The blood type diet was first written by Peter J. D’Adamo in 1996, recommends eating specific foods based on your blood type (O, A, B, OR AB) to optimize health. Everything is bio individual, meaning what works for one person might not work for the next person with the same blood type. This diet ultimately supports eating primarily whole foods, eliminating the consumption of processed foods and getting adequate daily exercise. I am by no means a doctor, nor am I recommending that you should eat 100% based on your blood type, but I do believe this information could be useful for some. At the end of the day, do what works best for you and eat what makes you feel good. Always remember, you are your own health advocate.

(I’d also like to note that all information is from IIN Nutrition School.  )

Reference

• Adapted from Eat Right 4 your type (Adamo, P., & Whitney, C. (1996). Eat right 4 your type. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Blood Type A

• Strengths: Adapts well to changes in diet and environment, little need for animal foods, immune system preserves and metabolizes nutrients more easily
• Weaknesses: Sensitive digestive tract, vulnerable immune system and open to microbial invasion.
• Health Risks: Heart disease, cancer, anemia, liver, and gallbladder disorders, and type 1 diabetes.
• Diet Profile: Classic vegan/vegetarian: Veggies, tofu, seafood, grains, beans, legumes, and fruit.
• Weight Loss: Reduce: Meat, dairy, kidney beans, lima beans, and wheat. Increase: Vegetable oil, soy foods, vegetables and pineapple.
• Supplements: Vitamin B12 (for vegans), folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, hawthorn, and Echinacea.
• Exercise: Calming and centering exercises, such as yoga and tai chi

Blood Type B

• Strengths: Strong Immune System, versatile adaptation to changes in diet and environment, strong nervous system, and tolerates chaos.
• Weaknesses: No natural weaknesses, but has a tendency toward autoimmune breakdowns and rare viruses.
• Health Risks: Type 1 diabetes and chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune disorders (Lou Gehrig’s disease, lupus, and multiple sclerosis).
• Diet Profile: Omnivore: Meat (no chicken), dairy, grains, beans, legumes, vegetables, and fruit.
• Weight Loss: Reduce: Corn, lentils, peanuts, sesame seeds, buckwheat, and wheat. Increase: Greens, eggs, venison, liver, and licorice tea.
• Supplements: Magnesium, licorice, ginkgo, and lecithin
• Exercise: Moderate physical activity with mental balance, such as hiking, biking, tennis and swimming.

Blood Type AB

• Strengths: Adapts well to modern life, has a rugged immune system, combined benefits of Type A and Type B, most adaptable, can morph into anything, and can process information quickly.
• Weaknesses: Sensitive digestive tract, tendency for over-tolerant immune system that allows for microbial invasion, and has trouble feeling understood by society.
• Health Risks: Heart disease, cancer and anemia.
• Diet Profile: Mixed diet in moderation: Meat, seafood, dairy, tofu, beans, legumes, grains, vegetables, and fruit.
• Weight Loss: Reduce: Red meat, kidney beans, lima beans, seeds, corn, and buckwheat. Increase: Tofu, seafood, good quality dairy, greens, kelp, and pineapple.
• Supplements: Vitamin C, hawthorn, echinacea, valerian, quercetin, and milk thistle.
• Exercise: Calming, centering exercises, such as yoga or tai chi, combined with moderate physical exercises, such as hiking, cycling, and tennis.

Blood Type O

• Strengths: Hardy digestive tract, strong immune system, natural defenses against infections, efficient metabolism, shorter small intestines, and less chance for cancer.
• Weaknesses: Low tolerance for new diets and new environments, immune system can be overactive and attack itself, and baked goods may cause a tired and foggy feeling.
• Health Risks: Low thyroid, inflammation, arthritis, blood-clotting disorders, and ulcers (since they get overly acidic).
• Diet Profile: Red meat, strong enzymes to digest meat, high protein, vegetables, and fruit.
• Weight Loss: Reduce: Wheat/corn, baked goods, kidney beans, lentils, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. Increase: Kelp, seafood, salt, liver/redmeat, kale, spinach, broccoli, and pineapple.
• Supplements: Vitamin A, vitamin K, calcium, iodine, licorice, kelp, and coleus forskohlii (an herb for type Os who want to be vegetarian but crave meat)
• Exercise: Intense physical exercise, such as running, aerobics, contact sports, martial arts, and power yoga.

My favorite, healthy cookbooks