Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Eat Right 4 Your Type (Revised and Updated): The Individualized Blood Type Diet® Solution

Rate this book
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING DIET BOOK PHENOMENON

If you’ve ever suspected that not everyone should eat the same thing or do the same exercise, you’re right. In fact, what foods we absorb well and how our bodies handle stress differ with each blood type.
 
Your blood type reflects your internal chemistry. It is the key that unlocks the mysteries of disease, longevity, fitness, and emotional strength. It determines your susceptibility to illness, the foods you should eat, and ways to avoid the most troubling health problems.
 
Based on decades of research and practical application,  Eat Right 4 Your Type offers an individualized diet-and-health plan that is right for you.
 
In this revised and updated edition of Eat Right 4 Your Type, you will
• Which foods, spices, teas, and condiments will help maintain your optimal health and ideal weight
• Which vitamins and supplements to emphasize or avoid
• Which medications function best in your system
• Whether your stress goes to your muscles or to your nervous system
• Whether your stress is relieved better through aerobics or meditation
• Whether you should walk, swim, or play tennis or golf as your mode of exercise
• How knowing your blood type can help you avoid many common viruses and infections
• How knowing your blood type can help you fight back against life-threatening diseases
• How to slow down the aging process by avoiding factors that cause rapid cell deterioration

INCLUDES A 10-DAY JUMP-START PLAN

432 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1991

2234 people are currently reading
2885 people want to read

About the author

Peter J. D'Adamo

100 books56 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
1,189 (26%)
4 stars
1,368 (30%)
3 stars
1,273 (28%)
2 stars
439 (9%)
1 star
191 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 419 reviews
Profile Image for Jaline.
444 reviews1,880 followers
September 13, 2017
November 11, 1997

This was a review that had to be subjective because the book must be experienced rather than intellectualized. This review also goes back 20 years but in light of books and information coming out about the harmful effects of lectins on one’s body and immune system, I think it fits in well. So, back in time to 1997:

At the time that this book came to me for reviewing, there were several major stresses occurring in my life simultaneously, and I was unnerved by how wearing they were for me physically. Stress is a part of everyone's life, and I had always been able to transmute stress into an energy that I could utilize. Suddenly it wasn't working and my thoughts were running along the lines of, "Maybe I've got chronic fatigue syndrome" and similar scary places. Happily, I've been able to discard all of those notions ... along with 8 grocery bags full of food from my cupboards, 3 from my freezer, and 3 from my fridge! I gave all the groceries away and I hope that whoever has them belongs in a different food "type" than I do!

Just through staying away from my "Avoid" list and eating foods on my "Highly Beneficial" and "Neutral" lists, my energy levels dramatically increased within two days of changing the foods I was eating: I was sleeping more hours at night for about a week and then that stabilized and reversed to where I now require less sleep than before I began; my energy levels not only increased, but stabilized -- no energy 'surges', but rather a strong, steady source of energy all day long. There have been many other changes, too, and perhaps more yet to come, but that shift in energy level, and the ability to move through the stresses in my life in a way that felt steady, clear, and connected was the most important change to me.

So what is this "type" I'm talking about? The whole premise of this book really supports something I've always wondered about. I avoided various "nutrition programs" in the past because it seemed that for every person who raved about a new program, more others decried it. Dr. Peter D'Adamo's father, a naturopathic doctor (as is his son), noticed the very same thing many years ago and set out to discover why. It obviously wasn't a simple matter of preference -- some people literally did very poorly following a dietary regimen that was so ideal for other people.

Dr. James D'Adamo discovered that there was a correlation between one's blood type and the kinds of foods that supported wellbeing and/or fostered dis-ease. He published his book, "One Man's Food" in 1980, inspired by the phrase "One man's food is another man's poison". Dr. Peter D'Adamo wanted to see if there was any scientific basis for this correlation and approached it from a different perspective. He felt that by finding connections between blood types and a predilection for certain diseases, it would supply the other side of the equation required for complete understanding of these inter-relationships. His own years of research paid off, and as a result, this book brings the two approaches together.

