The idea was popularized by physician Dr Peter D’Adamo in 1996.

According to D’Adamo this is how people of various blood groups should eat:

• A: People with blood group A are to eat a diet rich in plants, and completely free of “toxic” red meat. This closely resembles a vegetarian diet.

• B: These people can eat plants and most meats (except chicken and pork), and can also eat some dairy. However, they should avoid wheat, corn, lentils, tomatoes and a few other foods.

• AB: Described as a mix between types A and B. Foods to eat include seafood, tofu, dairy, beans and grains. They should avoid kidney beans, corn, beef and chicken.

• O: This is a high-protein diet based largely on meat, fish, poultry, certain fruits and vegetables, but limited in grains, legumes and dairy. It closely resembles the paleo diet.

FOOD LIST FOR A

❏ Soy milk ❏ Eggs ❏ Ghee ❏ Mozzarella cheese ❏ Feta cheese ❏ Ricotta ❏ Goat cheese

❏ Tofu ❏ Tempeh ❏ Chicken ❏ Turkey ❏ Cod ❏ Salmon ❏ Red snapper ❏ Trout

❏ Artichokes ❏ Broccoli ❏ Carrots ❏ Celery ❏ Fennel ❏ Kale ❏ Lettuce ❏ Onions ❏ Pumpkin (when in season) ❏ Spinach ❏ Apricots ❏ Blueberries ❏ Cherries ❏ Figs ❏ Pineapple ❏ Grapefruit

❏ Olive oil ❏ Walnut oil ❏ Flaxseeds ❏ Walnuts ❏ Peanuts ❏ Peanut butter ❏ Pumpkin seeds ❏ Adzuki beans ❏ Soy beans ❏ Lentil beans ❏ Black-eyed peas ❏ Brown rice bread ❏ Soy sauce ❏ Garlic ❏ Ginger ❏ Ginger tea ❏ Chamomile tea ❏ Green tea ❏ Coffee ❏ Red wine

❏ Brown rice flour ❏ Buckwheat flour ❏ Oat flour ❏ Spelt flour ❏ Brown rice flour ❏ Baking powder ❏ Sea salt ❏ Agave ❏ Blackstrap molasses

Eat more of

Salmon

Fig

Soy Milk

Beet

Portobello Mushroom

Grapefruit

Turnip/Parsnip

Lentils

Kale

Cod

Spelt Noodles

Coffee

Eat less of

Beef

Banana

Cow’s Milk

Tomatoes

Eggplant

Orange

Potatoes

Garbanzo Beans

Cabbage

Pork

Wheat Pasta

Tea (Black)

• Diet Profile
  Largely vegetarian: vegetables, tofu, seafood, grains, legumes, fruit, turkey
• Quick Food Reference
  Avoid: meat, dairy, kidney beans, lima beans
  Beneficial: olive oil, seafood, vegetables, pineapple
• Strengths
  Ability to adapt well to dietary and environmental variety
  System synchronized to preserve and metabolize nutrients efficiently
• Weaknesses
  Difficulty digesting and metabolizing meat protein
  Vulnerable immune system, open to microbial invasion
• Medical Risks
  Heart disease, type I and type II diabetes, cancer
  Liver and gallbladder disorders

FOOD LIST FOR B

❏ Eggs ❏ Butter ❏ Mozzarella cheese ❏ Feta cheese ❏ Cottage cheese ❏ Goat cheese ❏ Ricotta ❏ Cow milk ❏ Yogurt

❏ Lamb ❏ Venison ❏ Turkey ❏ Cod ❏ Flounder ❏ Salmon ❏ Mahi Mahi ❏ Halibut

❏ Beets ❏ Broccoli ❏ Cabbage ❏ Carrots ❏ Eggplant ❏ Ginger ❏ Kale ❏ Peppers ❏ Sweet potatoes ❏ Bananas ❏ Cranberries ❏ Grapes ❏ Pineapple ❏ Watermelon

❏ Spelt flour ❏ Brown rice flour ❏ Oat flour ❏ Millet flour ❏ Baking powder ❏ Sea salt ❏ Blackstrap molasses ❏ Agave

❏ Olive oil ❏ Walnuts ❏ Almonds ❏ Almond butter ❏ Kidney beans ❏ Navy beans ❏ Spelt bread ❏ Oat bread ❏ Parsley ❏ Pepper, cayenne ❏ Ginger tea ❏ Peppermint tea ❏ Green tea

Eat more of

Lamb

Broccoli

Oat Bread

Kidney Beans

Almonds

Peppers

Rice Cakes / Bran

Olive Oil

Mozzarella Cheese

Cod

Banana

Green Tea

Eat less of

Chicken

Corn

Wheat Bread

Lentils

Peanuts

Tomatoes

Couscous

Canola Oil

American Cheese

Crab

Coconut

Coffee

• Diet Profile
  Balanced omnivore: meat, dairy, grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, seafood, select beans, legumes
• Quick Food Reference
  Avoid: chicken, corn, lentils, peanuts, sesame seeds, wheat
  Beneficial: greens, eggs, venison, liver, licorice tea

• Strengths
  Strong immune system, easily adapts to dietary and environmental changes
  Balanced nervous system
• Weaknesses
  Tendency toward autoimmune disease and rare, slow-growing viruses
• Medical Risks
  Type I diabetes, chronic fatigue, Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), multiple sclerosis, autoimmune diseases such as lupus

FOOD LIST FOR AB

❏ Eggs ❏ Ghee ❏ Mozzarella cheese ❏ Feta cheese ❏ Cottage cheese ❏ Goat cheese ❏ Ricotta ❏ Goat milk ❏ Yogurt

