Nutrition based on blood groups

esperanza1 · 03-01-2012 2:59pm #1

For a number of months now, I have been experimenting with eating foods considered beneficial for my blood group and avoiding those considered harmful. Funnily enough, I tend to gain weight when I eat the foods considered harmful and can control my weight so much better when I eat the foods that are said to be beneficial. I've also noticed that when I eat certain foods on the avoid list I've been getting a whole series of reactions, from rashes to bloated stomach. I've no food allergies, but I may be sensitive to certain foods.

I will shortly be undergoing tests to see whether certain foods have an effect on my blood type. Of course, the reliability of these tests is questionable, but I am curious to know if there is any science to blood type nutrition.

Has anyone else here been experimenting with blood type nutrition? What have your experiences been?

Hanley · 03-01-2012 3:47pm

What foods have you been avoiding?

esperanza1 · 03-01-2012 4:33pm

Hanley wrote: »

What foods have you been avoiding?

The ones considered harmful for my blood type.

seamus · 03-01-2012 4:44pm

esperanza1 wrote: »

but I am curious to know if there is any science to blood type nutrition.

There doesn't appear to be, or at least there doesn't appear to be any reliable data behind the notion. I couldn't find any, and the diet's website doesn't provide any.

Like all other branded diets, blood type nutrition appears to be a way of packaging a healthy diet in such a way that you can sell it to someone and make it appear like you haven't conned them out of money.

Hanley asks the question, because you'll find that once you avoid certain foods, your health and weight control will improve, regardless of your blood type.

Hanley · 03-01-2012 4:52pm

esperanza1 wrote: »

The ones considered harmful for my blood type.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight... would any of these foods happen to be grain/legume based by any chance?

esperanza1 · 03-01-2012 4:58pm

Hanley wrote: »

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight... would any of these foods happen to be grain/legume based by any chance?

Very few are, I think. Chicken is the big one I have to avoid because it contains a Blood Type B agglutinating lectin in its muscle tissue. An agglutinating lectin attacks your bloodstream and has the potential to cause strokes and immune disorders.

Interestingly, I have major problems digesting chicken.

Pork is another one. Bacon, ham as well - any pigmeat basically.

Lamb, on the other hand, can help me to lose weight, and funnily enough I digest this meat really well.

You can get an overview of the diet here: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=diet&dbid=2[/QUOTE]

esperanza1 · 03-01-2012 5:06pm

seamus wrote: »

There doesn't appear to be, or at least there doesn't appear to be any reliable data behind the notion. I couldn't find any, and the diet's website doesn't provide any.

Like all other branded diets, blood type nutrition appears to be a way of packaging a healthy diet in such a way that you can sell it to someone and make it appear like you haven't conned them out of money.

Hanley asks the question, because you'll find that once you avoid certain foods, your health and weight control will improve, regardless of your blood type.

I see your point, but the blood group diet is different in that what is healthy for one person could be poison for another.

For example, the two big foods that have caused me problems in the past have been chicken and pork. I have problems digesting both - bloating, diarrhoea, etc. Yet, eating chicken is recommended for weight loss. And before you ask, I have no other conditions like IBS. I'm also not allergic to chicken or pork according to the blood test I got done last week.

El_Dangeroso · 03-01-2012 7:20pm

You may well react badly to chicken, but I can tell your now it has nothing to do with your blood group.

There are so many errors in that book, including an almost criminal abuse of science. But it works, of course it does, because he says no blood type is suited to eating refined junk food funnily enough.

I say stick with whatever you're doing if it works for you, but don't feel like you have to stop eating a food just because it's on some list.

esperanza1 · 03-01-2012 8:03pm

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

You may well react badly to chicken, but I can tell your now it has nothing to do with your blood group.

There are so many errors in that book, including an almost criminal abuse of science. But it works, of course it does, because he says no blood type is suited to eating refined junk food funnily enough.

I say stick with whatever you're doing if it works for you, but don't feel like you have to stop eating a food just because it's on some list.

Well, it must be a major coincidence then the friends I've asked so far have problems digesting foods which are not advisable for their blood group. I made my post here to invite contributions from those who have already tried the blood group diet. If you haven't tried it, then you are not qualified to reply. Get it?

esperanza1 · 03-01-2012 8:49pm

chick2012 wrote: »

Like all other branded diets, blood type nutrition appears to be a way of packaging a healthy diet in such a way that you can sell it to someone and make it appear like you haven't conned them out of money.