The book talks about one's blood type being "a powerful genetic fingerprint that identifies you as surely as your DNA". It lists over two hundred foods for each type by "food family" in 3 categories: "Highly Beneficial" (the equivalent of medicine for your type), "Neutral" (functions as food for your type), and "Avoid" (the equivalent of a poison for your type). There are also several recipes given for each blood type. When one considers how few foods we tend to habitually gravitate toward, these food lists are both comprehensive and more than most of us would venture into!

Dr. D'Adamo also talks about how one's blood type is "a more reliable measure of your identity than race, culture, or geography." For those who are interested in the anthropological aspects of blood type, he shows how the various blood types evolved through millennia with Type O being the oldest, type A evolving with agrarian society, type B coming into being with migration northward into colder, harsher territories, and type AB a relatively modern mixing and blending of different peoples.

The book also gives several case studies of people who have received relief and remission from some serious medical conditions, as well as people who have found ease through more natural processes such as menopause, and milder medical conditions such as digestive disturbances and menstrual upsets.

The toughest part for most people is just the thought of "giving up" foods that may be conditioned responses due to race or ethnic background, or just plain habit. The beauty of it is that it is so very easy to do so once you're past the thought ... at least, this is what I found and this has also been substantiated by several other people I know who are also following their foods-by-type regimen.

Everything in me rebelled at the thought that my type actually requires nearly the opposite of what I've been eating for many years. At the same time, under the circumstances, I was willing to try anything if it would make a difference to my physical energy. So I promised myself to try it for a week (not really very generous) and see how I felt. The rest is, as they say, "herstory".

I'm so impressed that I'm planning on giving this book as a gift to all of my family and friends who don't already have it. I don't ever remember being so quickly or easily 'converted' into anything in my life, but the difference in how I felt (and feel) was a pretty strong incentive. After finally receiving the book, it was interesting to then read the background on everything, including why foods end up on one's "Avoid" list ... that is, certain foods produce lectins that slow down the metabolism, others interfere with insulin production, others cause hypoglycemia, and so on ... but specifically according to one's type. A food that might adversely affect my thyroid could actually speed up your metabolism or vice versa!

The most fascinating aspect to me is that, just as Dr. James D'Adamo discovered and Dr. Peter D'Adamo verified, "One man's food is another man's poison". Perhaps if everyone began eating right for their type, there would even be a major shift in how food is produced and consumed, with plenty of good nourishment to go around for everyone!
Profile Image for Jonny Cox.
Author 1 book15 followers
November 14, 2012
The bible never mentions apples. The Book of Genesis only refers to the fruit from the tree of knowledge and I believe that Eve caused the fall of man with a tomato; it is the Devil's fruit. All my life I felt like an oddity because I so detest the gooey red mess until I read this book. D'Adamo explains in the intro that type A blood groups can't digest the Devil's fruit because of insufficient stomach acid. This made sense so I read the rest of the book and gave up milk. WithIn 72 hours I felt much, much better. D'Adamo explains that milk is an antigen, it provokes your Immune system. I have MS, which is an immune disorder. Following the dietary regime in this book quite possibly saved my life, it certainly slowed the progression of my incurable, degenerative condition. It has cured my hay fever, the arthritis, it has also stopped the eczema that my young boys were getting.

I strongly recommend this to anyone with a health condition, low energy levels, weight problems or any concerns of a health nature. It may well change your life.
Profile Image for Kelli.
927 reviews445 followers
October 22, 2017
I’m not sure it’s fair for me to review this book because I only read the parts relevant to my blood type. My copy is 21 years old, so inevitably some advice, such as avoiding coconut oil because of its high fat content, is outdated. Nutrition is kind of a crapshoot anyway, as advice varies drastically from one diet to the next. I find it interesting that many naturopaths subscribe to this way of eating, especially where bio-individuality is at the forefront of nutrition, but I must say the section about my blood type seemed applicable to my situation. The general advice to up vegetable intake, avoid sugar, limited inflammatory foods, manage stress & exercise are all good.

