Diet according to blood type. Is it effective? – Dietetics – Articles |

Blood groups

Blood groups are distinguished by antigenswhich are specific proteins on the surface of blood cells. There are over 30 group systems, simplifying it could be said that there are just as many blood groups. However, when it comes to the medical point of view, the most important thing is AB0 and Rh system. However, it should be remembered that the main role of the blood is to distribute oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Regardless of what blood group we have, our body is subject to the same physiological and biochemical rules. We need the same energy and building blocks, and our digestive system works on the same principles.

Principles of the diet

According to the rules of the book ‘Eat according to your blood type’ by Peter D’Adamo, the diet for each group should be as follows:

• group 0 – that is, hunters. Their diets should be high in protein, high in meat, fish, some fruits and vegetables, but with limited dairy, grains and legumes. You can read more about this diet in the article ‘Group 0’.

• group A – that is farmers. They should eat mostly vegetables and avoid red meat. For details on this diet, see Group A.

• group B – that is, nomads. The most varied diet, including dairy products, meat and vegetables. You should, however, avoid chicken, wheat, corn, legumes and a few other items. You can find a detailed list of the recommendations of this diet in the article ‘Group B’.

• group AB – that is, enigmatic. It is a combination of group A and B recommendations. It includes both meat, seafood, dairy products, legumes, and grains. However, bean, chicken and red meat should be excluded. For more indications, see the article ‘AB Group’.

Opinion of scientists

While the creator of this theory promises a number of health benefits and relief from many ailments by following his recommendations, scientific research does not support this theory. Observation at the University of Toronto, led by Dr. Ahmed El-Sohemy, aimed to determine the relationship between diet for blood group and cardiovascular biomarkers such as insulin, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and to see if the individual AB0 genotype had an influence on this. In short, 1455 people were asked to complete a detailed nutritional questionnaire about their diet. Blood samples were also taken to check their genotype in terms of blood group and the level of cardiovascular risk factors. These results were compared to the dietary recommendations for each blood group, regardless of the person’s actual blood type. A relationship was noted between the use of dietary rules for group A with lower BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride and insulin levels. However, this was not related to the actual blood type of the individuals concerned. Improvement in health was noticed in all people who ate according to the rules for group A. The author of the study, Dr. El-Sohemy, states:

The individual effects of any of these diets have nothing to do with your blood type, but a lot to do with following a vegetarian or low-carbon diet.

In another cross-sectional study from 2013 in The Journal of Clinical Nutrition, with the goal of finding a relationship between blood group diets and improved health, despite strenuous efforts, no well-designed study has been found to conclusively conclude that this relationship exists.

So is it worth following the principles of a diet compatible with our blood group? There are no serious reasons for this. Yes, people who introduce these rules often observe weight loss or improvement in health, but it is rather due to diet changes whether it’s towards a vegetarian diet or a low-carbohydrate diet similar to the paleo diet. However, this has nothing to do with the blood type.

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