A blood type diet is a nutrition diet plan based around your blood type. This kind of diet became popular with the release of Peter D’Adamo’s book Eat Right 4 Your Type. The book continues to be a bestseller. D’Adamo claims that the diet will not only bring about weight loss — but can assist with allergy and infection resistance, and will achieve overall good health.

What is a Blood Type Diet?

Most of the population has blood type O. This prescribed diet is low-carbohydrate, high in proteins (such as meat and fish), and low in dairy products. The author suggests to avoid specific foods such as avocados, brazil nuts, and oranges. Type O should also engage in lots of exercise.

Blood Type A should avoid red meat, eat plenty of fish and vegetables, with a low dairy intake. Light exercise only.

Blood Type B should avoid chicken and bacon, eat plenty of meat and dairy, some fish, and plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Blood Type AB combines the A and B diets.

Is This Diet For Real?

The author says that much of the recommendations are based on scientific evidence - but perhaps it is too early to make this claim. Metabolism and/or sugar/insulin sensitivity are probably key factors in deciding diet rather than blood type. Two people can have very different metabolisms and have the same blood type. One could be sensitive to carbohydrates or sugar, whilst the other needs a high carbohydrate diet.

Weight loss and other health improvements may occur on this diet because of a healthier diet instead of blood type combinations. The author encourages people to cut down on processed and refined foods. Good advice for anyone regardless of blood type.

The book also includes low calorie diets that will probably bring about weight loss in anyone (once again, regardless of blood type).

Sample Meal Plans for the Blood Type Diet

Type B Menu

Breakfast

Fluidizer cocktail
Rice bran cereal with banana and skim milk
Grape juice

Lunch

Sandwich - thin slice of cheese, thin slice of turkey breast, two slices of bread, mustard or mayonnaise
Green salad
Herbal tea

Snack

Fruit juice sweetened yogurt
Herbal tea

Dinner

Broiled Fish with steamed vegetables
Fresh fruit
Herbal tea or coffee

Type O Menu

Breakfast

2 slices toasted Ezekiel bread with butter
6 ounces vegetable juice
Banana
Herbal tea

Lunch

Organic Roast Beef, 6 ounces
Spinach Salad
Apple or pineapple slices
Water

Snack

1 slice of cake
Herbal tea

Dinner

Lamb and asparagus stew, steamed broccoli, sweet potato.
Mixed fresh fruit
Herbal tea (beer or wine allowed)

Type A Menu

Breakfast

Water with lemon
Oatmeal with soy milk and maple syrup
Grapefruit juice
Coffee or herbal tea

Lunch

Greek salad
Apple
1 slice sprouted wheat bread
Herbal tea

Snack

2 rice cakes with peanut butter
2 plums
Green tea or water

Dinner

Tofu Pesto Lasagna, Broccoli,
Frozen yogurt
Coffee or herbal tea (red wine if desired)

Type AB Menu

Breakfast

Water with lemon, 8 ounces diluted grapefruit juice, 2 slices Ezekiel bread, Yogurt-Herb Cheese, Coffee

Lunch

4 ounces sliced turkey breast, 2 slices rye bread
Caesar salad
2 plums
Herbal tea

Snack

Tofu Cheesecake
Iced herbal tea

Dinner

Tofu Omelet
Stir-fried vegetables
Mixed-fruit salad
Decaffeinated coffee (red wine if desired

Banned Foods

Any diet containing a long list of banned foods can be difficult to follow. Eat Right 4 Your Type and the various blood type diets included encourage a predominantly meat and fish diet, while grains, potatoes, cereals, breads, pasta are not encouraged as well as certain vegetables and fruits are also banned.