I will revisit in a month or two and update how this is working out for me. 3 stars for now.
Profile Image for Nguyên Trang.
600 reviews696 followers
March 28, 2024
Hồi xưa thấy Natalia Vodianova trẻ đẹp quá mức mà google thì cô này chỉ theo duy nhất một phương pháp là Ăn theo nhóm máu của D'Amado. Đợt này béo già vái tứ phương nên đọc thử xem sao.

Thú vị là mở thử ra vài đoạn của nhóm máu mình thì thấy giống mình hiện tại 80% và giống chế độ lý tưởng 90% còn 10% thì chí mạng quá :(( Trong sách sau đó viết mà mình thấy rất hợp lý: Đó là cơ thể mình vốn luôn hướng mình theo cái tốt nhất, chỉ là thói quen tập quán khiến mình đi lệch một chút thôi.

Hay nữa là quyển này không chỉ là phương pháp giảm cân mà gần như mọi thứ: tính cách, tâm lý, nguy cơ bệnh tật và cả cách chữa. Thích hơn nữa là bác sĩ này đúng style mình. Tức là thuận tự nhiên, dựa trên y khoa phương Tây nhưng chữa kiểu phương Đông. Bản thân mình từ khi tự chủ thì không bao giờ dùng thuốc không kê đơn. Tính ra chỉ có ba lần dùng thuốc, đều theo đơn, là chữa Covid (vì sợ rụng tóc), mắt (vì sợ mù) và răng (dọa nhiễm trùng).

Thích chí hơn cả là gia đình mình có đủ 4 nhóm máu nên mình có cơ hội quan sát gần, xem có đúng như miêu tả không. Theo như sách thì:

