Does the blood type diet work?

What is the essence of the blood type diet

The idea that blood type affects the body's ability to digest different types of food, cope with stress and respond to physical activity came to the mind of American naturopath Peter D'Adamo (Dr. Peter D'Adamo).

Based on this, in 1996 D'Adamo created diets for people with different blood types:

Type O (I blood group) … The diet should be rich in protein from meat, fish, poultry. You need to limit the amount of carbohydrates, grains and legumes. Recommendations are close to the paleo diet.
Type A (II blood group) … People digest carbohydrates well and poorly - animal proteins and fats. You can eat plant-based foods: vegetables, fruits, legumes, gluten-free grains. Eliminate milk, meat, coffee and alcohol.
Type B (III blood group) … You can eat vegetables and fruits, milk, most types of meat, except chicken. Exclude wheat, corn, legumes, tomatoes and some other foods.
Type AB (IV blood group) … You can eat vegetables and fruits, meat other than red meat, seafood, milk, legumes and grains. Exclude beans, corn, beef, alcohol.

At one time, D'Adamo's book became a real bestseller, and the diet still has a lot of followers around the world.

What Science Says

There are many studies on blood type diet, but the quality is poor. In 2013, scientists tested 1,415 studies of this diet. Only one thing deserved to be trusted. And it did not confirm the effectiveness of the diet.

A large study with 1,455 participants also found no benefit for D'Adamo's brainchild.

So is it worth following a diet by blood type

Basically, this diet is pretty healthy. D'Adamo tells everyone to avoid processed foods and simple carbohydrates, choose natural foods, and take supplements. This is enough to lose some weight and improve health, moreover, regardless of blood type.

A blood type diet is as effective as a regular healthy diet.

True, sometimes it can harm you. For example, if you want to build muscle and at the same time you have blood group II, you will have to give up meat and milk - foods rich in animal protein and necessary for rapid muscle building. And vegetarians with III or I blood groups will have a bad time without legumes - a source of vegetable protein.

In general, you can follow a diet, but without fanaticism, focusing primarily on your goals and preferences.