Every individual has a different biochemical composition. Your blood type, i.e., A, B, AB or O is unique to you, like your fingerprint, and plays a big role in determining your individuality. People with different blood types have different chemical molecules in their blood, which affects their ability to fight diseases, or make them prone to illnesses like arthritis, cancer or diabetes. Every person has certain nutritional requirements depending on his blood type. If you have an A blood type, you need to incorporate an A positive blood type diet. This diet is different from other diets as it is based on your unique blood composition and allows you to prevent diseases that affect you and guides you to eat foods that are easily digested by your metabolism.

What's the Theory Behind Blood Type Diet?

Dr. Peter D’Adamo, a naturopath, proposed a diet based on blood types in his book, Eat Right For Your Type. He states that every individual has a different genetic makeup, which is dependent on his blood type and determines the kinds of foods that are best for you. He further states that you should eat foods similar to your ancestors that possessed the same blood type. This plan would be very beneficial to you as it uses foods to help you fight diseases and keep you healthy. The diet plan does not differ based on the positive or negative factor of your blood type and is same for both.

A Positive Blood Type Diet

If you have blood type A, always eat fresh and organic foods to fight cancer and heart conditions. Have a look at the recommended foods:

1. Meat and Poultry

You have low levels of stomach acid, which makes digesting meats difficult. This can make you sluggish and lethargic. You need to avoid all forms of meat from your A positive blood type diet. However, chicken, cornish meats, turkey and other poultry products can be eaten in moderation. Also do not indulge in veal, venison, pork, beef, lamb and other game meats.

2. Seafood

Your sensitive stomach makes it difficult to digest many types of seafood. So avoid barracuda, anchovies, lobsters, crab, oysters, octopus, shrimp, turtle, eel, catfish, blue and fish. But some seafood can benefit you such as mackerel, salmon, snail, whitefish, grouper, carp, rainbow trout, red snapper, sardines, yellow and silver perch.

3. Grain

As you belong to the cultivator ancestral family, you are able to digest most grains. However, eat whole grains, rather than their more processed forms. The most beneficial grains for your blood type include rye, rice, oat, sprouted wheat, buckwheat and amaranth. Avoid all forms of white and wheat flour that could include semolina pasta, muffins, bread, granola bars, etc.

4. Dairy

Your weak stomach and low acid levels make it very difficult to digest dairy products, hence Most of them should be avoided. The kinds of dairy products you could use are yoghurt, feta cheese, mozzarella, goat milk, kefir or ricotta cheese. Be sure to use rice or soy milk substitutes for cow milk. Avoid all other cheeses or milks and dairy products.

5. Vegetable

Just like your ancestors, you need to consume a large variety of vegetables to fulfil your dietary requirements of vitamins and other nutrients. Vegetables like garlic, onions, broccoli, collard greens, carrots, spinach, kale and pumpkins boost your immune system. Other vegetables like artichokes, horseradish, leek, okra, parsley are important for your health. You diets should include alfalfa, sprouts, turnip, chicory, greens like dandelion and Swiss chard as they are filled with antioxidants and vitamins.

Avoid peppers, olives from your A positive blood type diet. Also, vegetables like potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, all cabbage, lima beans, eggplants and mushrooms can have an adverse effect on your digestive system and hence need to be avoided.

6. Fruit

Although most fruits can be consumed by you, try to add more alkaline fruits in your diet as they can balance the acids produced by the grains.

Include plums, berries, peaches, figs, bananas, grapes, prunes and apples on a regular basis. Pineapples, cherries and apricots contain enzymes that can help your digestive system. The alkaline nature of grapefruit and lemons can help your stomach after digestion.

Avoid melons like honeydew melon and cantaloupe melon as they have a high mold count and are difficult to digest. Do not eat a lot of oranges, rhubarb or tangerines either as they hamper the absorption of essential minerals and irritate your stomach.

7. Beverages

You need to select beverages that can help your digestion and are easy on your stomach. Beverages made from green tea, aloe, hawthorn, alfalfa, echinacea, burdock, etc., can boost your immune system. Moderate consumption of red wine, i.e., 1 glass per day is allowed. Include 1 cup of coffee and teas like ginger and slippery elm as they increase your acid secretions in the stomach. However, alcoholic beverages like distilled liquor, beer, soda, black tea and seltzer water are not suited to your digestive system.

8. Condiment and Spice

Certain spices can boost your immune system and help in digestion.

The perfect combination of garlic, ginger, tamari, soy sauce, miso can boost your immune system considerably. Moreover, include blackstrap molasses as they are good sources of iron which your diet lacks. Avoid vinegar, peppers, capers, wintergreen and condiments like ketchup, mayonnaise, pickles, Worcestershire sauce and relish as they can irritate your stomach lining and can be difficult to digest.

9. Fats, Nuts, Beans and Seeds

Vegetable based fats and grains can be beneficial for you as they help you avoid certain diseases.

Fats like flaxseed and olive oil are good for your health. You can also use canola and cod liver oil occasionally, as well as peanut and pumpkin seeds in your diet. You can get your supply of vegetable proteins through beans, lentils and black-eyed peas.

Avoid cottonseed, peanut, corn, safflower and sesame oil as well as nuts like pistachios, brazil nuts and cashews in your diet. Certain beans like garbanzo, copper, lima, kidney, tamarind, navy and red beans can decrease the insulin levels of your blood and need to be kept to a minimum.