Blood Type Diet: What to Eat Based on Your Blood Type

How different blood types evolved throughout history

The blood type diet looks at the evolutionary and genetic makeup of our human ancestors, tracking the different blood groups over long periods of time. The first humans were hunter-gatherers who survived on a diet of large game animals and some plants. It hypothesizes that since blood type O is the simplest blood group, it must have been the first blood group to emerge in our ancestors.

As humans became more sedentary with the discovery of agriculture and built their communities around their lands, they incorporated more plants and less meat into their diet. This changed the way their body digested food, producing a variation in the blood type: A.

Other groups of people remained nomadic, moving from place to place in search of sustenance. Those who settled in the mountains of Asia consumed different foods than their agricultural counterparts and survived harsh climates. This led to the development of a new blood type: B.

The AB blood type emerged as people with those different blood types mingled with one another. Thus, each of these blood types emerged because of our ancestors’ environmental and lifestyle changes over long periods of time.

How the Blood Type Diet works in the Body

The blood type diet is based on the theory that people with different blood types have different reactions to specific foods. Some foods contain lectins that are incompatible with a person’s specific blood type. Hence, when an incompatible lectin reacts to a blood type antigen, a chemical reaction called agglutination occurs where the blood begins to thicken and clump together.

Blood usually coagulates to fight infection. If the blood coagulates because a lectin is present, the body’s immune system believes it is under attack. This triggers an immune system response, and the body produces antibodies to destroy the lectin, which it considers a foreign object.  This causes the body to feel extremely tired and disrupts other bodily functions.

An individual’s reaction to lectins present in different foods varies depending on whether or not he or she secretes their blood type antigens into their bodily fluids like their urine or saliva. Individuals who secrete antigens are called secretors, while those who do not are called non-secretors. Secretors’ bodies have stronger negative responses to lectins than non-secretors, so they have to be even more careful about what they eat.

Thus, the diet works by restricting certain foods for different blood types to prevent agglutination. By avoiding these foods, the human body will function more efficiently. People will have healthier immune and digestive systems. They will also have more energy throughout the day because their bodies digest food more efficiently and can devote energy to other tasks.

What happens when lectins bind to antigens? 

Depending on which blood type antigen they attach to, lectins can cause an agglutination reaction where the blood coagulates or clumps together. The body believes that a foreign substance is present and activates the immune system causing it to go into overdrive. 

Therefore, the body’s responses to lectins can disrupt an individual’s immune system, digestion, and hormonal balance.

Gut bacteria:

The diet also recognizes a link between blood type and gut bacteria. People with different blood types have different gut bacteria in their digestive tracts. Since blood type antigens are everywhere in our body, especially in our gut and digestive tract, harmful lectins can also bind to the mucosal lining of the gut.

This causes the blood to coagulate in the gut, slowing down digestion, and blocking the gut from absorbing nutrients properly. Thus, if an individual eats the right types of food which contain lectins that are compatible with his/her blood antigens, they will be able to digest food and absorb nutrients more efficiently. 

The Blood Type Diet: different foods for different blood types 

The blood type is not based on the amounts of macronutrients or calories your body consumes. Instead, it focuses on restricting food groups for each blood type to help maintain proper body functions and prevent and treat medical conditions.

- Blood Type O: People on the O blood type diet should follow a low-carb diet and eat plenty of protein. They can eat lean meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables, and fewer grains, beans, and dairy.

- Blood Type A: People on the A blood type diet should follow an organic, vegetarian, or semi-vegetarian food plan. They can eat more fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains with little to no meat (vegetarian diet). 

- Blood Type B: People on the blood type B diet can eat meat, vegetables, fruit, and dairy products. They should avoid eating chicken and foods with gluten. They can eat plants (green vegetables are encouraged), eggs, most meats (except chicken and pork), and low-fat dairy. They should avoid wheat, corn, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts, and sesame seeds.

- Blood Type AB: People on this blood type diet can eat foods recommended for type A and type B blood types. They should eat foods in moderation. They can eat seafood, tofu, dairy, beans, and grains. They should avoid kidney beans, corn, beef, and chicken.