Have you tried it? Suppose not.

El_Dangeroso · 03-01-2012 9:11pm

esperanza1 wrote: »

Well, it must be a major coincidence then the friends I've asked so far have problems digesting foods which are not advisable for their blood group. I made my post here to invite contributions from those who have already tried the blood group diet. If you haven't tried it, then you are not qualified to reply. Get it?

Whoa whoa! Less of the agro..

I don't have to try it to know the premise is entirely without scientific basis. I have read the book many moons ago and he actually gets pretty basic things wrong, like he says that the O blood type is the most ancient so best suits a hunter-gatherer high protein low grain diet.. except the A blood type was first, not O, I mean if he can't even get the basics right how reliable is anything else he advises?

I think you'll find that all the foods recommended to exclude are on average likely to cause digestive issue.

As I said, he's recommending an unprocessed diet full of fresh food which will work but the rest is totally made up. Sorry if that's offended you in some way.

esperanza1 · 03-01-2012 9:23pm

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

Whoa whoa! Less of the agro..

I don't have to try it to know the premise is entirely without scientific basis. I have read the book many moons ago and he actually gets pretty basic things wrong, like he says that the O blood type is the most ancient so best suits a hunter-gatherer high protein low grain diet.. except the A blood type was first, not O, I mean if he can't even get the basics right how reliable is anything else he advises?

I think you'll find that all the foods recommended to exclude are on average likely to cause digestive issue.

As I said, he's recommending an unprocessed diet full of fresh food which will work but the rest is totally made up. Sorry if that's offended you in some way.

I don't have the book to hand now, but I do recall reading the stories of the patients he treated. That's convincing enough for me. Like I said, I really don't think you're in a position to judge if you haven't tried the diet.I suppose you don't even know your blood type either!

ScissorPaperRock · 03-01-2012 9:41pm

esperanza1 wrote: »

I don't have the book to hand now, but I do recall reading the stories of the patients he treated. That's convincing enough for me. Like I said, I really don't think you're in a position to judge if you haven't tried the diet.I suppose you don't even know your blood type either!

You stated in your first post that you were curious as to whether there is any scientific basis to this diet. Why become so defensive when people suggest that there isn't?

Magenta · 03-01-2012 9:47pm

OP, has irritability been listed as a side effect of this fabulous diet in this fabulous book? :rolleyes:

esperanza1 · 03-01-2012 10:42pm

ScissorPaperRoc wrote: »

You stated in your first post that you were curious as to whether there is any scientific basis to this diet. Why become so defensive when people suggest that there isn't?

Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but no one has provided links to any studies proving the contrary.

El_Dangeroso · 04-01-2012 12:36am

That's sort of rich considering you are asking us to prove a negative? Where's your evidence?

Here's a lazy wikipedia link, but I'm not sure it would convince you because you don't seem to want to discuss anything and have made your mind up anyway.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_type_diet#Scientific_criticism

Lia_lia · 04-01-2012 2:39am

Well my blood type is A+. It says you are supposed to go on a vegetarian diet if you are an A. I've been a vegetarian all my life and never put on weight, so maybe there is some accuracy in it :rolleyes:

esperanza1 · 04-01-2012 12:19pm

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

That's sort of rich considering you are asking us to prove a negative? Where's your evidence?

Here's a lazy wikipedia link, but I'm not sure it would convince you because you don't seem to want to discuss anything and have made your mind up anyway.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_type_diet#Scientific_criticism

And there I was thinking you'd read the book! LOL!

esperanza1 · 04-01-2012 12:23pm

Lia_lia wrote: »

Well my blood type is A+. It says you are supposed to go on a vegetarian diet if you are an A. I've been a vegetarian all my life and never put on weight, so maybe there is some accuracy in it :rolleyes:

Interesting. This is the type of contribution I was looking for, thanks. Out of interest, what foods do you avoid / have problems with - just from your own experience.

Mellor · 04-01-2012 1:37pm

Please point out anything I have wrong.

So its based on the premis that the age of a blood type indicts the type of food you should eat, based on the diet eaten at its emergence.

Blood group O is the hunter. Higher protein diet. (even though its not actually the oldest, A is)
Blood group A is cultivator, eat a more vegetarian food intake.
Blood group B is the nomad. people of blood type B are the only ones who can eat dairy products
Blood group AB is blood types A and B, obviously.

