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Blood B Diet

The idea of a diet tailored to an individual's blood type has been around since 1970, when Dr. Peter D'Adamo introduced this concept to popular culture. Critics contend D'Adamo's theories lack adequate scientific support. Nevertheless, the blood type diet concept lingers. According to D'Adamo, Type B evolved in the Himalayan highlands where many vegetable food sources were unavailable. As a result, individuals with this blood type today should avoid these foods.

  1. The Type B Individual

    • According to Dr. D'Adamo, Type B originated as a result of a great migration from the low-lying savannas of Africa to the Himilayan highlands. The climate at higher elevations would not support the same vegetable food sources to which earlier blood types had adapted. Instead, Type B was forced to rely on herding and domesticating animals to supplement their diets. As a result, Type B thrives on a balance of vegetable and animal, particularly dairy, food sources.

    Protein

    • The ideal protein source for Type B is milk, cheese and other dairy products. Only highly processed cheeses, like American cheese, should be avoided. Most meats are neutral or harmful to Type B, but lamb, mutton, venison and rabbit are beneficial. Deep ocean and whitefish, like cod, flounder, halibut, sole and trout are good seafood sources of protein for Type B.

    Fruits and Vegetables

    • All green leafy vegetables are beneficial to Type B. Other types are irritating to Type B digestion, particularly corn, tomatoes, olives, avocados and artichokes. Most fruits are allowed for Type B, but pineapples, bananas, cherries, grapes, papaya and plums are particularly beneficial. Coconut, pomegranate and starfruit should be avoided.

    Grains and Nuts

    • Because of the climate in which Type B evolved, most grains were not readily available. Therefore, D'Adamo says most grains today are not well digested by Type B individuals. Millet, rice, spelt and oatmeal are notable exceptions, and breads made from these types of flour are allowed for Type B. For the same climactic reasons, Type B evolved in the absence of most nuts and legumes, including beans. Thus these types of foods should generally be excluded from a Type B diet.

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