There are always certain diets out there that promise results based on a lot of different factors, but one that’s really gathered steam is the Blood Type Diet. This diet focuses on your specific blood type, telling you what types of foods you should be incorporating into your diet to achieve maximum health and weight loss. All in all, there are eight different blood types, making this diet very customizable.
The most common of the blood types is O positive, with an estimated 38 percent of people in the United States with this specific type. In fact, those with an O blood type are able to donate blood to those with any other type of blood, making it very versatile. As wide as the benefits are for having an O positive blood type, it’s said you should stick to a certain diet to lose weight. Here are the foods that you should be eating and avoiding to reach your goals if you have an O positive blood type:
DO Eat: Lean Meats
According to Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo, the founder of the Blood Type Diet, those that have an O positive blood type come from a line of ancestors that were aggressive hunters. For this reason, sticking to a high protein diet is important, and meat makes up for a big part of the diet.
While this does include some red meat, you should be sticking to more lean meats such as turkey, chicken, venison and types of cold-water fish like cod and mackerel. While it might sound like you should stick to a purely carnivorous diet that includes all meats, not every type of meat is going to be for you.
DON’T Eat: ALL Meats
Certain meats are off of the list that include pork (or any other type of meat from a pig), as well as goose. Seafood that you shouldn’t eat include barracuda, herring, catfish, octopus and caviar. This has been a point of confusion for people on the diet since the high amount of protein seems to fit into the diet. However, these types of meat contain lectins, due to the fact that these meats feed off of other animals. Just remember that if a type of meat is grass-fed, you’ll be OK to eat it.
DO Eat: High Fiber Fruits
Fruits, in just about every diet, are a very good thing. Most of the time, fruits are low in calories and high in nutrients, but O positive blood types aren’t recommended to eat every type of fruit. Instead, you’ll want to focus on fruits such as prunes, figs and cherries that contain high amounts of antioxidants, but a low amount of acidity. Sweet fruits are OK to eat for O positive, but don’t drink high-sugar juices.
DON’T Eat: Acidic Fruits
O positive blood types are more prone to digestive problems, which is why it’s suggested that the fruits that are high in fiber. Fruits such as oranges and strawberries don’t really fit this bill, and they also contain high acidity. This could cause further digestive problems for these types. All types of melons should also be avoided as they can contain higher levels of mold than other fruits, irritating allergies.
DO Eat: Green Vegetables
For those that really want to stick to the O positive blood type diet, not all vegetables are going to be on the menu, surprisingly. Instead, you should focus on the leafy green vegetables that contain high amounts of vitamin K that have been shown to specifically help improve blood flow. This group of vegetables contains lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli and more. Other vegetables that are acceptable, but not exactly leafy greens, include artichokes, pumpkin, horseradish and onions, to name a few.
DON’T Eat: Other Vegetables
Certain vegetables can affect your thyroid, which should be avoided when you’re an O positive blood type. Cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts fall into this category, even if they seem to fall into the same category as the vegetables you are allowed to eat. Other vegetables you should avoid are mushrooms and alfalfa sprouts due to mold content, as well as corn and potatoes due to insulin production that could cause weight gain and blood problems.
DO Drink: Water and Tea
It might seem obvious that you’ll want to drink plenty of water (since it’s good for any diet out there), not all of them will also include tea. The recommendation here is that O positive types drink water in any form that includes carbonated water, and most types of tea such as green tea, but not black tea. For those that like to drink, even having the occasional beer or glass of wine is still on the table, but not all alcohol. Distilled liquor is not allowed in this diet, and you should also avoid that morning cup of coffee, switching to caffeinated tea, instead.
DON’T Eat: Dairy
While you can eat small amounts of dairy as an O positive blood type, it’s probably easier to stay away from this blood group for the most part. Dairy protein isn’t considered to be as beneficial as meat protein, and many O positive types are lactose intolerant in nature. Eggs are also included into this category, though not specifically a dairy product. If you’re going to eat things such as cheese, keep it to types such as mozzarella and keep it in very small amounts. Digestion is a big part of the O positive type diet, and dairy is hard for most to digest.
DO Eat: Nuts
Nuts typically have a higher protein content than dairy, and are much easier to digest for most people. The healthy fats found in nuts will work wonders for your blood type, and almost all of them are allowed, including almonds and walnuts. There are four types of nuts that aren’t on the list, though, which are cashews, peanuts, pistachios and Brazil nuts. Thankfully, almonds and walnuts are the two most popular types of nuts in the United States, making it a bit easier for O positives.
DON’T Eat: Beans
According to the O positive blood type diet, beans and many other legumes should be avoided because of the high amount of lectins they provide. These deposit into the muscles and make it difficult to burn more calories. Kidney and navy beans as well as lentils fall into this list. Some types of legumes have been deemed beneficial for O types, however, including Adzuki beans, black eyed peas and pinto beans.
Other Considerations
According to Dr. D’Adamo, there are other things that O positive blood types should be focusing on for maximum benefit outside of what they’re eating. This includes making small lifestyle changes one at a time instead of overhauling your life and trying to do too much. You should also relax and sit down at meals, eating them slowly to get the best weight loss (and life) results.
As for exercise, the suggestion is pretty standard at four times per week in 30 to 45 minute sessions. That’s the minimum, however, and those that are feeling stressed should look to get out their aggressions through exercise. This also applies to cravings for unhealthy foods or other vices that you might have.