Let Your Blood Group Dictate Your Ideal Diet. (Eat Right For Your Type)

Name: nickyturnill

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Product:	Eat Right For Your Type
Date:	07/03/06 (2317 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A interesting and unique concept.

Disadvantages: There is NO scientific evidence to support D'Ademo's theory.

The Blood Type Diet.
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In 1997 Dr. Peter D'Adamo first sold his idea of a relationship between blood group and suitability to certain diets to the American public. D'Adamo argues that the four different blood groups (A, B, AB, O) evolved alongside differences in dietary patterns which significantly influence 'ideal' eating patterns today. Before reading this review you should note that this book is not concerning with weight loss, but with developing an individual eating plan allowing the bosy to function most efficiently and to promote health.

I am currently in the process of completing my PhD which has assessed the relationship between aspects of eating behaviour and wellbeing. I have spend a considerable quantity of time evaluating this diet and here is my take on it.


The Science Behind the Diet.
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D'adamo argues that in the early stages of human evolution, in Africa, everyone was blood group O and man's diet consisted primarily of animal protein. However as man evolved and became a more efficient hunter the population exploded and competition amongst people increased dramatically. At the same time the previously frozen areas of the North grew warmer and migration began into Europe and Asia. This seeded the planet with the baseline blood group O, the most predominant blood group today. Over time humans decimated the vast herds of game covering the expanses of Asia, Europe and the Americas and thus other types of food had to be found. Hence carnivorous people became omnivorous, eating a mixed diet of grubs, berries, nuts, roots, small animals and fish.

D'Adamo argues that blood type A to appeared next somewhere in Asia or the Middle East as a response to agriculture and the initiation of stable communities and permanent living structures. Radically different changes in diet were brought about and a mutation in the dietary tract allowed people to better tolerate and digest a diet composed primarily of grain products. Type A's were better able to survive the diseases which resulted from permanent living environments and thus type A thrived rapidly and began to spread across the globe.

Blood type B was third to develop somewhere amongst the Himalayas, possibly as a response to climatic changes as people were pushed from the fertile grounds of Africa into the cold and unyielding highlands. These people ate a diet characteristically composed of meat and diary products.

Type AB, the rarest of the blood groups then emerged from the intermingling of A's and B's with the advantages of both blood groups.

Blood groups are characterised by the presence of antigens on the surface of the blood cells, type A has A antigens; type B, B-antigens; AB both A and B antigens and type O has no antigens attached. It is a consequence of these antigens that certain blood groups cannot mix with others. Agglutination theory is D'Adamo's primary evidence for his blood type-diet theory. He claims that our blood and immune systems still react favourably to the foods that our ancestors ate due to the actions of lectins (naturally occurring toxins). For example milk has B-like qualities, this means the immune system of type A's will immediately reject it and gluten, the lectin found in wheat and grain, binds to the lining of the small intestine causing inflammation which can be particularly irritable for those with blood type O.

To complicate matters D'Adamo's theory requires that we also consider the effects of genotype, the unexpressed inherited allele (e.g. an individual with blood type A may have the genotype AA or AO, with A expressed as the dominant allele, which is dependent upon random inheritance from both of your parents). i.e. those with the blood type AA will be more suited to the diet outlined in the book than those who have inherited AB alleles.


The Foods Suitable for the Different Blood Types
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The Eat Right for your Type guide contains long and comprehensive dietary lists, down to spices and condiments, of foods for each blood type, including those which are highly beneficial, those which are neutral and those which D'Adamo claims act like poisons. He does not claim that you need to follow the diet exclusively and in an interview with Natural Health Magazine he states that the diet can be followed with about 80% consistency for the beneficial effects to be felt.

Here of some brief examples of the best foods for the different blood groups. Please be aware that these are just examples and fully comprehnsive lists and examples of recipe can be found within the book.

***Blood Group A***

Highly Beneficial Foods: Cod, salmon, peanuts, rice cakes, cherries, brocolli, garlic, ginger.

Foods to avoid: shellfish, most cheese, plain flour, bananas, gelatin.

***Blood Group B***

Highly Beneficial Foods: lamb, cod, halibut, goats cheese, feta, olive oil, rice flour, aubergine, mushrooms, horseradish.

Foods to avoid: chicken, crab, blue cheese, most nuts, pumpkin, tomatoes, rhubarb, shredded wheat.

***Blood Group AB***

Highly Beneficial Foods: lamb, turkey, cottage cheese, ricotta, walnuts, lentils, rice, cucumber, grapes,

Foods to avoid: bacon, chicken, ice-cream, butter, seasame seeds, corn-flakes, sweetcorn, avocado, coconut.

***Blood Group O***

Highly Beneficial Foods: beef, veal, pinto beans, ryvita, figs, plums, prunes, seaweed.

Foods to avoid: pork, most hard cheese, peanuts, shredded wheat, bagels, olives, strawberries.


Potential Health Benefits.
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A large proportion of 'Eat Right For Your Type' is devoted to the promotion of potential health benefits which range from breast cancer to ear infections, miscarriage to constipation.

D'Adamo argues that different lectins target different organs and body systems specific to blood type. There is some evidence of research to support the idea of relationships between blood type and illness, however there is no evidence to suggest to link this to dietary intakes.


Criticisms of the Blood Type Diet.
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D'Adamo has not published any accredited peer reviewed research in regard to his theory, despite the fact that this book was a New York Times bestseller. D'Adamo claims that scientific evidence comes from his testing of the effects of isolated food lectins on different blood types under the microscope. However, as this has not been published in a reputable source then I (and many others) are sceptical about this diet.

There is a large body of evidence available on the internet criticising the blood type diet. Such criticisms focus specifically on the lack of supporting evidence and problems with the lectin theory. In addition the diet fails to consider individual differences and for not acknowledging how for hundreds of years, millions of people have managed to get by eating the 'wrong' type of diet without anyone noticing before.

I admit, that I have not tried this diet. I read the book from an academic perspective. I would be very interested to here from anyone who has tried the diet, although I realise the D'Adamo's idea is not well known. There are a good selection of positive reviews by those who have tried the diet on Amazon which suggests that further research is warrented. I had hoped to conduct this research myself as part of my PhD, but limited time and funds sadly meant that this was not possible.


Other Information.
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The book is available from around £4 on Amazon and is retailed at £7.99. It is 350 pages long in paperback and the ISBN is 039914255X.

The Eat Right For Your Type Diet Book is a relatively easy and interesting book to read, particularly for anyone interested in diet and health. Parts do contain scientific and technical information which I realise may put some people off but D'Adamo goes through this in simple, easy to comprehend language that most people shouldn't find too hard going.


Summary.
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I have rated The Eat Right For You Type Diet book with three stars out of five. Although I havn't personally tried the diet myself I am sceptical of its utility. There is no available literature which supports the blood type diet and the internet is awash with criticisms. However, this is certainly an interesting and unique concept and I do recommend the book to interested individuals.

Summary: An interestig concept although I am sceptical about the utility.