Should you try the blood type diet? Dietitian weighs in...
Do you want to shed some excess weight and are thinking of trying the blood type diet? This is what a dietitian has to say.
Obesity is a major problem in the world, and this is why there are so many slimming products on the market.
Apart from pills, teas, and medication, there are also diets for weight loss.
One of them is the blood type diet. Author of the book, ‘God’s Pharmacy’, Herman Uys, writes that 'each blood group reacts in a different way to specific foods'. He adds that 'your blood group is a very important key unlocking the door to the answers regarding health, illness, state of mind, body weight and emotional strength.'
This means that if you eat certain foods, you will be able to lose weight. This type of diet promotes eating certain foods and abstaining from others.
According to WebMd, the diet was created by naturopath Peter J. D'Adamo. He believes that if people follow a diet designed for their blood type, then their bodies will digest food more efficiently, and in return lose weight, have more energy, and help prevent disease.
Food for different blood types
The blood type diet encourages the A-blood groups to abstain from eating meat, because they store meat as fat.
Eating a lot of red meat can also cause acidity to build up in their muscles. Their diet is to be made up mostly of vegetables, fruits, soya, beans, and whole grains.
The B-blood group are to eat green vegetables, eggs, and low-fat dairy. When it comes to meat, chicken is discouraged, and they are to eat lean red meat and turkey in moderation.
AB-blood type people are advised to avoid drinking caffeine, alcohol, and eating smoked or cured meats. Instead, they are to eat more seafood, dairy, and green vegetables.
People that fall within the O-blood type should eat a high protein diet and red meat. They should avoid dairy products, wheat, and bread.
Is this diet recommended by dietitians?
Although the diet has been gaining popularity over the years, dietitian Sylven Masoga says it is not advisable.
He says it causes people to eat certain foods in excess, while causing a deficiency of other nutrients. This could lead to other health complications in the future.
“Because of the known fact that the blood specific diet focuses more on certain food items, that will predispose one to deficiency of other nutrients or vitamins or even excess of the other, therefore as dietitians we say let us follow the South African-Based Dietary Guideline," says Masoga.
The guide includes:
- Enjoying a variety of foods.
- Being active.
- Making starchy foods part of most meals.
- Eating dry beans, split peas, lentils, and soya regularly.
- Eating plenty of vegetables and fruit every day.
- Having milk, maas or yoghurt every day.
- Fish, chicken, lean meat, and eggs can be eaten daily.
- Drinking lots of clean, safe water.
- Using fats sparingly: choose vegetable oils, rather than hard fats.
- Use sugar, and foods and drinks high in sugar sparingly.
- Use salt and foods high in salt sparingly.