Eating for Your Blood Type

Diets have changed drastically over the past 20 years. One emerging diet is "The Blood Type Diet." Touted to be a personalized eating plan that believes your blood type affects how your body responds to food and much more.

Dr. Peter J D’Adamo is the creator of this diet and believes that blood types also affect the type of gut bacteria a person has, which in turn, changes the ability to digest certain foods and thus utilization of macronutrients.

He believes the Blood Type Diet is a plan that allows you to choose foods that help you to lead a healthier life.

The Blood Type Diet

Dr. D’Adamo’s website reports the following benefits from following his plan: "lose weight, reduce inflammation, increase energy and lead a longer, healthier life."

Each plan is broken up into blood types, such as A, B, O and AB. He gives a brief history of each blood type, unique factors, recipes, shopping lists and tips to follow.

The website is a quite extensive offering software for purchase, online quizzes to match your eating plan, a phone app, supplements and more. The tools are meant to help you be successful long term with this eating pattern.

Is There Supporting Research for this Diet?

An online review of the Blood Type Diet done by WebMD notes the plan avoids processed foods and simple carbs for most blood types. However, the plan does not take into account chronic conditions and often recommends organic and specialty foods which may cost more.

Dr. D’Adamo has been featured on Dr. Oz and the Dr. Oz Show website encourages potential dieters to think carefully before trying. It notes that specific exercises are recommended, along with several dietary restrictions.

Healthline.com reviewed past studies done on the diet and report "not a single well-designed study has been conducted that either confirm or refute the benefits of the blood type diet."

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports after a systematic review, the diet lacks supporting evidence. The systematic review stated well-designed studies needed to be done to support health claims made by the diet’s promoters.

Is the Blood Type Diet Worth it?

As with any diet there with be nay-sayers and those that have outstanding results. I would think this diet is no different. Unfortunately, there is not a one size fits all approach to nutrition. For someone to follow very specific guidelines life-long, may not be realistic for all participants.

However, if you tried it and felt amazing, that would be motivated to continue. Studies on this topic do not provide clear support for the benefits touted by the diet.

Prior to any change in eating pattern, please consult your primary care provider to discuss how health conditions and medications may be impacted.