Blood Type Diet food list by blood type

Blood Type O

People who are blood type O can eat these foods because they do not contain lectins that are harmful to their blood type:

- Meat (particularly lean meat and seafood for weight loss)

- Fish

- Vegetables (broccoli, spinach, and kelp are good for weight loss)

- Fruits

- Olive oil

Blood Type A

People who are blood type A can eat these foods because they do not contain lectins that are harmful to their blood type:

- Soy protein, such as tofu

- Certain grains, such as spelt, hulled barley, and sprouted bread

- Walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and peanuts

- Olive oil

- Certain fruits, such as blueberries and elderberries

- Certain kinds of beans and legumes

- Certain vegetables, especially dark, leafy greens, such as kale, Swiss chard, and spinach

- Garlic and onions

- Cold-water fish, such as sardines and salmon

- Limited amounts of chicken and turkey

- Green tea

- Ginger

Blood Type B

People who are blood type B can eat these foods because they do not contain lectins that are harmful to their blood type:

- Eggs 

- Seafood   

- Beans and peas (are a source of fiber and other important minerals)

- Vegetables like broccoli and garlic (they prevent disease) 

- Fruits like bananas, grapes, watermelons, and plums

- Grains like barley, gluten-free bread, quinoa,  spelt, and rice 

- Certain meats like beef, buffalo, and veal

- Nuts and seeds, especially walnuts

- Dairy products

Blood Type AB

People who are blood type AB can eat these foods because they do not contain lectins that are harmful to their blood type:

- Soy protein like tofu 

- Seafood 

- Dairy

- Beans 

- Green vegetables

- Whole grains

Blood Type Diet recommendations

- Eat fresh and organic fruits and vegetables: fresh or organic fruits and vegetables have more nutrients. If people eat fruits and vegetables that have been sprayed with pesticides, the chemicals in the pesticides could cause the body to believe it is under attack and overwork the body’s immune system, eventually weakening it.

- Take certain supplements depending on your blood type: the diet restricts the consumption of meat and dairy for specific blood types. This may result in malnutrition, so some blood types must take nutritional supplements to ensure that they get the vitamins and minerals their body needs.

• Blood type O individuals need to take Vitamin C, B12, iron, and folic acid supplements.
• Blood type A individuals need to take Vitamin B, K, calcium, and licorice supplements.
• Blood type B individuals need to take magnesium, ginkgo, licorice, and lecithin supplements.
• Blood type AB individuals need to take Vitamin C, B12, and iron supplements.

- Exercise regularly: Peter D’Adamo recommends different kinds of exercise based on your blood type.

The different types of exercise for each blood type are listed below:

• Blood type O: People who are type O should engage in intense exercising activities like jogging or biking.
• Blood type A: People who are type A should focus on low-level activity and stress-relieving exercises like yoga or tai chi.
• Blood type B:  People who are type B should focus on moderate-level exercise and can include yoga or other mindfulness practices.
• Blood type AB: People with type AB blood can combine exercises from blood types A and B.

Blood Type Diet: what you should avoid in general

All of the blood types should avoid:

- Processed meats: these meats contain high amounts of salt and preservatives that are not good for your body.

- Foods that are high in sugar: high sugar foods can increase blood sugar levels and cause weight gain.

- Simple carbohydrates: simple carbohydrates can cause weight gain because they are broken down and converted into fat.

- Drinking water with meals: do not drink water when you are eating because this can slow down digestion.

Blood Type Diet: restricted foods by blood type

Foods to avoid for Blood type O

These foods contain lectins that are harmful to type O individuals:

o  Wheat.
o  Corn.
o  Legumes.
o  Kidney beans.
o  Dairy

Foods to avoid for Blood type A

These foods contain lectins that are harmful to type A individuals:

o  Beef
o  Pork
o  Lamb
o  Cow’s milk
o  Potatoes, yams, and sweet potatoes
o  Certain vegetables, such as cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and mushrooms
o  Lima beans
o  Certain fruits, such as melons, oranges, strawberries, and mangos
o  Poultry other than chicken and turkey, such as duck
o  Venison
o  Fish, such as bluefish, barracuda, haddock, herring, and catfish
o  Some grains and grain products, such as wheat bran, multigrain bread, and durum wheat
o  Refined sugar
o  Refined carbohydrates, such as white flour and white bread
o  Oils other than olive oil
o  Artificial ingredients
o  Most condiments

