Blood Type Food

Blood Type Diet: Eating for Types O, A, B, & AB

Many people believe that their blood type, whether A, B, AB, or O, is only relevant in relation to blood transfusions. But discussions over recent decades have suggested that eating for a specific blood type may offer some health benefits.

However, there is a lack of supporting evidence to validate the proposed health benefits of following a blood type diet.

Despite the lack of scientific evidence, supporters of blood type diets claim to help people achieve overall good health and a lower disease risk through eating for their specific blood type.

More research is definitely needed, but here, we will learn more about the importance of the body’s blood type, and the purported benefits of eating for an A, B, AB, or O blood type.

Fast facts on the A positive (and A negative) blood type diet:

Individuals with type A blood may be better suited to natural, vegetarian diets.

People with type A blood have been shown to have lower levels of stomach-acid than other blood types, so a meat-based diet may not be digested as easily as a vegetarian based one.

Research has suggested that certain blood types may be at risk of developing specific diseases or conditions.

People with type A blood also have a higher natural propensity for developing other diseases, such as cancer and diabetes.

What is the A blood type?

Blood has an array of cells that are needed for proper body function. These include plasma, red and white blood cells, and platelets.

Antigens are also present in blood and are responsible for triggering a response by the immune system to counter attacks from foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses.

One in three people in the United States has A positive blood type, making it the second most common in the country. As such, it can be a good type to have if a person in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion or wishes to donate blood.

People with A positive blood type can receive the following blood types:

A positive

A negative

O positive

O negative

A negative is rarer, with 1 in 16 people having the blood group, and able to receive only A negative and O negative transfusions.Lectins, which are proteins found in food, have believed to have a direct effect on the blood and the digestive tract.

These proteins bind to cells within the body, causing them to clump together and potentially cause hormonal disruptions. This disruption has a similar effect on the body as a foreign substance might.

Does the O blood type diet work?

2014 study showed that adhering to the blood type O diet reduced levels of triglycerides in the blood, the storage form of fat. Despite this, the study authors concluded that the drop in triglyceride levels occurred due to factors unrelated to a person’s blood group

Foods to eat

According to proponents of the diet, people with blood type O should eat and avoid certain foods.

It is worth noting again that there is little reliable evidence to support the use of this diet.

Animal proteins

The diet plan dictates that people in the O blood group should consume “beneficial” animal products, including:

beef

lamb

mutton

veal

venison

cod

herring

mackerel

People with type O blood following the diet are allowed to consume most meat products, including cold-water fish.

Dairy

Although people looking to follow the blood type O diet should generally avoid dairy and eggs, they can occasionally consume the following products:

butter

cheeses, such as farmer, feta, mozzarella, and goat’s cheese

soy milk

Nuts

Nuts are a great source of protein and healthful fats, and people following the diet can typically have most nuts, except for the ones in the “foods to avoid” list below.

Suitable nuts and seeds, including walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds, are available to purchase online. Pumpkin seeds and walnuts supposedly provide the most benefits.