Recommended Foods for the Blood Type Diet

The basic goals of the "blood type diet" are to jump start the metabolism, keep it going strong, and eat food compatible with your blood type. Foods are broken down by blood types and listed in categories, including beneficial foods, "neutral" food and foods that should be avoided.

Underlying Principles

Joseph Christiano, a naturopathic doctor and author of "Blood Types, Body Types and You," asserts that you should eat a diet that complements your blood type. According to Dr. Christiano, this is because each blood type has specific characteristics that allow a person to eat, digest and assimilate his food in a specific way, and that not following this eating plan can cause food molecules to glue themselves to the digestive system, causing health problems.

Blood Type A

People with the blood type A are characterized by having very thick blood coursing through their veins. These people should eat foods that can help prevent heart disease and cancer.

Meats like cod, monkfish, rainbow trout, tilapia and whitefish are all acceptable as protein sources for the type A person. Dairy choices include soy milk and soy cheeses.

Vegetable protein sources include black-eyed peas, green beans and pinto beans. Pumpkin seeds and red peanuts can also be eaten as additional sources of protein.

Vegetables such as artichokes, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli, carrots, okra, onions and spinach are also recommended. Fruits---including apricots, blackberries, cherries, cranberries and pineapples---can be eaten in moderation.

Blood Type B

People with a B blood type do not have to avoid eating all dairy products. They can eat most meats in moderation, and are able to enjoy a larger variety of foods than the blood type A person.

Lamb, venison, veal, caviar, mahi mahi, scallops and tilapia are all listed as beneficial foods for this blood type and are good sources of protein. Macadamia nuts can also be eaten. Eggs, feta cheese and cottage cheese are also allowed.

The best vegetables for the B blood type include avocado, broccoli, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant and yams. Fruits such as bananas, cranberries, figs, grapes and papaya are all good food choices.

Blood Type AB

A person with the blood type AB should follow a similar diet to both A and B. If this is your blood type, combine the food lists for types A and B. However, eat less protein than is required by the B blood type, and glean the majority of it from plant sources.

Blood Type O

Blood type O people are considered the "meat eaters" of society. They have thinner blood and stronger immune systems, so they have less dietary restrictions than other blood types.

The blood type O diet can include meats like beef, buffalo, lamb, veal, venison, cod, halibut, rainbow trout, red snapper and tilapia as major sources of protein. Mozzarella cheese and non-fat sour cream are also allowed. However, type O blood types should not eat pasta.

Vegetable protein should come from pinto beans and black-eyed peas. Other vegetables that are allowed include artichokes, avocados, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, spinach and cabbage. You can also eat figs, plums and prunes.