Does Blood Type Have Anything to do with Diet?

Let’s start this off with: Do you know what your blood type is?

Well, if you don’t, I suggest you learn as soon as possible. There’s a new diet on the market, and it’s called the blood type diet.

I know what you’re thinking, it sounds ridiculous. And it may be ridiculous; But people swear by it, so what’s the harm in trying it?

The blood type diet helps your body control it’s weight and maintain a good nutritious diet by providing your specific body with the best suited foods. These foods suit your body chemistry more than other foods, and that’s what the mechanism behind the diet stands by.

Basically, what the people who created this diet want you to think is that each blood type has different nutritional needs. Each blood type has a different diet, shockingly.

So, let’s start with type A and see where it leads us.

Type A

People with type A blood are supposed to go by the following diet:

• Eat vegetarian foods as much as you can
• Eat all natural, all organic, all pure, and all fresh foods; Nothing processed should be in your diet, ever
• Lower stress levels with the following exercise techniques:
  • Yoga
  • Tai Chi
  • Meditation

Type B

People with type B blood are supposed to go by the following diet:

• Do not eat the following foods:
  • Corn
  • Wheat
  • Lentils
  • Tomatoes
  • Peanuts
  • Sesame seeds
• Eating any of the foods listed above will do the opposite of what a diet should do. Instead, by eating these foods, and by having Type B blood, you’ll gain extra weight and mess up your metabolism
• In addition to the foods listed, chicken should also be avoided
• Eat the following foods instead:
  • Goat
  • Lamb
  • Rabbit
  • Venison
  • Green vegetables
  • Eggs
  • Low-fat dairy
• Other than eating foods, those with Type B blood are recommended to keep up with physical activity. Such physical activity exercises include the following:
  • Martial arts
  • Cycling
  • Hiking
  • Golfing

Type O

People with Type O blood are supposed to go by the following diet:

• Those with Type O blood should stay away from simple carbs and grains. This is due to the possibility of stomach acids becoming more acidic while taking in simple carbs and grains. Higher stomach acidity and a regular intake of simple carbs and grains can lead to body inflammation, therefore causing people with Type O blood to gain weight.
• Exercises that target the cardiovascular and muscular systems are highly recommended. An example of this would be running.

Type AB

People with Type AB blood are supposed to go by the following diet:

• Stay away from caffeine and alcohol (specifically when stressed)
• Eat more foods such as the following:
  • Tofu
  • Seafood
  • Dairy
  • Green vegetables
• Avoid foods such as the following:
  • Cured meats
  • Smoked meats
• Eat smaller meals
• Eat more frequent meals
• For exercises, focus on high/intense exercises and then transition to slow/calming exercises. A good example would be going from Spin class to Yoga class.

But, when implementing this type of diet into your life, you need to make sure that you are absolutely positive about your blood type. Do not allow yourself to assume, as this may cause an increase in weight gain and potential hormonal imbalances.

And, keep in mind that these are safe diets to take part in. Each blood type diet does not omit any food group, it just specifies what foods from what food groups are best for your specific blood type to eat. Most, if not all, foods are healthy that are stated above. It’s just a matter of switching from certain healthy foods to other healthy foods to really revel in the benefits.

Lastly, I understand the thought may have crossed your mind regarding whether or not this diet actually works. Well, think about it for a second. Eating all healthy foods, and no processed foods, generally allows you to lose some extra weight, doesn’t it? Such unhealthy and processed foods have actually been known to lead to weight gain in many instances, so cutting these foods out should automatically tell you that you’ll lose some weight. And, you may see quick results, depending on how your diet was prior to starting this one up.

Keep in mind, trying this diet may not work for you. Just as the diet plans that marketing experts lead you to believe work, and just as the diets you hear other people try and find great results or bad results with, you’ll never know until you try. This could be the diet for you, and it may very well not be the diet for you. But, if you really think about it, and you understand that cutting out all those crappy foods you were eating before can really work, what’s the harm in trying this new diet?

Also, if you like the foods that are listed under your blood type’s diet, and you dislike the foods you are unable to have in your blood type’s diet, what’s the real harm in giving it a shot?

If it doesn’t work, take my advice and try sticking with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Don’t add sugar to what you eat. And eat an adequate amount of lean proteins. The only part that sucks about this route is the avoidance of meats and sweets in the diet (or at least a very high limitation of them). So, try out the blood type diet, and see where it takes you.

By Jenny Lyn