Ever wonder why a particular diet works well for some people but not others? Well now we know! Finnish scientists recently discovered that the molecules that cover the surface of blood cells and determine the blood type of each person are energized by different nutrients. In other words, certain foods are better suited to certain blood types. Therefore, eating and juicing according to your blood type can be effective in losing weight, increasing energy, and alleviating gastrointestinal problems.
Eating according to your blood type has been an intriguing theory for decades, as presented in the book, Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type by Peter D’Adamo, ND This article briefly reviews the foods that are best for each blood type, with a particular emphasis on fruits and vegetables and juice recipes.
There are 4 types of blood: O, A, B, and AB. Type O is the “oldest” blood type according to D’Adamo’s theory, established in our genes when we first emerged as hunter-gatherers. The O types have the toughest digestive systems consuming mostly meat. Type A people come from the later development of agrarian society that adapted for optimal digestion of all kinds of plant foods. Type B people are descended from nomadic people who raised herds and adapted to eating both plants and meat. Type AB emerged more recently in our evolutionary history with digestive systems with blood type A and B characteristics.
Those in group O do best on a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Your digestive system needs lean animal protein for optimal health along with certain fruits and vegetables, but only minimal carbohydrates. Since their digestive systems are rich in acid, coffee and processed sugar should be avoided. Rigorous exercise makes Os feel at their best.
The best ingredients for Type O juices are cherries, green leafy vegetables (especially kale, spinach, and broccoli), bananas, blueberries, figs, mangoes, and plums. The sugars found naturally in these fruits and vegetables, combined with their alkalinity, will not increase the acidity in your Type O constitution. Try these two particularly healthy juice recipes for O’s: 20 cherries, pitted, 1 stalk celery and 1 kale leaf. Next: 2 mangoes, peeled but seeded, 1 banana and remember not to juice bananas as they will clog your juicer; blend and 1 broccoli.
People with type A blood have a less resistant digestive system and do not process meat well. They do best with vegetables and fruits, as well as whole grains, tofu, and legumes. Animal proteins and dairy products tend to rot and ferment in your digestive tracts, and toxic bacteria accumulate in your tissues and muscles, causing digestive problems. Types A have less hydrochloric acid in the stomach, so they do not adequately absorb vitamin B12 found in red meat, although B12 is also found in plant protein foods such as spirulina, soy, and algae.
The best exercise is not vigorous training, but rather calming, focused exercises like Tai Chi, Hatha Yoga, and golf.
The best ingredients for making Type A juices are figs, plums, avocado, pears, peaches, broccoli, carrots, collards, kale, spinach, garlic, soy products, pineapple, and only moderate amounts of fish and poultry. Type A people digest grains and beans very well, such as green beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, and soybeans. Eat nuts and seeds. Here are 2 juice recipes for A’s: 3 cups pineapple, 1 pear, and 2 kale leaves. Next: 5 carrots, 2 broccoli and 1 ginger thumb.
People with blood type B have very tolerant digestive systems. They do well with meat, plants, and dairy, with only a few exceptions. D’Adamo suggests that B-types eat turkey instead of chicken because the latter has a protein that directly interferes with B-type metabolism. They should avoid corn, buckwheat, lentils, peanuts, and sesame seeds. as these foods will tend to make you gain weight. Like O-types, B-types tend to have problems with wheat and nut products.
Excellent Type B juices include green leafy vegetables, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, eggplants, bananas, blueberries, grapes, plums, watermelon, papaya, and pineapple. Try these great juice recipes for O’s: peeled watermelon, 10 grapes, seeds and all, and 4 mint leaves. Next: 5 carrots, red pepper, 1 broccoli and 1 ginger thumb.
And finally, the rarest blood type is AB, which has only been around for a relatively short period of 1000 years. AB blood is the result of the mixing of disparate groups. ABs combine the best and worst of A and B; Most foods that are bad for A and B are bad for AB, with the exception of tomatoes. Like type A, ABs produce less stomach hydrochloric acid and therefore do not do well with many animal proteins, although some are essential. Therefore, the serving size is important and less frequently. Be sure to take bromelain, a digestive enzyme derived from pineapple, to help with the digestion of your animal protein meals.
The best AB foods are tofu, shellfish, dairy, green vegetables, spirulina, seaweed, and pineapple. Try these great AB juice recipes: 4 cups of pineapple, teaspoon of spirulina, and 1 thumb of peppermint. Next: 5 carrots, 1 beet, 1 “wheatgrass and 4 mint leaves.