Debunking the Blood Type Diet

The Blood Type Diet (AKA Eat Right 4 Your Type) claims there are certain foods and lifestyles better suited for different blood types. Is there any merit to this? And why do we have different types of blood in the first place?

Read More:
"Blood Type Diet: What You Need to Know"

"Let's start with the basics -- your blood type. If you're unaware of this important factor, you'll need to figure it out because it'll dictate your food plan."

"Really? Blood Type Influences Heart Disease Risk"

"Knowing your blood type is important if you need a blood transfusion. But can it also tell you something about your risk of heart disease?"

"What Your Blood Type Reveals About Your Health"

"A new Harvard study published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology shows that your blood type can actually predict your risk for heart disease."

"Weight Loss Help For Different Blood Types"

"Choosing what foods to eat and what exercises to do based on blood type is a popular weight-loss technique."

"Human blood types have deep evolutionary roots"

"Chimps, gibbons and other primates are not just humans' evolutionary cousins; a new analysis suggests they are also our blood brothers."

"The Eat Right for Your Blood Type Diet"

"The Eat Right for Your Type diet encourages people to eat certain foods and avoid others based on their blood type -- A, B, AB, or O."

"Why do people have different blood types?"

"The types of proteins, glycoproteins and glycolipids found (or expressed) on the surface of red blood cells define blood types."

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[knittingnirvana]

the way to verify this is very simple: TO TRY IT! I did, for three months, (as I tried MANY different diets for energy/well-being/and other) and it was FANTASTIC. I have never felt so well or had so much energy as when I went on it! After having left it (because of the holidays), and, never having felt so good as I did when I was on it, so I just went back to it. Before you quote others to validate a belief, why not try it yourself for a couple of weeks? Simply "quoting authorities" isn't enough!

[jubril]

I have had an A1C of 6.3 ( Pre- Diabetic for 2 years) . I just recently cut back processed foods and started to follow the eat right for your blood type from Feb1- March 5 and my new A1C was 5.6!!! This guide truly works. Normal Sugar levels range from 4.8- 5.6. I am on my way. I will aim for an A1C of 5.0!!

[smolsquirrel]

I never read the book but I've noticed that those who eat according to their blood type look and feel healthier, in regards to people I've talked to anyways. Type A isn't vegetarian, it's chicken, fish and vegetables. Japan is said to have 70% type A and it makes sense based on geographical location. My dad's type A- and he eats a lot of heavy meats, and so his face is often flushed red like rosacea or something of the sort. My mother sister and I are O+, and eating the same amount of red meat doesn't cause facial flushing for us. Another example is that the 3 of us are also anemic and need iron. My mother took an iron supplement and suggested my dad did too. My mom was fine, my dad had to be rushed to the hospital.

Type AB is more vegetarian and thought to be able to handle grains the easiest (although humans weren't ever really designed to break them down in the first place) and I think they'd be better able to handle dairy (but once again 65% of humans can't break down casein / lactose). Type B is similar to type O except they're able to more "game" meats such as caribou, deer and the sort but also similar to AB in it's better tolerance to dairy / vegetable proteins.

I also met another lady who was in her 50's and looked like she was in her 20's, and she ate only fish, chicken on occasion and vegetables because that's what she craved. She was type A. Her skin glowed and she was in fabulous shape.

Granted this isn't exact but based on cravings, I'm shocked how often they correlate with blood type diets. When people cut the crap out of their diets and follow what's better suited to them, healthy weight gain / loss will come a lot easier. It has for me since I've decided to follow more of the Paleo "craze". No grains, no beans, no dairy. Mood disorders significantly calmed down as well.

[ladydaybreak]

Type O blood type is actually the oldest, which is why it's the universal blood type. After O you have A, then B, then AB and that's the line. Blood type also indicates which antibodies are present in the blood cell. The antibodies determine which blood cells the body being will reject. Type A rejects type B; type B rejects type A; and type O rejects both types A and B. Type AB contains no antibodies, so will accept any type of blood. I've read a little about the blood type diets, but of course I don't know much about it so I can't say that it is actually based on fact, but I do know that this video is wrong about O blood type and that annoyed me enough to comment about it.

