Blood Type Diet
A blood type diet is a nutrition 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. Here the prescribed diet is low-carbohydrate, high in proteins (such as meat and fish), and low in dairy products. The author suggests specific foods to avoid; 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 claims 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 – not 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 – not so much because of blood type combinations, but because of a healthier diet! 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 MenuBreakfast Lunch Snack Dinner |
Type O Menu Breakfast Lunch Snack Dinner |
Type A MenuBreakfast Lunch Snack Dinner |
Type AB MenuBreakfast Lunch Snack Dinner |
More recipes ideas can be found here.
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. Interestingly, certain vegetables and fruits are also banned.
See Also
www.dadamo.com – The authors home page.

Hi Everyone – I just wanted to suggest that before you start to change your diet based on what you have read about the Blood Type Diet, take a look at what other doctors’ comments are about it – esp. if you are vegetarian/vegan. (check out – http://www.veg.ca/content/view/128/110/) Blood Type characteristics determination had been used in Japan and rest of Asia for decades and had been debunked several times over. I am not saying that Blood Type Diet does not work, in fact, I believe it worked for some. I am simply stating that it does not hurt to do a little research before changing your diet and health based of what may have worked for someone else. Most of the time, our body knows better than any doctor, we simply just have to pay attention to it. Check the site out – http://www.veg.ca/content/view/128/110/ – you may not agree with it but it is a starting point of your research, right?
should i be taking the meals listed above to bring back my red blood cells and white blood cells that reads negative due to infection i had in the past?reply immediately if not whait should i take?
very interested in this eating plan . i am a positive. could you recomend a eating plan for me. thanks. jennifer
Hi, am 80kg by weight and my blood group is O. How do i achieve 70kg which is my target.
At 70 yrs of age I felt that my indigestion would never improve nor my poor bowel syndrom however the change effected me within a short time period for the better,lost 20lbs without trying & regained energy,Now off blood pressure pills & find theplan can be very helful by making small adjustments & eating healthy.Don ” Former Skepic”
hi!
i’m having 93kg. i try to lost my weight but it seem so hard for me. i took pill to lost weight from 90 to 83 but when i stop the pill my weight gain again. i try to control my menu, i take oat, milk, and diet programme. i take a lot vegetable and fruit. but when i read the articel that recommend me to take high protein. i afraid to try, is it suitable for me to take plenty of high protein food? why after i ate two hours, i easily feel hungry and mood suddenly change?
To all: My daughter is 4 years old, with many health problems brought on by a vaccine injury.We are treating these problems holistically and naturally. She has several severe food allergies and has been on a strict diet for years. I took her in for a red blood cell analysis to get additional clues as to what was going on with her internally. Her blood cells through the microscope were almost flat and linked together like hot-dogs on their sides in long chains, we also saw the movement of tons to tiny parasites in her blood. The BTD was recommended, we were surprised that the diet fell completely in line with the restrictions she was already on. The SINGULAR food she still ate, that was not allowed for a type A was potatoes. We kept her diet exactly the same and eliminated potatoes only for 2 months, we added garlic to treat the parasites and returned for a retest. Under the microscope, her blood cells were perfectly round and healthy, not attached to any other and the parasites are gone too! This may not seem like a big deal, but this proves to me that foods can impact us greatly on a cellular level. It is my humble opinion that we should strive to heal from the inside out and not seek quick fixes or band aids for our ailments.
I believe the BTD is for wellness and preservation, weight loss is a wonderful side effect…not necessarily the goal.
Hi cheryl,
It sounds to me like you have insulin resistance, you can read up on it by searching PCOS, syndrome x, or insulin resistance. You may want to talk to your Dr. about it, many people get put on Metformin medicine to help the body use the insulin correctly so that it stops overproducing. You really need to arm yourself with information on this because there are long term complications if not taken care of such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Good luck!
@G.steinhart
What Blood tipe are you?.x
IN RESONSE TO CHERYL,
I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING THAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH. THE BEST ADVICE I CAN GIVE YOU IS TO START EATING LIKE YOU HAVE CELIAC’S, YOU’LL NEED TO LEARN ABOUT ALTERNATIVE GRAINS, NON CHEMICAL SWEETNERS, AND WHAT FOODS FALL INTO THE HIGH GLYCEMIC CATEGORY. MAKE SURE THAT THEY TEST YOUR CORTISOL LEVELS, THIS SEEMS TO PLAY A FACORS IN THE FRAKY INSULIN FOR ME. WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH IS REALLY NOT A DIET, BUT A LIFE CHANGE. IT WILL BECOME EASIER AS YOU START LEARNING NEW TRICKS THAT WILL KEEP YOU HAPPY WITH FOOD. MAKE SURE WHEN YOU GO OUT TO EAT YOU ASK FOR GLUTEN AND WHEAT FREE MENUS…LIFE IS NOT OVER IT’S JUST BEGINNING.
hi , ive had a problem with hives for the past 4 years. i went into a coma in feb 2009. i was told it was psycological i have been admitted to hospital over a dozern times. telling me they had done every test possible . so i changed to a new doctor that new hardly anything about my history he then put me onto an allergy specialist. sinnce then he,s told me i have very high insiline levels but im not a diabetic i have to avoid sugar,starchand wheat products and finding it very hard to find a weekly diet i can follow.
THANKS 4 THE ADVISED
Please tell me more about bloodtype B+ need to find the correct diet. Everything i can and can’t eat.
I am tpye o blood
I read the book, its really reavling facts and helpful.
But problem is i am vegeterian.
I eat chapathi, cooked vegetables mixed with potaotes, rice and dal, all gujarthi dishes.