- Nhóm máu O: Được gọi là nhóm máu cổ xưa của các thợ săn với các đặc tính khỏe mạnh, tự tin, dẫn đầu. Thật ra nhóm đầu tiên xuất hiện là A nhưng không hiểu sao biến mất và O là nhóm máu cơ bản thống trị loại người đầu tiên. Nhóm này có một thuyết rất dễ thương: Vì khi đó đất rộng người thưa tài nguyên dồi dào nên người nhóm máu O có ký ức về thời thiên đường in sâu vào bộ nhớ. Ông anh mình nhóm máu O và mình chưa từng thấy ai sống yolo vô lo tiêu tiền như rác thế =))
- Nhóm máu A: Nhóm máu thuần nông của người canh tác với đặc tính điềm tĩnh, hợp tác tốt và ngăn nắp. Nhóm này xuất hiện khi bắt đầu đất chật người đông, phân công lao động nên đòi hỏi con người phải biết hòa hoãn, phối hợp. Bố mẹ mình chưa xét nghiệm máu nên không chắc nhưng một người nhóm A một người nhóm B (thì mới sinh được ba đứa ba nhóm máu O, B, AB). Quá hiển nhiên là bố mình nhóm A. Theo như ông bà mình kể, và đời mình chứng kiến thêm, thì bố mình từ bé tới già chưa bao giờ nói tục và chưa bao giờ cáu giận. Mình cũng chưa từng thấy ai EQ cao như bố mình (nhất là giữa một miền Bắc và full gia đình nói tục, nóng tính hoho), ra ngoài như được tôn sùng luôn.
- Nhóm máu B: Nhóm máu cân bằng của gã du mục với đặc tính cân bằng, linh hoạt và sáng tạo. Đại để giữa xã hội êm ả hòa bình có những người thấy bức bối quá bèn đi đánh nhau xâm chiếm lang thang khắp nơi, sinh ra nhóm máu B. Chị gái (và hẳn là mẹ mình) nhóm máu B. Cả hai đều cực kỳ hướng ngoại, dễ tăng xông =)))
- Nhóm máu AB: Nhóm máu hiện đại của người bí ẩn với đặc tính hiếm gặp, lôi cuốn và huyền bí. Nhóm này chỉ chiếm 2-5% dân số và không thể giải thích được tại sao nó tồn tại. Con người là trường hợp đầu tiên có cảnh hai nhóm máu kết hợp lại ra một nhóm máu mới. Mà lại là hai nhóm máu đối nghịch. (Mình nghĩ chỉ có thể do tình yêu hihi). Từ trước khi xét nghiệm máu thì mình cũng thấy rõ rằng mình là nhóm AB rồi dù nó hiếm. Theo như mẹ mình nói thì từ lúc lọt lòng mình đã hai nhân cách rồi :(( Mình cũng là người giống bố nhất nhà, đồng thời giống mẹ nhất nhà. So với cuốn sách này thì:
+Về mặt ăn uống: Bình thường mình đã ăn 70% rau quả, 20% hải sản và 10% thịt. Tuy nhiên mình thường bị buồn nôn, gặp ác mộng khi ăn thịt nên đã tính tới việc bỏ thịt. Sách này nói đúng là mình không nên ăn thịt (chính xác là chỉ được ăn gà tây). Mình cũng đang băn khoăn về việc ăn đồ lên men tốt hay không. Sách khẳng định đồ lên men rất hại cho nhóm AB do nhóm này thừa vi sinh vật rồi. Ngoài ra, có một số món vô thưởng vô phạt mình có ăn nhưng sách viết không tốt (tôm, cua, hàu, chuối, ổi, lựu, dừa, xoài, cam) thì thôi bỏ. Chỉ có hai món mình rất thích ăn mà đại kỵ AB là ngô và đồ chua :(( thôi nay cũng chừa. Có một sự thật đúng trong sách là mình ăn gà, xoài cực kỳ kích ứng luôn. Mình cũng không phải cãi nhau về vụ cà phê với mẹ nữa vì nhóm AB không nên uống cà phê, chỉ nên uống trà (đúng ý mình). Giống như chế độ Ăn một bữa, Ăn theo nhóm máu cũng hướng tới cân nặng thăng bằng tự nhiên của cơ thể.
+Về luyện tập: Xưa nay mình vẫn nói mình là người có thể đi bộ cả ngày nhưng không chạy nổi 1 km. Sách này cũng nói y chang: Nhóm AB không vận động mạnh được. Các môn sách giới thiệu thì mình cũng theo nhiều năm nay rồi là yoga, đi bộ, đạp xe, leo núi. Mình cũng thích aikido nhưng không có điều kiện học.
+Về tâm lý: Mặc dù mang trong mình hai mảng đối nghịch nhưng theo trong sách: "Nhóm máu AB có sẵn khả năng biến những tác hại của căng thẳng thành lợi ích". Hoho đọc được câu này đúng nhận liền =)) Cơ bản mình không biết căng thẳng là gì vì căng thẳng với mình luôn đồng thời là niềm vui. Hoặc nó là một chướng ngại để mình tu tập hoặc là đối tượng để phân tích tâm lý. Mình luôn có sự thích chí khi quan sát cả bản thân hoặc những người gần nhất để phân tích tâm lý. Chỉ có duy nhất một lần mình bất lực, ai đó có thể nói là love is blind nhưng mình tin là do bị ảnh hưởng Covid nữa.
Về vi���c nhiều người nói mình (và nhóm AB nói chung) rất khó hiểu, mâu thuẫn, không biết bản thân muốn gì, thì mình xin được sai cãi. Bản thân mình tự thấy mình vô cùng nhất quán, rõ ràng. Đúng là mình vừa thế này vừa thế kia nhưng nó giống như hai phần của quan hệ biện chứng, giống như Under Pressure của Queen và Bowie, hay như cuốn sách này viết: "là sự kết hợp của giao thoa hiếm có giữa hai nhóm máu đối lập để dung hòa và thích ứng". Một vùng xám, một người đi dây hay như Leonard Bernstein nói về nghệ thuật: "A work of art does not answer questions, it provokes them; and its essential meaning is in the tension between the contradictory answers." Hay như Zhang Zhen trong A Brighter Summer Day đâm chết crush, đó không phải là đối nghịch của tình yêu mà ở một mức độ rất cao thôi. Nói mãi tự dưng thấy lằng nhằng nhờ =))) nhưng thật sự là mình rất rõ ràng. Mình có thể dán nhãn cảm xúc cho từng người một, y như những lọ hóa chất. Không một chút mập mờ, lằng nhằng.