❏ Lamb ❏ Turkey ❏ Cod ❏ Salmon ❏ Mahi Mahi ❏ Tuna ❏ Red Snapper

❏ Beets ❏ Broccoli ❏ Cauliflower ❏ Eggplant ❏ Kale ❏ Garlic ❏ Parsnip ❏ Sweet potatoes ❏ Figs ❏ Grapes ❏ Grapefruit ❏ Pineapple ❏ Watermelon

❏ Olive oil ❏ Walnuts ❏ Peanuts ❏ Almonds ❏ Peanut butter ❏ Lentils ❏ Navy beans ❏ Soy beans ❏ Tempeh ❏ Tofu ❏ Spelt bread ❏ Oat bread ❏ Sprouted wheat ❏ Parsley ❏ Curry ❏ Ginger tea ❏ Chamomile tea ❏ Green tea ❏ Red wine

❏ Spelt flour ❏ Brown rice flour ❏ Oat flour ❏ Soy flour ❏ Baking powder ❏ Sea salt ❏ Blackstrap molasses ❏ Agave

Eat more of

Turkey

Pinto Beans

Kale

Sweet Potato

Spelt

Cod

Kefir

Oatmeal

Mozzarella Cheese

Eggplant

Parsnips

Pineapple

Eat less of

Red Meat

Kidney Beans

Corn

White Potatoes

Buckwheat

Sea Bass

Ice Cream

Corn Flakes

American Cheese

Peppers

Lima Beans

Mango

• Diet Profile
  Mixed diet: lamb, fish, dairy, tofu, beans, legumes, grains, vegetables, fruit
• Quick Food Reference
  Avoid: chicken, corn, kidney beans, buckwheat
  Beneficial: tofu, seafood, greens, kelp

• Strengths
  Versatile system designed for modern conditions
  Highly tolerant immune system
• Weaknesses
  Sensitive digestive tract, open to microbial invasion
• Medical Risks
  Heart disease, cancer

FOOD LIST FOR O

❏ Eggs ❏ Butter ❏ Mozzarella cheese ❏ Feta cheese

❏ Beef ❏ Lamb ❏ Turkey ❏ Cod ❏ Red snapper ❏ Halibut

❏ Artichokes ❏ Broccoli ❏ Kale ❏ Lettuce ❏ Onion ❏ Sweet potatoes ❏ Spinach ❏ Bananas ❏ Blueberries ❏ Cherries ❏ Figs ❏ Mangos ❏ Watermelon

❏ Olive oil ❏ Flaxseeds ❏ Walnuts ❏ Almonds ❏ Almond butter ❏ Adzuki beans ❏ Black-eyed peas ❏ Brown rice bread ❏ Curry powder ❏ Carob ❏ Parsley ❏ Pepper, cayenne ❏ Ginger tea ❏ Green tea ❏ Seltzer

❏ Brown rice flour ❏ Millet flour ❏ Arrowroot starch ❏ Baking powder ❏ Sea salt ❏ Agave

Eat more of

Spelt/Brown Rice Bread

Almond Milk

Lean Grass Fed Beef

Kale

Cod

Broccoli

Turnip/Parsnip

Azuki Beans

Walnuts

Olive Oil

Artichokes

Pineapple Juice

Eat less of

Wheat & Gluten

Cow’s Milk & Dairy

Pork

Corn

Catfish

Cabbage

Potatoes

Navy Beans

Peanuts

Canola Oil

Olives

Orange Juice

• Diet Profile
  High protein: meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, limited grains, beans, legumes
• Quick Food Reference
  Avoid: wheat, corn, navy beans, lentils, kidney beans, dairy
  Beneficial: kelp, seafood, red meat, kale, spinach, broccoli, olive oil

• Strengths
  Hardy digestive tract, strong immune system, natural defenses against infections
  System synchronized to preserve and metabolize nutrients efficiently
• Weaknesses
  Difficulty adjusting to new dietary and environmental conditions
  Tendency toward an overactive immune system
• Medical Risks
  Blood-clotting disorders, low thyroid production, ulcers, allergies, inflammatory diseases such as arthritis

Blood group diet criticisms

In his book, Eat Right 4 Your Type, naturopathic physician Dr Peter D’Adamo claims that the optimal diet for any one individual depends on the person’s blood type.①

The book was incredibly successful. It was a New York Times bestseller, sold millions of copies.

However, the diet D’Adamo proposes for different blood types is in several cases suitable for all.

Also, discouraging people of certain blood groups some foods can be counter productive for their health and making people to consume too much of a certain line of foods may sometimes cause health issues.

Thoughts

The blood group diet theory lacks sufficient scientific evidence. The list of foods on it is OK but not restricted to blood group.

Any of these dietary patterns would be an improvement for most people, no matter what their blood type is.

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.

All 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.

If you got great results on the blood type diet, then perhaps you simply found a diet that happens to be appropriate for your metabolism. It may not have had anything to do with your blood type.

Also, this diet removes the majority of unhealthy processed foods from people’s diets.

Perhaps that is the single biggest reason that it works, without any regard to the different blood types.

Risks of following a blood type diet

Despite the lack of scientific evidence of the blood type diet, it remains a topic of discussion in the diet culture.

The four diets in the blood type diet emphasize eating healthy whole foods and exercising, which can be beneficial to your health. But the diet could still be risky.

For example, the O blood type diet emphasizes a high intake of animal proteins, which may lead to other health problems.③

Your blood type alone doesn’t determine your overall health, and you may put yourself at risk by engaging in the blood type diet without taking other foods that might be of help to your body.

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References
① https://dadamo.com
② https://www.4yourtype.com
③ https://www.healthline.com/health/O-positive-blood-type-diet#risks