I don’t known how to increase my protien level during stress time like exams and for physical activity.
Advice will be greatly appreatiated.
Thank u.
I am a little confused I am AB and its saying to combine both A and B diets A tells me eat lots of fish and avoid red meat, B tells me to eat meat and a little fish ??
I follow the blood type diet for almost 10 years and I only can say it works for me!Over the years I discussed the diet with a number of my doctor friends. Needless to say, with out a exception they gave it the thumb down.How ever most of them did not understand how a human cell works! Only 1994 was it discovered how it works.So, one can say prior to 1994 Scientists and Doctors were “poking” around in something they did not understand!(and they are still doing it)Have Scientists disproven THE EAT RIGHT DIET? Most comments I am reading in this regard is guess work. My thinking is: If I understand something 100% I can repair it. How about HIV and AIDS? Sufferers get a hand full of medication prescribed every day with out curing the disease. Do you call that Science?
Gunter Steinhart.
Lectins (please google) in different plants/animals have different effects on different blood types–lectins are used in determining blood type by how the blood reacts when a specific lectin is introduced. The food recommendations are based on this science and other physiological, biological, and chemical factors.
I’ve been following the food recommendations for almost a year, though I’d heard about it probably 15 years ago and pushed it to the back of my mind. ? While I don’t follow all the recommendations religiously, there are a number of foods to avoid that I had no problem eliminating from my diet and a few beneficial ones that I’ve added. If you could choose your foods so as to allow your immune system to deal with other more malicious threats, why wouldn’t you try? While I clearly can’t know what following the recommendations might prevent, I do feel noticeably better when I follow the recommendations more strictly.
Angela Mochi
As far as building your platelets and iron, try chlorophyll– its a great blood builder
To A Nurse: If you read the book, you will see that it is not so much that blood type determines what you eat; rather, what people ate the caused the evolution of the different blood types is what we should be eating today. According to the book, humans all started as Os. As the species migrated to different areas and found different sources of sustenance, the different blood types evolved.
The diet promotes a balanced diet of whole foods. True, this in itself will help with weight loss and overall health. However, I have a coworker who follows the diet strictly. She has always eaten healthfully. Since on BTD, she has lost weight while eating as much as she wants from her approved foods. The hives she suffered from for years and that could never be diagnosed disappeared when she started the diet (a side note: when she started following the Genotype Diet, Dr. D’Adamo’s successor to BTD, her hives returned–the only real change was that she was eating parmesan cheese instead of just mozzarella). She no longer suffers from hayfever. Her eyesight has improved every one of the 3 years since she’s been on the diet (she’s 62 so this is definitely an unusual trend). Her husband is an O so he can eat meat, yet he lost weight and lowered his cholesterol. Her cousin used to suffer from horrible psoriasis but it disappeared when she followed BTD and now that cousin incorporates it into her nutrition practice.
I’ll be honest, I have not looked into the technical research of the diet. The theory behind it makes sense to me. I am not disciplined enough to follow it completely but I’ve noticed improvements in my digestion since I eliminated some avoids.
wisewoman, I would like to talk to you about the diet and
your experiences. I am a type A also. eq.chapman@comcast.net
I agree. This seems pretty silly. All the amazing benefits people are feeling is because they are eating less and loosing weight.
When this person wrote the book, did they realize what a blood type is? It signals to your body whether your red blood cells are yours and not foreign. It does not relate to metabolic function and is about as important in determining what you should eat as your hair color is. If you make any major cuts from a diet, you are bound to loose weight. A lot of pain is related to weight, so a person might have decreased pain as well (such as joint pains). I’m pretty skeptical about this one.
It’s very informative
P.S. Ms. Chen’s sister probably did have something amputated – I will bet money that we can start with whatever body part might house her brain.
A. Mano:
It was the Atkins Diet. If you don’t know what it’s called, you sound even less credible. In addition, methinks you are a tad bit too emotional to provide a worthwhile comment.
The science behind this deserves a tad bit of skepticism, I agree. However, I have yet to hear arguments to the contrary with scientific fact that are credible and of more qualitative an quantitative value.
I speak only in fairness and, frankly, objectively.
RESPONSE TO A. MANO:
I’m sure the “God” you are referring to is the sun. Yes, it is true that the sun provides us with many natural food items, all of them were not meant for every creature (humans included) all of the time. You wouldn’t have the same diet as a lizard for example or a bird. Try eating just bird seed and crickets and tell us how your doing. Humans are all different from color,size and inner workings. The only person playing with “Gods” plan is the lady at Basha’s food store deep frying chicken in the deli. I say congratulations to all of Gods children that have made themselves happy and healthier by following whatever diet works for them. I see more posts saying it works so I’m gonna go for it!!
I have tried this diet in the past and I know it works. I lost weight but over the years I did gain it back because I didn’t stay on the diet. Now i am older I have gained more but would like to go back on the diet. Is there anyone out there that is 54 or older who has been on this diet at my age and lost weight. If so let me know.
I have ITP and had a spleenectomy in December, and have a problem with low iron, and was wanting advice on what foods are best to eat and what foods to avoid, my blood type is O, I am trying a gluten free diet but would like more advice on what I can do to rebuild my plateletts and iron levels. Many thanks Angela Mochi
Sabine,
my mother went to one of those doctors, called nature paths (I think?), when she was really sick with a pretty serious illness (sorry i was really little, so can’t remember what it was) and it attacked her immune system and she started gaining a ton of allergies and was really weak. She went to one of those doctors and it changed her life, she was able to get healthy, though some of the foods that she had to stop eating seemed unlikely or strange, it really worked and helped her a lot.