The Blood Type Diet was created by Joseph Christiano. It is based on the belief that an individual’s blood type determines how the body absorbs nutrients, wards off disease and loses weight. Christiano advises that the Blood Type Diet is not necessarily a diet to be followed for quick weight loss, but instead is a lifestyle change.
To lose weight on this diet, individuals will aim to increase their metabolism and eat foods that are compatible with their blood type. The Blood Type Diet lasts for 12 weeks and individuals will eat breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack and dinner. At the beginning, the Blood Type Diet replaces several meals a day with meal replacements bars or cookies and slowly reduces the reliance on these products. Below is a list of approved snacks, based on blood type, for individuals on the Blood Type Diet.
Blood Type A
Fruit and Nut Butter:
- 1 large apple
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 10 to 12 oz green tea
Nuts and Tea:
- ½ cup unsalted redskin peanuts
- 10 to 12 oz ginger tea
Fruit and Yogurt:
- 6 oz low fat yogurt (any flavor)
- 1 medium peach
- 10 to 12 oz green or ginger tea
Fruit and Nuts:
- 4 to 6 walnuts
- 4 to 5 figs, fresh or dried
- 10 to 12 oz green or peppermint tea
Blood Type B
Cheese and Vegetables:
- 1 to 2 cups of raw vegetables or string beans
- 1 slice mozzarella cheese
- 10 to 12 oz green or spearmint tea
Fruit with Milk:
- ½ cup raspberries or strawberries
- 8 oz cup of soy milk
Peanut Butter and Jelly:
- 1 slice Ezekiel bread
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tbsp whole-fruit jam
- 10 to 12 oz soda water
Granola and Yogurt:
- 6 oz low fat yogurt (any variety)
- 1 to 2 tbsp granola or Grape uts
- 10 to 12 oz green or ginger tea
Blood Type AB
Cherries and Tea:
- 10 to 12 cherries or berries
- 10 to 12 oz green tea
Cheese and Crackers:
- 2 to 3 rye crisps
- 2 oz goat cheese
- 10 to 12 oz green tea
Muffin:
- 1 oat bran muffin
- 1 medium peach
- 10 to 12 oz coffee or green tea
Fruit and Cheese:
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tbsp black currants
- 1 tbsp honey
- 10 to 12 oz green tea
Blood Type O
Fruit and Nuts:
- 1 medium apple
- 4 to 6 whole walnuts
- 10 to 12 oz peppermint or green tea
Rice Cake with Nut Butter:
- 1 rice cake
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 medium peach
- 10 to 12 oz green tea or raspberry leaf tea
Nuts:
- 8 almonds or walnuts
- 10 to 12 oz soda water
In addition to the meal plan, the Blood Type diet has specific exercise programs designed for each blood type. When individuals combined both the customized blood type meal plan and exercise, according to Joseph Christiano, dieters experienced significant results. At the conclusion of the twelve-week program, individuals saw an average of 21% reduction in body fat. Christiano states that these results were seen because when individuals eat for their body type, then they are able to turn increase their metabolism and have their body naturally burn fat.