Should You Try The Blood Type Diet For Weight Loss And Health Improvements
Whatever you do to lose weight, it has to be reasonable to be sustainable, Weinandy says. She notes that the blood type diet may work for some people, but given how restrictive it is, people may have trouble sticking with it long term and thus not be able to keep off the weight they lost.
Still, for people curious about the benefits of the blood type diet, Weinandy sees no harm in trying it for a short period of time. More important, make sure that you are eating wholesome foods that are not processed, she advises, noting that she often directs patients more toward a Mediterranean diet or a DASH diet for overall health and weight loss.
Additional reporting by Stephanie Bucklin
Eating For Your Blood Type
Different blood types may make people more or less susceptible to certain conditions. A large genetic study from 2019, for example, found that people with type A and AB blood have an increased risk of gastric cancer.
The results of an earlier study suggested that people belonging to the A, B, or AB blood groups have an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
A 2019 study in Croatia also found an association between the AB blood type and the risk of psychiatric disorders. The researchers suggested that those in the AB blood group are three times as likely as those in other blood groups to have a psychiatric disorder.
According to DAdamo, a chemical reaction occurs when the blood comes into contact with certain foods, specifically with a protein called lectin.
Lectins have a direct effect on the blood and the digestive tract. The protein binds to cells within the body, causing them to clump together, which can potentially lead to hormonal disruptions.
The effect that this produces on the body is similar to that of a foreign substance being present.
DAdamo suggests that people with different blood types react differently to particular types of food and their lectins. As a result, he recommends specific diets for people with these different blood types.
However, no research to date suggests that lectins affect people in specific blood groups differently.
A Food List For Each Blood Type: What To Eat And Avoid
If youre interested in exploring the eating plan, heres an outline of what foods you should eat and stay away from based on each blood type:
- Type O: If you are type O, like an estimated 46 percent of the population, the Eat Right 4 Your Type program suggests that you stay away from wheat, dairy, caffeine, and alcohol. Reach instead for fruits, vegetables, and lean, organic meats.
- Type A: People whose blood is type A are steered toward a vegetarian diet, including soy proteins, grains, and vegetables. They are also encouraged to eat organic and fresh food in as natural a state as possible.
- Type B: People whose blood is type B are identified as omnivores who can eat a variety of foods. They should avoid certain foods like corn, wheat, buckwheat, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts, sesame seeds, and chicken and instead opt for goat, lamb, mutton, rabbit, green vegetables, eggs, and low-fat dairy products.
- Type AB: People whose blood is type AB should choose tofu, seafood like mahi-mahi and salmon, dairy like yogurt and kefir, and green vegetables like kale and broccoli. They should avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoked and cured meats, and try to eat more small meals throughout the day, according to the diet.
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Which Foods Should O
Youll need to deny yourself an extensive list of food when on the diet. Most beans and grains, for instance, should absolutely be avoided. Grain contain lectins that interfere with insulin metabolism, while beans make muscle tissue less acidic and may even block the metabolism of other nutrients. Having said that, you are allowed some exceptions such as azuki and pinto beans, as well as barley, rice, and buckwheat.
Although vegetables and fruit make up an essential part of most diets, some of them are not suitable for people with blood type O. Those to avoid include eggplant, potatoes, corn, avocado, strawberries, and blackberries.
Eggplants and potatoes are not allowed, as they adversely contribute to arthritis due to the chemical solanine found in them. You should also avoid corn because it affects insulin regulation.
Do not eat oranges, strawberries or blackberries as these might cause inflammation of the stomach lining because of the fact that they are highly acidic.
Furthermore, avocado is high in fat. People with blood type O are recommended to keep it away from their diet.
People going on the blood type O diet should also keep away from certain types of meat and seafood, and most dairy products. This is because they include hard to digest animal protein. Such meat includes pork, ham, bacon, goose, octopus, caviar, smoked salmon, milk, and milk-based goods such as yogurt and ice-cream.
Which Blood Group Is Called The Universal Donor

The blood group O negative is called universal donor because it can donate blood to any person regardless of their blood type. It is also used for blood transfusion in newborns.
Like donors who are O positive with CMV negative, people with O-negative blood type who is also CMV negative are called heroes for babies at the red cross society.
People with O-negative blood groups can only receive O-negative blood, which is a blood group that is high in demand. It is present in a mere 7 percent of the population.
- Due to its relative rarity and high demand, blood group O negative is often met with the shortage.
