eating for your blood type

Tysonlovesweights

I was visiting my folks over the holidays, and noticed the book at their house, I skimmed through the section on my blood type, and my interest is definitely stirred up. I am posting to hear about people who have tried and had success, or tried and had no result or whatever. any result, and how much of the system you followed. Please note I am not looking to start a war about eating one way versus another, I am just interested in gaining some perspective on this blood type idea since it is the first time I have come across it, and the concept does seem based on some physiology, although I didn't exactly check for a bibliography!. The book isn't the most in depth science I have ever read, and as I said I only skimmed through it. I am contemplating following a few suggestions for 12 weeks, to see if I feel any different/better/worse. the plan is NOT to be some sort of cleanse, or a radical switch for me and my family, but if eliminating/cutting back significantly on a few strategic high impact items can help my feeling of overall health or that of my family, I will give it a try and see for myself.

All opinions welcome, just be nice!

ninerbuff

Not scientifically shown to be any better than any other diet plan that's PROMOTED out there.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

SLLRunner

I had a nice reply typed out and MFP crashed on me three times then asked for my user name/login and then I lost my reply again! Is that a sign? :bigsmile: Let me try this again.

I hadn't heard of this diet before now and researched and found this link: http://www.webmd.com/diet/blood-type-diet

Apparently limited studies did not show weight loss benefits but did show a decrease in cholesterol. I suspect hat weight loss did not occur because the subjects were not eating at a calorie deficit.

The thing that worries me about this diet is that it does not seem to take food intolerances or other food issues into consideration. For example, one of the blood types is directed to eat dairy and tofu. Well, what if the person with that blood type is intolerant or allergic to one of both diary and tofu? What are their options?

I am for eating plans that increase energy and provide health benefits even if they are not meant for weight loss. Good luck with you 12 week trial and I'm looking forward to following your progress.

neandermagnon

there's no scientific basis in it. just eat at a calorie deficit and you'll lose weight.

blood groups come from having specific antigens on the red blood cells. That doesn't change how the body processes food. It doesn't correlate with any actual factors that affect how the body processes foods (e.g. tendency towards diabetes). I'd be interested in which blood type they say should eat dairy, because only people who are descended from traditionally dairy farming/herding populations can digest lactose. I'm not aware of any correlation between blood group and whether someone's ancestors were dairy farmer/herders or not. If there is then it's due to genetic drift and nothing to do with actual blood type. I'd imagine that there are huge numbers of people who, according to the blood type diet should eat dairy products, yet have not inherited the ability to digest lactose.

emdeesea

He's a naturopath, which is not evidence-based medicine. I'm not likely to believe a word that comes out of his mouth.

MeMyCatsandI

My mother does this diet. She HAS lost weight, mostly because she's not "allowed" to eat most types of food. Also, she used to be REALLY fat; now she's just fat.

neandermagnon

My mother does this diet. She HAS lost weight, mostly because she's not "allowed" to eat most types of food. Also, she used to be REALLY fat; now she's just fat.

That's the thing with these diets.... successful weight loss comes from a calorie deficit. Very restrictive diets tend to create a calorie deficit due to the number of foods you're not allowed to eat. So the person successfully loses weight, but it's got nothing to do with the reasons the one promoting the diet says.... and everything to do with a calorie deficit. Usually there are easier ways to create a calorie deficit that don't involve such deprivation.

usmcmp

When you stop eating lots of processed food and only eat the foods listed in the book (which tend to be considered "clean" or "whole" and lower in calorie than processed food) it could cause weight loss. Nothing special about it.

_SABOTEUR_

http://www.skepdic.com/bloodtypediet.html

Rainyday816

My mom was obsessed with this diet when I was younger, and maybe it just dregs up terrible memories, but I always thought this diet was complete B.S. My whole family did it starting when I was 9 or 10 and continuing for years, and I don't think any of us ever lost weight. It just added extra complications - for example, I'm a type O, so according to that book, I should be eating lots of red meat and I should avoid wheat. However, I was already a vegetarian, so the red meat thing didn't happen, and the whole concept of avoiding gluten because of my blood type still baffles me. Basically, it added extra rules and restrictions that often seemed arbitrary, and it's difficult to determine why one or the other works. By that, I mean a lot of people find out they have a gluten intolerance just because they try eating gluten-free and it makes them feel better. If you cut out gluten, then feel better, then you probably shouldn't eat gluten. But you could feel better because of the red meat. Or because of the fish my mom had to eat. Or whatever, but if you're making all these changes at once, it's hard to tell what's working and what's not.

TL;DR, I found that this diet added a LOT of restrictions to my family's diet, and while I believe that some of the concepts in this book have a certain amount of truth to them, they don't all, and it's difficult to determine which ones do and which ones don't. But yeah, try it if you want, and you'll probably learn a thing or two. It's definitely better than eating a lots of processed junk, that's for sure.

MeMyCatsandI

My mother does this diet. She HAS lost weight, mostly because she's not "allowed" to eat most types of food. Also, she used to be REALLY fat; now she's just fat.

That's the thing with these diets.... successful weight loss comes from a calorie deficit. Very restrictive diets tend to create a calorie deficit due to the number of foods you're not allowed to eat. So the person successfully loses weight, but it's got nothing to do with the reasons the one promoting the diet says.... and everything to do with a calorie deficit. Usually there are easier ways to create a calorie deficit that don't involve such deprivation.

I absolutely agree. She has lost weight for the simple fact that she is very restricted on what she can eat and that naturally limits her calories.