[brendabreslin]

The Blood type diet, makes sense. Some people can't digest certain foods. Or have a severe allergic reaction to something.

[dexterlecter]

You asked for comments...  While the blood type diet may not (MAY NOT) be thoroughly explained with overwhelming evidence, the space for this type of thinking is there.  His second book is more on-point.  Genetic differences  are becoming easier to identify and figure out.  As you've mentioned, since the discovery of blood-types, we've come a long way.  I'm not advocating his book per-se, as much as I am criticizing your elementary critique.  I see the same practices in other realms where an idea gets shot down as a joke without giving proper criticism and pointing towards new directions.  Had you of done this properly and not the easy way, you would have mentioned genetic heritage among individual families, genetic predispositions, haplogroups' historical nutrition patterns, etc.  You could have referenced studies involving Black inner city kids who were put on certain diets and educational plans who increased 20 IQ points above the control groups.  I have not put any time into this comment but if needed I know where to look to find countless studies and information that could be used to sharpen your critique.  Even your Scientific American article that is referenced states facts more in-tune to the Books main points, which make it seem that you cherry picked info relevant to your pre-determined narrative.  I could write an article saying that his book is great and factual using that same reference!  This video and method of critique  is dangerous.  I hope you get better.

[nicklatino]

Your blood type does affect your diet. I'm blood type O+. And since eating less red meat, I've gotten reynaud's syndrome and bad gas. I've gone back to eating more red meat in hopes that those symptoms go away.

[itsjustus]

Actually I have found that eating for blood type O has worked for me tremendously

[LittleVintageMonster]

Just like everyone here, i do believe that the blood type diet works. I've seen it work for many people, they become more healthy and happy, etc. This diet makes sense if you really think about it. If people have such a problem with it because there isn't a lot of studies backing it up, how about you stop bashing on it and do some studies yourself? 

[dexterlecter]

Holy fuck this is poorly researched. This guy graduated from a middle school summer training camp for acting then called his buddy who failed the summer camp for journalism but didn't get discouraged, and made this video.

[peterluisvenero]

Just by saying that the author does not back the book up with scientific data, does not exactly debunk it buddy.

[BoletusMortalis]

"Blood type doesn't affect your diet." Y'know he's right. The blood in your body isn't going to affect the food you eat. Your diet will affect your body though. Blood is what carries everything to every cell in your body. Whether it be oxygen, water and nutrients plus other misc substances in your like chemicals. Blood is the stream of life, coursing through your body. I just got my blood type. Same as him A+. This video doesnt explain anything related to diets and blood. He just talks about the differences of blood types and says don't believe in it. Oh yeah he did say "Blood won't affect your diet." Lol this is supposed to be about diet affecting your blood.

[giselletdc]

I've done live blood analyses and I've been following a vegetarian type O diet for about 3 years. I've found out that I've got dairy and gluten intolerance and, these foods are actually bad for type O blood types. My mum is also type O and once she ended up going to hospital after eating some porridge oats with milk. Sometimes people should be more opened to things that are not always scientific approved. I'm feeling much much better now and I don't have allergies or digestive problems anymore. 

[pualo]

Ive got the book. Its called "eat right for your blood type".
I have noticed may foods that cause me harm, and the foods in my blood type. I think it has a beneficial effect on how my body feels. I liked it and think its good.

[seus]

Fast forward 7 years and 8 months in the future and we have Covid-19...and guess type seems to be important to know who would develop more serious

[ronarmstrong]

I'm on this diet. It works. I see attempts to debunk this diet as a concentrated effort to keep the public overweight and imbalanced. It's obvious that the creator of this video never actually read the book or has any real knowledge of the subject.

[aishareed]

People just want to eat what they want, but it is important that you the individual pay attention to how a food reacts in your body. It would seem that everybody has a different diet that works best for their bodies. Look at nature which is the true science and you will see different diets.

[ronarmstrong]

There's a reason for this: The diet works. I have yet to meet anyone who used this diet and tell me it doesn't work.

[erfyterfyt]

Just because she knows something you do not does not make her wrong.

[nerd]

hmmm, I thought type O was the first blood type, then A evolved, then B than As started dating Bs and AB was born.