- Hence, healthy people with this blood type are encouraged to donate blood and contribute to saving many lives.
Data suggest that although 50 percent of the US population is eligible to donate blood, a mere 5 percent donate blood. If you are among the eligible population, you must consider donating blood so that it may be used when someone needs it.
Before the blood groups were discovered, people were transfused blood without matching or typing. This resulted in several complications and even deaths.
Blood transfusion these days is only done after blood typing. Hence, people with certain blood groups can only donate to and receive from specific blood groups.
Table. Blood group transfusion
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Identify Your Dietary Guidelines
The keto diet plan is a low-carb, high-fat diet. The objective of the keto diet plan is to place your body in a state of ketosis, which will assist you burn fat extra efficiently.
When beginning the keto diet plan is to establish your dietary guidelines, the first step. This includes picking the macronutrient ratios youll adhere to and selecting your foods from that checklist of approved foods.
Cons Of The Blood Type Diet
Despite some potential benefits, the blood type diet is not recommended by health experts and has several drawbacks.
- Not effective: There is no research to support that the blood-type diet is an effective weight-loss strategy.
- Not based on science: Eating for your specific blood type is not rooted in science. The available research on the blood type diet includes a study published in the journal PLoS One in 2014. Anyone following some of the diets, no matter their blood type, may either see benefits or no changes, according to the study.
- Requires unsubstantiated supplements: Although proponents of the blood type diet suggest that the use of dietary supplements can help people following the diet plan meet their nutritional needs, such supplements are not regarded as a reasonable substitute for a healthy, balanced meal plan.
- Can be restrictive: Since the diets prescribed for blood types A and O are restrictive, there’s some concern that individuals following these diets may fail to achieve sufficient intake of many vitamins and minerals that are essential for health.
- Not backed by evidence: A research review published in 2013 found that further studies are still needed to support any of the health claims associated with the blood type diet. In this review, scientists looked at 16 previously published reports on the blood type diet and concluded that “no evidence currently exists to validate the purported health benefits of blood type diets.”
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Are Their Diets Based On Blood Type
Naturopathic doctor Peter DAdamo, ND, came up with a weight loss plan known as the blood type diet. This eating plan says a person should eat according to their blood type. For example, if you have type A blood, youd eat a vegetarian diet. If you have B blood, you can eat most foods, and those with type O blood should only consume protein and vegetables.
But a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that blood type had no effect on body weight, body fat percentage, plasma lipid concentrations, or glycemic control in individuals consuming a plant-based diet, thereby debunking the merits of the blood type diet.
But Does Eating For Your Blood Type Work
High-quality studies about the blood type diet had not been published in peer-reviewed medical literature. Even now, a search in the medical literature for the authors name reveals no research pertaining to this diet. Studies published in 2013 and 2014 about the blood type diets are worth noting. The 2013 study analyzed the worlds medical literature and found no studies demonstrating benefit from a blood type diet. The 2014 study found that while people following any of the blood type diets had some improvement in certain cardiometabolic risk factors , those improvements were unrelated to blood type. Similarly, a 2021 study of a people on a low-fat vegan diet found no connection between blood type and lipid levels or other metabolic measures.
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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 various supplements to help with tummy troubles and other issues he says people with type O 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 with type A blood have a sensitive immune system.
Type B blood: 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.
Type AB blood: Foods to focus on include tofu, seafood, dairy, and green vegetables. He says people with type AB blood tend to have low stomach acid. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoked or cured meats.
Are There Any Pros
There are not many positive things to say about this diet, which is clearly based on science fiction rather than science fact.
However, as with any diet, it will get you thinking about what you are currently eating, with the result that you may start to make changes to your diet.
Added to this, the blood type diet recommends eating fresh, natural foods and so can help you de-junk your diet by cutting out processed foods, takeaways, booze, chocolate and too many cups of coffee all of which our ancestors missed out on!
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Pros Of The Blood Type Diet
Like all fad diets, the blood type diet has positives and negatives.
- Encourages exercise: The blood type diet encourages exercise. Research shows that regular exercise combined with a healthy diet can lead to weight loss and promote weight management. However, there is no research to support the blood type diet as an effective weight-loss strategy.
- Emphasizes whole foods: Each blood type plan emphasizes choosing whole foods over processed foods, which is a healthy choice. The program also offers a wide variety of compliant foods for some of the blood types, which may make it easier to stick with.
