Eating according to your blood type?

Have you ever had certain foods that you’re not allergic to but they just don’t sit well in your stomach? Or maybe you’re on a diet that you’ve been following to a T but still not seeing results? Maybe those foods just aren’t your type.

The Science

While there aren’t many peer-reviewed studies on the blood type diet theory, the science behind it makes sense. The naturopathic physician that published the first book on this diet explained how individuals could live longer, achieve their ideal weight, and become healthier overall by eating according to their blood type. It even goes further than food, detailing certain exercises that would show faster results specific to blood type.

The logic behind this diet is that blood type is closely tied to the body’s ability to break down and digest certain foods. Therefore, the proper diet will improve digestion, increase energy levels, and maintain ideal body weight. This ultimately can lower the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and some cancers.

Now I know that I am saying the word “diet” a lot. But it is important to know that I am not saying that word in the sense of a weight loss program as we see so often on television. What I mean by “diet” is what foods you consume on a daily. For example, if I eat hamburgers and milkshakes every day, then that is my diet, aka, what I am consuming regularly. It is not a diet to which I am on to help me achieve a certain weight goal. So the blood type diet is not a 4-week plan to follow to lose weight, but rather a lifestyle change in what foods you eat regularly in efforts to increase your quality of life.

Is It Safe?

Like all potential diet changes, the one thing everyone always wants to know is “what is the potential risk?” or “What’s the downside?” and most importantly “Is it harmful?”. As I mentioned before, there aren’t many studies that support the effectiveness of this diet. With that being said there is NO evidence stating that trying this new diet is harmful in any way.

Some potential inconveniences to this diet are that you have to know your blood type. Luckily there are many affordable, at-home kits on the market that will provide accurate blood type results in minutes if you’re not in favor of going to a blood-testing lab.

Is Blood Type Diet For You?

The best way to find out if the blood type diet will work for you is to try it! As always, eating non-processed food and exercising daily (or at least 5x a week) is always best for optimal health. But maybe implementing foods that correlate to your blood type will help improve health even more! If available, speak to a nutritionist before starting any diet if you have a chronic health condition. 

A good tip to remember when starting a diet change is you don’t have to change your entire diet overnight. Start with exchanging one heavy meat for leaner meat or incorporating a new veggie over the course of a few weeks. Before you know it your fridge will look like it belongs to someone else! Remember, all life changes start with you...and YOU can do anything.