The Blood Type Diet

Celebrities known to be fans of the ‘Blood Type’ Diet are Liz Hurley, Courney Cox-Arquette, and Martine McCutcheon. In Peter D’Adamo’s Book- ‘Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type’ he introduces a way of eating that is specified to whatever blood type you are. This determines what foods are good and what foods aren’t for our blood type. His book looks back at the origins of the four blood types and explains how they have been developed for the different types of blood groups.

With four different blood types D’Adamo asks- why shouldn’t we have specialized diets for each of these?

To determine what foods you eat on the Blood group diet is all down to lectins, which is the food Proteins that each blood type digests differently. If you consume foods that contain lectins which are incompatible with your blood type you can experience problems such as a slower metabolism, bloating and even cancer. The only way to avoid these is to eat the food that is meant for your blood type.

In the ‘Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type Diet’ all the foods fall into three categories:

– Highly beneficial
– Neutral
– Avoid

‘Beneficial foods’ are healthy and act like a medicine to your blood type, ‘neutral foods’ like food, however ‘avoid foods’ act like a poison to your blood type.

On the Blood Type Diet what you eat and how you exercise depends on what blood group you fall into.

Blood Group O – You are suggested to decrease your intake of breads and grain as well as oranges, brazil nuts and avocados. However, your body will benefit from high protein (fish and meat) and very low intake of dairy products. Plenty of exercise is also recommended.

Blood Group A – it’s more Vegetarian like as you should be eating lots of vegetables as well as fish along with a low intake of dairy products. You should avoid red meat and some very manageable exercise is recommended for this group.

Blood Group B – You should avoid bacon and chicken. However, you can eat plenty of dairy and meat and a little bit of fish, you can indulge in lots of fruits and vegetables, you should also exercise moderately.

Blood Group AB – This combines the diets for A and B blood groups. You should avoid pork, chicken and beef but you can consume seafood, dairy products and tofu. Slow calming exercises are recommended for this group.

How much weight can you lose on The Blood Type diet?

You will lose weight with this diet, but D’Adamo does not state an official amount; it would depend on how much food you restrict yourself from consuming. Each of the blood diets does eliminate certain food groups such as bread, meat, fish and dairy products.

Blood Type O Sample Menu

Breakfast – two toasted slices of Ezekiel bread with butter, one banana, one pear, one apple, and herbal tea.

Lunch – organic roast beef (6oz), spinach salad, apple or pineapple slices, and water.

Snack – slice of cake with herbal tea.

Dinner – small lean grilled rump steak with roasted red pepper, sweet potato and onion. Mixed fruit and herbal tea.

Blood Type A Sample Menu

Breakfast – two slices of wholegrain bread with peanut butter and grapefruit juice, or if preferred coffee or herbal tea.

Lunch – vegetable soup with two slices of wholegrain bread and one apple with herbal tea.

Snack – handful of cherries, two plums or rice cakes with peanut butter.

Dinner – tofu pesto lasagna, broccoli, frozen yoghurt and a coffee or herbal tea

Blood type B sample menu

Breakfast – bowl of porridge made with half water and skimmed milk with one banana and a glass of grape juice.

Lunch – sandwich with one thin slice of cheese, thin slice of turkey breast with mayonnaise or mustard with green salad.

Snack – one fat free yoghurt and a herbal tea.

Dinner – boiled fish with steamed veg, fresh fruit and a herbal tea or coffee.

Blood type AB sample menu

Breakfast – Puffed rice with skimmed milk and a glass of pineapple juice.

Lunch – 4oz sliced turkey breast with two slices of rye bread, caesar salad, two plums and a herbal tea.

Snack – two rice cakes with cottage cheese and a handful or grapes.

Dinner – turkey stir fry made with turkey breast, olive oil, broccoli, onion, cauliflower, carrots and mushrooms, served with brown rice. Mixed fruit salad and a decaffeinated coffee.