So its three diets, high protein (generally seen as quite good). Vegetarian, which tends to be lower calories, and one which includes dairy and excluded other foods. Rather interestingly, B blood groups are higher in area with higher % of lactose intolorance.

All 3 diets are healthy and they'd benefit anyone that followed either, no matter what their diet was.

Orla K · 04-01-2012 1:37pm

I had a bit of a look into this and red this "Type As generally do well on cereals and grains. Select the more concentrated whole grains instead of instant and processed cereals" (my blood type is A, just in case it hasn't clicked with some people) This is so far from the truth that next time I go to the doctor I'm going to ask him about the possibility of being a celiac. I do not do well on grains.

They also have the wrong idea about fats.

I've one word for this it starts with A and ends with rse, I seem to be using that word alot lately.

esperanza1 · 04-01-2012 3:17pm

Orla K wrote: »

I had a bit of a look into this and red this "Type As generally do well on cereals and grains. Select the more concentrated whole grains instead of instant and processed cereals" (my blood type is A, just in case it hasn't clicked with some people) This is so far from the truth that next time I go to the doctor I'm going to ask him about the possibility of being a celiac. I do not do well on grains.

They also have the wrong idea about fats.

I've one word for this it starts with A and ends with rse, I seem to be using that word alot lately.

Which grains do you not do well on?
And which ones do you do well on?

esperanza1 · 04-01-2012 3:18pm

Mellor wrote: »

Please point out anything I have wrong.

So its based on the premis that the age of a blood type indicts the type of food you should eat, based on the diet eaten at its emergence.

Blood group O is the hunter. Higher protein diet. (even though its not actually the oldest, A is)
Blood group A is cultivator, eat a more vegetarian food intake.
Blood group B is the nomad. people of blood type B are the only ones who can eat dairy products
Blood group AB is blood types A and B, obviously.

So its three diets, high protein (generally seen as quite good). Vegetarian, which tends to be lower calories, and one which includes dairy and excluded other foods. Rather interestingly, B blood groups are higher in area with higher % of lactose intolorance.

All 3 diets are healthy and they'd benefit anyone that followed either, no matter what their diet was.

Where did you get this information?

Orla K · 04-01-2012 4:21pm

esperanza1 wrote: »

Which grains do you not do well on?
And which ones do you do well on?

Haven't found any that I do well on but haven't tried them all, for the moment I want to avoid all and see what happens.
Wheat, oats, barley, bulgur/durum wheat are a definite no go area
Rice never eaten much of it(once a month or less) so I haven't figured that one out yet
As for spelt, rye and corn I haven't tried them yet but as for now I want to avoid all and see what happens.

esperanza1 · 04-01-2012 4:29pm

Orla K wrote: »

Haven't found any that I do well on but haven't tried them all, for the moment I want to avoid all and see what happens.
Wheat, oats, barley, bulgur/durum wheat are a definite no go area
Rice never eaten much of it(once a month or less) so I haven't figured that one out yet
As for spelt, rye and corn I haven't tried them yet but as for now I want to avoid all and see what happens.

Well, Type A's should avoid wheat so there must be some truth in that!

http://www.drlam.com/blood_type_diet/blood_a_chart.asp

Why not try eating all the foods from the beneficial groups for a couple of weeks and see if you feel any better? That's one way of testing whether there's any truth to this diet or whether your problems lie elsewhere.

Orla K · 04-01-2012 4:42pm

esperanza1 wrote: »

Well, Type A's should avoid wheat so there must be some truth in that!

http://www.drlam.com/blood_type_diet/blood_a_chart.asp

Why not try eating all the foods from the beneficial groups for a couple of weeks and see if you feel any better? That's one way of testing whether there's any truth to this diet or whether your problems lie elsewhere.

Simple answer no, I won't do something I believe is stupid, just because he got one thing right does not mean he is right. He's also adviced to eat soy, I haven't read up too much about this aspect but I have read in places where soy can have a damaging effect on your thyroid, which is something I really don't want to screw with at the moment, which is also the reason I want to avoid all grains until my next blood test.

So far everyone in this thread thinks this diet is a load of arse, and I think your clutching at straws looking for some part of this diet that works. I've just a question for you, have you asked your doctor about this diet?

seamus · 04-01-2012 4:58pm

esperanza1 wrote: »

Why not try eating all the foods from the beneficial groups for a couple of weeks and see if you feel any better? That's one way of testing whether there's any truth to this diet or whether your problems lie elsewhere.

