Popular Dietary Models - Blood Type Diet

Question 1

Blood Type Diet

Answer 1

Blood Type Diet: Your blood type determines your diet, supplements, and personality because it is ‘the key to your body’s entire immune system’.

• Eat Right for Your Type by Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo was first published in 1996.
• According to the author, the blood type reflects which foods are best for health

Question 2

Food Categories

Answer 2

• Foods are divided into three categories:
  o Highly beneficial (act as medicines).
  o Neutral.
  o Ones to avoid (act like poison)

Question 3

Blood type O:

Answer 3

• Recommended foods: Meat, poultry, seafood, certain fruits and vegetables. High protein, low carbohydrate.
• Avoid: Wheat and most other grains.
• Incorrect eating: Said to ↑ risk of ulcers and inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.

Question 4

Blood type A:

Answer 4

• Recommended foods: Fruits, vegetables, beans, most seafood. High carbohydrate, low fat.
• Avoid: Meat, dairy, wheat.
• Incorrect eating: Said to ↑risk of cancer and heart disease.

Question 5

Blood type B:

Answer 5

• People with blood Type B are dairy-eating omnivores.
• Recommended foods: Meat, beans, fruits, vegetables, some dairy.
• Avoid: Chicken, pork, wheat.
• Incorrect eating for this blood type is said to increase the risk of slow-growing viruses that attack the nervous system.

Question 6

Blood type AB:

Answer 6

• Recommended: Seafood, dairy, fruits, vegetables.
• Eat less: Red meat.
• Regarded as the ‘friendliest’ immune system of all the blood types.

Question 7

Lectins:

Answer 7

• Much of the diet’s theory is based on the action of lectins (proteins) found on the surface of certain foods.
• Proponents of the diet claim that different lectins specifically target different blood groups.
• It is said that lectins can cause serious disruptions in the body including agglutination of blood, liver cirrhosis and kidney failure.
• E.g.: D’ Adamo states that if a Type A person drinks milk, the body will immediately start the agglutination process in order to reject it.
• This assumes that around 30% of the population experience significant ill effects from consuming milk.
  Agglutination: Latin agglutinaire – glueing to

Question 8

Lectins and health:

Answer 8

• Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins naturally occurring in plants.
• Highest amounts are found in raw legumes and grains.
• There is a range of different lectins, some of which are harmless while others can be detrimental to health.
• Most pass through the GIT without being digested or absorbed.
• Those that are harmful can bind to GI cells inciting inflammation.
• Lectins can also bind with minerals, especially iron, calcium, zinc and phosphorus, impeding their absorption.
• Lectins are water-soluble and often found on the outer surface of foods —soaking in water for many hours before cooking greatly reduces the content.
• Similarly, cooking with wet, high-heat methods such as boiling inactivates most lectins.
• Sprouting legumes and grains is another way to decrease lectins.
• Legumes and grains are high in protein, fibre and micronutrients such as B vitamins.
• For most, legumes and grains are a valuable inclusion in the diet.
• Certain lectins even have antioxidant properties!