However, this does NOT mean that this was in any way related to their blood type.ĭifferent diets work for different people. I do not doubt that many people have experienced positive results by following the diet. Not a single well designed study has been conducted to either confirm or refute the benefits of the blood type diet. One of the studies that found a relationship between blood types and food allergies actually contradicted the blood type diet’s recommendations ( 13). Of the 4 studies identified that somewhat related to ABO blood type diets, they were all poorly designed ( 11, 12, 13). They concluded: “No evidence currently exists to validate the purported health benefits of blood type diets.” In a major 2013 review study where researchers examined the data from over a thousand studies, they did not find a single well-designed study looking at the health effects of the blood type diet ( 10). But this effect was seen in everyone following the type A diet, not just individuals with type A blood ( 9). In a large observational study of 1,455 young adults, eating a type A diet (lots of fruits and vegetables) was associated with better health markers. However, there are no studies showing this to have anything to do with diet. There is now strong evidence that people with certain blood types can have a higher or lower risk of some diseases ( 6).įor example, type Os have a lower risk of heart disease, but a higher risk of stomach ulcers ( 7, 8). Research on ABO blood types has advanced rapidly in the past few years and decades. Most lectins are not blood type specific. Some foods contain lectins that may cause red blood cells to clump together. This may not even have any real-world relevance, because most legumes are soaked and/or cooked before consumption, which destroys the harmful lectins ( 4, 5). In other words, lectins in the diet are NOT blood-type specific, with the exception of a few varieties of raw legumes. Overall, however, it appears that the majority of agglutinating lectins react with all ABO blood types ( 3). There is actually evidence that a small percentage of lectins in raw, uncooked legumes, can have agglutinating activity specific to a certain blood type.įor example, raw lima beans may interact only with the red blood cells in people with blood type A ( 2). It is claimed that eating the wrong types of lectins could lead to agglutination (clumping together) of red blood cells. These substances are considered to be antinutrients, and may have negative effects on the lining of the gut ( 1).Īccording to the blood type diet theory, there are many lectins in the diet that specifically target different ABO blood types. Lectins are a diverse family of proteins that can bind sugar molecules. One of the central theories of the blood type diet has to do with proteins called lectins. The type A diet resembles a vegetarian diet, but type O is a high-protein diet that resembles the paleo diet. Maybe the reason for the health benefits is simply that you’re eating healthier food than before. So, even if you go on one of these diets and your health improves, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it had anything to do with your blood type. It closely resembles the paleo diet.įor the record, I think any of these dietary patterns would be an improvement for most people, no matter what their blood type is.Īll 4 diets (or “ways of eating”) are mostly based on real, healthy foods, and a huge step up from the standard Western diet of processed junk food.
This is a high-protein diet based largely on meat, fish, poultry, certain fruits and vegetables, but limited in grains, legumes and dairy. They should avoid kidney beans, corn, beef and chicken. Foods to eat include seafood, tofu, dairy, beans and grains. Described as a mix between types A and B. However, they should avoid wheat, corn, lentils, tomatoes and a few other foods. These people can eat plants and most meats (except chicken and pork), and can also eat some dairy. This closely resembles a vegetarian diet.
FOOD FOR A NEGATIVE BLOOD TYPE FREE
People who are type A should eat a diet rich in plants, and completely free of “toxic” red meat.