on include a meat-free diet based on fruits and vegetables, beans, and legumes.
Type B blood:
Avoid corn, wheat, buckwheat, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts, and chicken
Foods to focus on include green vegetables, eggs, certain meats, and low-fat dairy
Type AB blood:
Foods to focus on include tofu, seafood, dairy, and green vegetables
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoked or cured meats
Is any recommended exercise with The Blood Type Diet?
The Blood Type Diet also recommends specific types of exercises based on your blood type. For example:
Type O blood:
Vigorous aerobic (cardio) exercises for up to an hour a day
Type A blood:
Yoga or Tai Chi
What about condiments?
There are recommendations about spices and condiments depending on your blood type.
What about supplements?
There are vitamin and herbal supplements recommended with this diet.
Does the Blood Type Diet work?
Yes, if you want to lose weight. You will likely lose weight with this restrictive diet, as anyone who avoids processed food and simple carbs would.
In other words, the Blood Type Diet makes recommendations based solely on your blood type. That does not mean that the weight loss has to do with blood type as much as making healthy food choices with balanced portion control.
Weight loss has less to do with blood type, as much as making healthy food choices, with balanced portion control.
In 2013, a major review concluded, "No evidence currently exists to validate the purported health benefits of blood type diets."
A major review concluded, "No evidence currently exists to validate the purported health benefits of blood type diets."
Does the Blood Type Diet address specific medical conditions?
The Blood Type Diet makes recommendations based on your blood type, not chronic conditions such as diabetes. Thus, the Blood Type Diet may contradict your medical conditions' recommended diet-based treatment plan. Speak to your doctor, nutritionist, or dietician.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the American Heart Association (AHA) do not use blood type in their dietary recommendations to prevent or manage diabetes or heart disease.
Am I supposed to exercise with the Blood Type Diet?
Yes. But always speak to your doctor first if there are any concerns about physical limitations.
What is the bottom line of the Blood Type Diet?
You will lose weight. You will eat healthily. You will avoid processed food and the "bad" simple carbs. But the weight loss on this diet has not been linked to your blood type.
You will lose weight. But the weight loss on this diet has not been linked to your blood type.
There is no substantiation with scientific studies that prove this diet gives you more energy. However, the diet changes surely will.
This diet has limitations that require time, energy, and cost.
The science and studies strongly support recommendations for healthy eating and gradual, safe weight loss. The science does not support restrictions based on the type of blood. But, if that is what it takes for you to eat healthily—then do it.
Personally
I eat a high-fiber, mostly plant-based 🌱 diet, no red meat, drink 4 liters of water a day, exercise, and am focused on keeping nutrition simple. I am sharing what works for me and what I routinely recommend to my patients.
"Balance. Portion control. Keep nutrition simple. Eat Smart. Eat Healthy. 🌱 🌾 🌿"
Gut Health ➕ Patient Advocacy with Navigation ➕ Life Balance
If you were looking for information about Private Healthcare Navigation and Patient Advocacy from Executive Health NavigationClick here for Executive Health Navigation✴ Connect with Dr. Dooreck on LinkedIn, where he focuses his sharing on Health, Diet, Nutrition, Exercise, Lifestyle, and Balance.
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