Tóm lại rất ưng cuốn này. Natalia Vodianova là minh chứng hùng hồn. Bản thân mình thấy nó cơ bản như mình cảm nhận. Giúp giải đáp nhiều thắc mắc và tự tin sống khỏe ;)) Có vài cái cơ thể lấn cấn mà sách bảo không nên thì nay mình cũng bỏ vậy hoho Tối nay lạnh cả nhà đi ăn ngô nướng mà mình từ chối dù mê từ bé đó huhu Vấn đề duy nhất của cuốn này là có nhiều nguyên liệu, món ăn Tây quá :((
Profile Image for Nick Fagerlund.
345 reviews17 followers
June 20, 2008
This book came up in a conversation with Kathleen before she went east — a relative of hers had gotten significant benefit from following some or another nugget of counterintuitive advice from it, which sort of thing is perfect grist for our style of shit-shooting. Anyway, I thought the premise sounded too weird to ignore, so I checked it out from the library.

Basically, D’Adamo says that your blood type determines (or is at least the primary influence on) your metabolism and your ability to digest specific foods, and follows with a rather detailed rundown on how you should be eating. He backs this edifice up with his personal clinical experience (presented as a series of anecdotes dispersed throughout the text) and some extremely dodgy anthropology that reminds me of nothing so much as the Jakeskin from Templar, AZ. In terms of references to peer-reviewed studies demonstrating the mechanisms he postulates, well, not so much. (And he lets slip once or twice that he advocates homeopathy. Red flag!) So I was skeptical. But honestly? I found myself wanting to believe what he was saying. Mostly because of this feeling that ABO blood types have to be good for something besides transfusion complications and manga character taxonomy. Really, why shouldn’t the, you know, very makeup of your humours affect your digestion? And this, friends, is probably why the book managed to become such a big hit.

Anyway, like I said, I checked it out. Apparently, as a Type O (The mighty hunter(/gatherer)! Roaming the African Plains in search of MEAT! Never mind that most of the protein in the appropriator diet seems to have come from bugs), I should be eating approximately the diet that my Type A (The vegetarian farmer! GRAAAAIIIIINNNZZZZ!) sister eats, while she in turn ought to be craving the pseudo-vegetarian diet that comes naturally to me. Reductionism and uninstinctiveness aside, I still couldn’t, at the end, see any reason to be eating the diet he advocates — it’s all just his word, with nothing concrete to back it up, and the outlook gets even worse when you google “blood type diet” to find out what holes the critics have been poking in D’Adamo’s research/lack-thereof. The plural of “anecdote” is still not “data.”

Unsettlingly, there was a whole bunch of what seemed like genuine insight interspersed with the arrant nonsense—Type Os are supposed to have a particular affinity with broccoli and kales, and boy howdy do I ever—but I ultimately have to write it off as a cognitive artifact. The brain wants patterns, and it will damn well have them, whether or not they’re there at the start.

No, I didn’t actually try the diet. For all I know, it may really be the key to a happy and healthy life. I’m still calling this book a loss.