Ah, the God effect. If it works, then the diet must be right. If it doesn't work, then the diet isn't wrong, something else is.

I'm blood type O. And vegetarian.

The "beneficial group" consists almost entirely of foods that I don't eat (except fruits, though I don't eat enough of them), and the "avoidance group" consists almost entirely of foods that I consume in large quantities on a daily basis.

I have no health complications, plenty of energy, not even the slightest whiff of depression or unhappiness. I have a little extra paunch, which I am slowly losing by eating an appropriate volume of food, but otherwise not altering what I eat.

You see, the problem with static declarations such as those made about the blood type diet, is that it only takes one counter-example to debunk the whole theory, but it takes a whole litany of positive examples to confirm it.

I am the counter-example. Myth busted.

esperanza1 · 04-01-2012 5:28pm

seamus wrote: »

Ah, the God effect. If it works, then the diet must be right. If it doesn't work, then the diet isn't wrong, something else is.

I'm blood type O. And vegetarian.

The "beneficial group" consists almost entirely of foods that I don't eat (except fruits, though I don't eat enough of them), and the "avoidance group" consists almost entirely of foods that I consume in large quantities on a daily basis.

I have no health complications, plenty of energy, not even the slightest whiff of depression or unhappiness. I have a little extra paunch, which I am slowly losing by eating an appropriate volume of food, but otherwise not altering what I eat.

You see, the problem with static declarations such as those made about the blood type diet, is that it only takes one counter-example to debunk the whole theory, but it takes a whole litany of positive examples to confirm it.

I am the counter-example. Myth busted.

No, you're not the counter-example. In many cases, sensitivities to certain foods manifest themselves in very many ways - some of which you won't know until you are much older. How old are you now by the way?

esperanza1 · 04-01-2012 5:31pm

Orla K wrote: »

Simple answer no, I won't do something I believe is stupid, just because he got one thing right does not mean he is right. He's also adviced to eat soy, I haven't read up too much about this aspect but I have read in places where soy can have a damaging effect on your thyroid, which is something I really don't want to screw with at the moment, which is also the reason I want to avoid all grains until my next blood test.

So far everyone in this thread thinks this diet is a load of arse, and I think your clutching at straws looking for some part of this diet that works. I've just a question for you, have you asked your doctor about this diet?

Indeed, I have, and he has nothing against me following it because I'm eating a completely balanced diet which has led to more positive blood test results for my particular condition. :-)

I get a full blood test every six months to ensure I'm getting all the right nutrients so following the blood type diet cannot do any harm at all to me.

It's up to you if you want to follow it or not. Many of my friends have improved their health because of it, so I do believe it can be good for you.

seamus · 04-01-2012 5:33pm

esperanza1 wrote: »

No, you're not the counter-example. In many cases, sensitivities to certain foods manifest themselves in very many ways - some of which you won't know until you are much older. How old are you now by the way?

That's not relevant.

I'm old enough and have been eating this food long enough that if there were health implications, they would have surfaced already.

This is of course another tactic of pseudo-science con artists where they shift the goalposts whenever challenged so that it's functionally impossible to challenge their assertions.

Show us the peer-reviewed and accredited medical studies which demonstrate that a blood type diet provides any benefit whatsoever over a standard balanced diet.

Anything at all, we're not that fussy. The only requirement is that the study has been published and peer-reviewed in a respected scientific journal.

esperanza1 · 04-01-2012 5:43pm

seamus wrote: »

That's not relevant.

I'm old enough and have been eating this food long enough that if there were health implications, they would have surfaced already.

This is of course another tactic of pseudo-science con artists where they shift the goalposts whenever challenged so that it's functionally impossible to challenge their assertions.

Show us the peer-reviewed and accredited medical studies which demonstrate that a blood type diet provides any benefit whatsoever over a standard diet.

Anything at all, we're not that fussy. The only requirement is that the study has been published and peer-reviewed in a respected scientific journal.

You'll have to ask Dr Adamo directly about that, I'm afraid I don't know, but I do know that there are many studies which prove specific conditions are linked to blood types. For example, high cancer rates are linked to Blood Type A. Here is one study which shows a positive association between pancreatic cancer and blood type A:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1875761

Nutrition based on blood groups

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