Foods to avoid for Blood type B

These foods contain lectins that are harmful to type B individuals:

o  Corn 
o  Wheat, 
o  Chicken 
o  Buckwheat  
o  Lentils, 
o  Tomatoes, 
o  Some nuts like peanuts 
o  Some seeds like sesame seeds

Foods to avoid for Blood type AB

These foods contain lectins that are harmful to type AB individuals:

o  Some beans like red beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas
o  Smoked and cured meats
o  Chicken, duck, and goose 
o  Condiments like mustard and vinegar
o  Duck eggs 
o  Some cheeses like American cheese, blue cheese, brie cheese, Camembert, Parmesan, provolone
o  Certain fruits like avocado, bananas, bitter melon, coconut/coconut milk, dewberries, guava, mango, oranges, persimmons, and pomegranates

Blood Type Diet benefits

The blood type diet provides the right food for each blood type. By doing so, it helps treat and prevent many medical conditions and improves overall health.

The blood type diet can treat several diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and allergies. It can also fight aging and promote weight loss.

Below is a list of the diet’s benefits for each of the following conditions:

- Cancer: the diet can treat or prevent cancer by recommending foods that are best suited to people’s blood type. This can boost the body’s immune system and encourage it to fight carcinogens by emphasizing foods that have medicinal properties according to one’s blood type. The diet also works to eliminate various toxins from your body and fight unregulated cancer cells.

- Heart disease: the diet can treat or prevent heart disease by prescribing foods that are suitable for each blood type. If people avoid specific food groups that elevate the cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, they will reduce their risk of heart disease. Blood type A and AB individuals have to avoid meat and limit dairy, while blood type O and B individuals must eliminate wheat and wheat-based products from their diet to prevent heart disease. 

- Diabetes: the diet can treat or prevent diabetes by providing people with foods that are best suited to their blood type. Certain foods help regulate blood sugar, LDL (bad) cholesterol, normalize blood pressure, and improve thyroid function to help fight diabetes.

- Arthritis: the diet can treat or prevent arthritis by recommending foods that are best suited to their blood type. It encourages people to eat foods that restore immune system function and stop inflammation. It also limits or restricts foods that contain lectins that trigger inflammation and destroy the joints.

- Allergies: the diet can treat or prevent allergies by providing people with foods that are best suited to their blood type. These foods lower the body’s overall stress levels and work to decrease inflammation. The diet limits foods that contain harmful lectins that release extra histamine into the body and disrupt the body’s immune system function.

- Alzheimer’s disease: the diet can treat or prevent brain injuries and impairments by prescribing foods that improve blood circulation to the brain because blood will stop coagulating around harmful lectins and impede blood flow around the body. These foods will also decrease blood pressure, which helps regulate blood flow. The diet also eliminates foods that cause infection and stress, which reduces the possibility of a brain injury.

- Aging: The diet can prevent or reduce wrinkles, age spots, and sagging skin and other signs of aging. If an individual eats food that is not compatible with the person’s blood type, the skin will become overly oily or inflamed and produce acne or other blemishes.

- Improved energy: the diet also helps fight fatigue because it eliminates foods that are incompatible with a person’s blood type. Incompatible foods with harmful lectins trigger an unnecessary immune response. However, when the body eats suitable foods, it does not need to focus on protecting itself and can devote more energy to other tasks.

- Weight loss: the diet recommends specific foods for each blood type to help the person lose weight. Accordingly, each blood type can easily metabolize and digest the suitable foods.

- Better digestion: The diet improves digestion because it eliminates foods that contain lectins that are not suitable for each blood type. The body can digest food more efficiently when blood stops coagulating around harmful lectins. It can also absorb more nutrients from the food because lectins do not prevent the nutrients from binding to the gut’s mucosal lining.

Blood Type Diet precautions

The diet can be restrictive for some blood types, like type A and type O, so they have to be careful to receive the vitamins and minerals their body needs.

People with chronic health conditions such as diabetes should consult a medical professional or a dietician before starting a diet based on their blood type because the dietary recommendations for their blood type might not be good for them.

Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new diet or treatment.