Mangopickle

Have to disagree with the last post. I routinely diagnose skinny teenagers with early insulin resistance. Hgba1c's of 5.7-5.9 because they eat absolute sh# t. 2 bean burritos, 10 grapes and 2 Pepsis a day may give you a figure like a model but you are ruining your health. God is very fair, the impact of processed junk on your health is the same fat or thin. In terms of junk food consumers living into their 100's-we all know some Auntie that smoked like a chimney and lived to 100 but we all know that is not reality for the majority. And if you are relying on the FDA to be the supreme arbiter of a healthy food supply.....

Mangopickle

In terms of the eat right for your food type wheat was my recommended carb. Wheat! My worst Kryptonite food! From wheat berries and tabbouleh to dumplings and French bread. All my old favorites. Lol! I suspect my past diet was 85% wheat, 10%veg and 5% meat!!

LiftAllThePizzas

That's broscience.

GiGiBeans

I looked at an article about the recommendations for my blood type. It said no chicken or bacon. I'll pass.

gabrielleelliott90

It's a celeb diet, I read once Cheryl cole was apparently doing it. That's all I know about it but it seems silly. I prefer MFP.

Marcia315

Type A= no meat. No thank you.

_Zardoz_

You might as well eat to your star sign

zyxst

Type A= no meat. No thank you.

Word, brah/sistah.

That's as far as I got researching it. No meat? Noty.

haroon_awan

It ain't nuttin bud a chicken wang

Arbeidslyst

A few years ago there was a debunk kind of TV show that tried a few of these diets, so they sent blood to two different companies. And they got two different lists over things they couldn't eat, there was very little overlap.

3dogsrunning

I attended a session where a naturopathy doctor gave a talk. She mentioned this diet during her presentation.
She had decided to try it. I don't remember the breakdown of each blood type, but hers suggested she eat mainly vegetarian, beans, grains, veggies, etc. She followed it to a t and had great results. She lost weight, her skin glowed, etc. During a conversation with her mother, she discovered that she was mistaken about her blood type. Here she was supposed to be eating the opposite, heavy on the meat, lower on grains and dairy.

Bottom line, as most have already pointed out, there is no real basis for this diet.

shining_light

The most obvious problem is when they try to tie in blood type with its evolutionary history, they had their history wrong(at least last I checked). They don't know for sure which blood type emerged at which time and where, and without knowing that for certain, the diet falls apart.

Booksandbeaches

My sister-in-law gave me this book a few years ago. I didn't follow it. It didn't seem scientific at all. Plus, it would be a pain to cook in my household since we have more than one blood type in the family.

SLLRunner

I attended a session where a naturopathy doctor gave a talk. She mentioned this diet during her presentation.
She had decided to try it. I don't remember the breakdown of each blood type, but hers suggested she eat mainly vegetarian, beans, grains, veggies, etc. She followed it to a t and had great results. She lost weight, her skin glowed, etc. During a conversation with her mother, she discovered that she was mistaken about her blood type. Here she was supposed to be eating the opposite, heavy on the meat, lower on grains and dairy.

Bottom line, as most have already pointed out, there is no real basis for this diet.

Now, THIS is priceless. I wish we had a thumbs up smiley here. Since we don't, here you go.....:drinker:

Wilhellmina

Type A blood: A meat-free diet based on fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains -- ideally, organic and fresh, because D'Adamo says people with type A blood have a sensitive immune system.

Yeah right, I tried a vegan diet. Not only did I feel miserable and bloated, I also gained from it. Next to that I got a gluten intolerance, so no grains for me either! But fact is I do have a sensitive immune system and should eat only fresh food, can't have much of the processed foods. I don't know, I 'm not sure if this would work for everyone, guess just like with every other diet...

hstoblish

A few years back, my mom told me about this diet, and I'd shrugged it off as unscientific, which it is.

The really funny thing is that since I've started moving towards more whole foods, higher quality meats, eating more red meats, more fat and fewer carbs, etc, I've been feeling fantastic. This is apparently how someone with an O blood type is supposed to eat. Because we're cavemen or something ridiculous.

I'm only saying this because it's funny. This is not evidence for the blood type diet. It's just a coincidence. There is no science to support it.

0shifty0

How funny. I am Type A and happened to grow up eating like this without knowing about this diet. I was so strong, felt awesome, and looked dynamite. Then I got married. Making two types of meals became a PITA. So here I am on MFP to lose weight and bring sexy back. I miss the first 30 years of being so healthy!!

Tysonlovesweights

just for the record, it is NOT my plan to use this system to lose weight, i will still be using calorie tracking to that end, I am talking about cutting out a few items, like dairy, and red meat, on a short term basis. I have recently been noticing that for myself, I have been getting sick more than usual the last little while, and the main idea that I am working on from this dietary regiment is to strengthen my immune system. we don't eat a lot of processed stuff in my household anyway, so no big deal on that score. the main thing will be the dairy, and red meat since they are connected to processes within the body to weaken immune response. I am a born and raised meat-n-potatoes guy, but am becoming more and more aware of how the htings I eat affect my health. I will keep posting to this thread about my progress(or lack thereof) while I am following the system, and you can either follow it, or not, whatever. Everyone of us needs to find our own path, and the foods that work best for us. Maybe I am currently eating in a way that isn't what is best for me, maybe not, but without checking, i'll never know, and for 12 weeks, it can't hurt.......not like supersize me!

just an afterthought for all the people who are claiming "no scientific support" anecdotal evidence of results from a practicing naturopath is a starting point....the accumulation of more data can happen when there is enough anecdotal evidence to support a FUNDED scientific inquiry. Some of the most important discoveries humans have ever made started out as the casual observations of someone in the field, and were met with skepticism in the early going.....just sayin

Trechechus

Eating for your blood type is just as valid as eating for your hair colour.

donnymom

I have the book and tried it for three weeks. I did lose some and felt better, but had

A hard time not drinking coffee and cutting mostly carbs. I think it's good for a jump start, but hard long term.