- Can be a well-rounded choice: Although each blood type comes with its own set of dietary restrictions, the program is not a low-calorie diet with unhealthy restrictions on calorie intake. Plans for types B and AB are more well-rounded and can provide most if not all of the necessary nutrients for a well-balanced diet. However, the plans for types A and O restrict certain healthy food groups, which is not a smart long-term eating plan for many people.
Proponents of the blood type diet claim that the program can help you burn fat more efficiently, increase your energy levels, support your immune system, and lower your risk of major health problems like heart disease and cancer. However, there is currently a lack of scientific evidence to support these claims.
Blood Type Diet Features

Peter D’Adamo, a naturopathic physician and author of “Eat Right 4 Your Type,” says that following a specialized meal plan based on your blood type is superior to conventional diet approaches. D’Adamo believes that proteins on your blood cells react negatively with certain foods, causing weight gain and chronic medical conditions. The blood type diet requires you to eat specific foods based on your blood type to limit these negative interactions and improve your overall health. No scientific evidence suggests that the blood type diet reduces inflammation or promotes weight loss.
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The Potential Benefits Of The Blood Type Diet
I have no problems with the blood type A recommendations, which is a plant-based diet, says Grotto. Overall, the recommendations are good for most of the blood types.
Also, the Eat Right 4 Your Type diet does help people reduce calories and can lead to weight loss. Unlike a lot of other fad diets, the general advice is good, Grotto says. I have dealt with patients who say they feel better after following the diet.
What Is The A Blood Type
Blood has an array of cells that are needed for proper body function. These include plasma, red and white blood cells, and platelets.
Antigens are also present in blood and are responsible for triggering a response by the immune system to counter attacks from foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses.
One in three people in the United States has A positive blood type, making it the second most common in the country. As such, it can be a good type to have if a person in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion or wishes to donate blood.
People with A positive blood type can receive the following blood types:
A negative is rarer, with 1 in 16 people having the blood group, and able to receive only A negative and O negative transfusions.
The common blood types vary in different countries, so if you are outside the U.S. and need a blood transfusion be sure to check for the common types in your area.
Be sure to make the necessary arrangements if you are in a part of the world with fewer A positive donors, such as Asia, as it may be harder to receive the treatment you need.
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Whats The Blood Type Diet
In 1996 Peter DAdamo, a naturopathic physician, published a book in which he described how people could be healthier, live longer, and achieve their ideal weight by eating according to their blood type. Ones choice of condiments, spices, and even exercise should depend on ones blood type. Soon, the book was a best seller and people everywhere were finding out their blood type, revising their grocery lists, and changing how they ate, exercised, and thought about their health.
Here are some of the recommendations according to the “Eat Right for Your Type” diet:
As mentioned, the recommendations for the blood type diets extend well beyond food choices. For example, people with type O blood are advised to choose high-intensity aerobic exercise and take supplements for their sensitive stomachs, while those with type A blood should choose low-intensity activities and include meditation as part of their routine.
A Positive Blood Type Diet: What Do Studies Say
One of the central theories of the blood type diet is associated with proteins called lectins. These are considered anti-nutrients, and they may have a negative impact on the gut lining. The blood type diet theory claims there are lectins in the diet that target different ABO blood types.
Eating the wrong types of lectins is thought to lead to the clumping together of red blood cells. Although some evidence suggests that raw lima beans may interact with red blood cells in blood type A individuals, overall, the majority of agglutinating lectins react with all ABO blood types. In other words, lectins are not specific to a blood type aside from a few raw legumes.
What about research on ABO blood types and diet? There is strong evidence that people with certain blood types can have a lower or higher risk for various diseases. For instance, those with blood type A are more likely to have a higher risk for microbial infections. That being said, women with type A blood are likely to have a higher rate of fertility, too.
However, no studies show that this has anything to do with your diet.
One large study published in the journal PLoS One of 1,455 young adults eating a type A diet with lots of fruits and vegetables was associated with better health markers. But, this effect was seen in everyone following the type A diet and not just those with type A blood.
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Exactly How Can I Start A Keto Diet Regimen Plan
There are four crucial steps to starting a keto diet plan:.
1) The very first step is to cut out all carbohydrates from your diet.
2) The 2nd action is to quit consuming refined food, foods with sugarcoated or sweetening agents, and foods with also artificial active ingredients or numerous chemicals.
3) The third action is to eat more healthy protein this helps maintain really feeling full without adding additional carbs.
4) The fourth step is to reduce your calorie consumption if needed. Keto Diet Plan For O Positive Blood Type