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Diet

People Swear by the Blood Type Diet, But Does It Really Work?

Though it may sound like a weight-loss regimen for vampires, the Blood Type Diet is a very real and increasingly popular meal plan for those seeking to trim down and improve their health. The idea behind it is simple: You tailor your recipes and workout routine based on your blood type (O, A, B, or AB), creating a customized program that’s meant to bust fat while simultaneously boosting your energy. However, not everyone is convinced that the Blood Type Diet is the best way to achieve overall health, with some experts negatively comparing it to a dietary zodiac. Read below to learn more about this trendy plan and the different viewpoints around it.

How does the Blood Type Diet work?

The Blood Type Diet has been around for awhile, but it first entered the mainstream in the mid-1990s thanks to naturopathic physician Peter D’Adamo and his best-selling book Eat Right for Your Type ($19.04, Amazon). D’Adamo proposed that people should only eat foods that have positive chemical reactions with their specific blood type. Fans of the diet claim that this customized approach helps them digest their meals more easily, leading to quick weight loss and a healthier lifestyle.

According to D’Adamo’s plan, these are the types of foods that work best for each blood type:

Type O: A high-protein diet heavy on lean meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables. People with type O should go easy on grains, beans, and dairy.

Type A: This is a meat-free diet that’s more reliant on fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains.

Type B: While this diet mixes meats and veggies, those with type B blood are encouraged to avoid corn, wheat, buckwheat, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts, sesame seeds, and chicken. Green vegetables, eggs, and low-fat dairy are all in the clear, though.

Type AB: Tofu, seafood, dairy, and green vegetables are at the heart of this diet, while caffeine, alcohol, and smoked or cured meats are strict no-no’s.

On top of theses custom meal plans, the diet allots different workouts for each blood type. For instance, Daily Mail reports that the diet “suggests yoga and tai chi for type As and vigorous aerobic exercises like jogging or biking for up to an hour a day for type Os.”

What do experts say about the Blood Type Diet?

While the Blood Type Diet hasn’t become as popular as other programs such as the Paleo Diet or the Keto Diet, it does have some very vocal supporters. Influential Australian health writer Anna Lavdaras tried out the type A meal plan for a month, then reported that “all signs of brain fog and anxiety dissolved… I felt energized from the second I opened my eyes in the morning. My skin had never looked better, and my tightest of skinny jeans did up without a struggle for the first time in years.”

However, medical experts haven’t been as easily won over. “Your blood type cannot impact your diet any more than your astrological sign can,” reported the American Council on Science and Health. Meanwhile, a 2013 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that there was no evidence backing the health claims of the Blood Type Diet, though it did recommend further research.

Whether or not this diet appeals to you, don’t forget to talk to your doctor before altering your eating habits. A thorough chat with your personal physician will always help you get the best results for your needs, no matter your blood type.

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