On the other other other hand, it did provide some inspiration to try giving up wheat for a few weeks, which seems to have caused me to get noticeably thinner with no further effort. So there is that.

(Wait, do you still have an other hand free? In the tiny blood type fortune-telling section at the end of each division of the book, he refers to some historical personage as “the penultimate gambler.” Mister, I am pretty sure that does not mean what you think it does. Just saying.)
Profile Image for Jodi.
Author 5 books85 followers
August 10, 2016
Some of the concepts in this book are not fully scientifically supportable, but the diet may still make lots and lots of people feel a whole lot better and attain a much greater level of health! These two things are not mutually exclusive.

Reasons the claims made about the scientific merit of the exact food lists provided for each blood type are unconvincing (on the whole) to me include:

1. I have read more than half a dozen detailed and methodical explanations of why the scientific concepts in the 'Blood Type' books are based on sketchy and incomplete science. While some of the theory makes sense, they found holes in the theory and the way the food lists have been compiled big enough to drive buses through. These were not in books which deny the validity of anything that is not 'mainstream' - quite the opposite in fact. These were by some of the best health and nutrition authors around. Their arguments were very compelling (although I don't have the time to go into them here). There are also numerous articles online that contain this information which you can find by Googling. The general consensus is that the author has part of his theory right, but the way it is being presented as a complete theory with all questions answered is not correct.

2. Even if it's true that our blood type has an enormous amount to do with what we should eat, the concept of biochemical individuality would still mean that there would be just as many differences between what people with the same blood type would eat, as similarities. People are remarkably individual on a biochemical level as the book Biochemical Individuality explains.

3. Family members with the same blood type often do well on very different diets. This illustrates the above principle, and also the concept that different diets suit you at different times of your life in response to all sorts of bodily changes, disease processes and so on.

3. The topic of this diet comes up now and then in chat groups and I have only very rarely heard it discussed favourably - perhaps by a single person? Most say very clearly that it didn't help them and was a waste of time and effort.

The book The Body Ecology Diet: Recovering Your Health and Rebuilding Your Immunity explains that the blood type diet books provide valuable clues about which foods may suit us best, but that it should be considered a theory still in development. The author points out that:

- The research has not been adapted for those with Candida issues, acidic conditions or other serious immune disorders.
- The blood type diet does not emphasise the importance of eating cultured foods. For example, type Os are advised to cut out brassica vegetables such as cabbage entirely as they affect thyroid function. This may make the diet needlessly limited. But all that is needed is for these foods to be cultured, and they pose no problem! (That is a MASSIVE MASSIVE oversight for those of us with already very limited diets!)
- No protein guide is given for vegetarian type Os and Bs.
- Food combining is ignored.
- All blood types are advised to avoid apple cider vinegar, which is highly medicinal, aids digestion and is alkalising.
- Food preparation methods are not discussed which can make some foods well tolerated. (Soaked almonds and cabbage made into sauerkraut are very different to raw or roasted almonds and plain cabbage, for example.)
- Lots of foods that feed yeast are recommended on the diet.
- Unfermented soy is recommended, despite the fact this is difficult to digest and unhealthy.
- Dairy is given undue importance and over recommended.
- Wheat may cause problems for all blood types yet it is recommended on this diet for some blood types.
- The blood type diet advises avoiding coconut oil, and supports many of the myths surrounding this excellent food as explained in Know Your Fats : The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils and Cholesterol.
- No distinction is made between refined and unrefined oils.
- Many of the fruits and vegetables on the allowed lists and the avoid lists for each blood type do not seem to tally with the author's experience with patients and for the most part, all the blood types do well eating the same fruits and vegetables (with the exception of tomatoes).

But this blood type diet book can still improve your health possibly, because:

1. It advises cutting out junk food.

2. It advises choosing higher quality *organic* vegetables, fruit and meats and eggs.

3. It advises upping your vegetable intake.

4. It advises lots of people to cut out foods such as dairy, grains and legumes - which are some of the most common food allergens, which most people have no idea they are allergic to. The lectins in grains and legumes also cause a lot of problems for many people.

5. It advises lots of people to cut out foods such as grains and legumes - which are very high carbohydrate. This will lead to easy weight loss for lots of people.

Considering these 5 factors alone, almost anyone would benefit from going on this diet. These are 5 pieces of simply excellent advice! But you would also get many of the same benefits from following any healthy whole food eating plan or at least any which avoided recommending grain and legume consumption, as all the Paleo diet books do.

If you do have allergies or a problem dealing with carbohydrates, or a need for lots of fat and protein in your diet, you better hope you are a type O though. The basics of the type 0 program happen to fit me well by chance (though it doesn't at all fit family members of mine that have the same blood type) but I bet lots of others that aren't Os do poorly eating such a high carb diet so high in grains and legumes! (This must be why the author has revised down the amount of grains it is okay for non-Os to eat, in more recent books.)

The author's belief in the blood type diet concept seems to have escalated to faith, as one reviewer said.

It cannot hurt to try this diet for a short time, probably. But there are far easier ways to go about getting healthy and losing weight that are nowhere near as enormously complicated, or as needlessly restrictive, potentially. You might start with a simple book on nutrition and eating real food such as Real Food: What to Eat and Why or, if you desire to lose weight as well as improve your health, Eat Fat, Lose Fat: The Healthy Alternative to Trans Fats.

If you suspect that you may have an issue with grains and legumes (and/or want to lose weight while getting healthier), then you might want to read some of the books on the Paleo diet and try this diet for a while. There are lots of good books on this topic including The Primal Blueprint: Reprogram your genes for effortless weight loss, vibrant health, and boundless energy (Primal Blueprint Series) as well as lots of free information online.

If you suspect you have food allergies you may want to have ELISA testing done, do some pulse testing, go on an elimination diet and then a 4 day rotation diet. You may also want to look into issues surrounding having a 'leaky gut' which is one of the main causes of food allergies. Suspect leaky gut if you have been a heavy user of NSAIDs, aspirin, ibuprofen etc. Books such as No More Heartburn: Stop the Pain in 30 Days--Naturally! : The Safe, Effective Way to Prevent and Heal Chronic Gastrointestinal Disorders can be helpful in treating this condition.

To read about the fats we all need you may want to read Know Your Fats : The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils and Cholesterol and Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food.

All of these books have a solid scientific basis. Eat real food, consider that you may have hidden food allergies and try to find the diet that suits YOU as an individual, I say!

At best this book promotes a very incomplete and flawed theory that only explains one small part of the science of what we should each be eating and why, rather than the whole answer. Unfortunately the issue relies on many other factors in addition to blood type and is far more complicated.

I quite enjoyed finding out what blood type I was finally! I'm an O negative blood type. It always felt weird that I didn't know this.

The three stars in this rating are for the 5 excellent diet tips included in this book, as listed above.

Jodi Bassett, The Hummingbirds' Foundation for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Quote:
"The "blood type" diet is more hype than substance. I am a blood type "A" eating a blood type "O" diet and doing fabulously. The "Eat Right for Your Blood Type" thing is just bad science, in a nutshell." Nora Gedgaudas, author of Primal Body, Primal Mind
Profile Image for Kameel.
1,038 reviews283 followers
May 17, 2021
I believe this book contained a lot of useful information regarding our health...but there was too much technical information that clouded my head....information overload.
Profile Image for Ryan.
41 reviews
February 27, 2009
I borrowed this book from my Mom years ago. I set it aside thinking it would be too bio-scientific for my taste. I was wrong about that. It was definitely written so the average person could easily comprehend.

This book was a very interesting read. It walked through the evolution of blood types and how they formed the premise of human diets today. I concentrated on the O types since that's what I am.

My success with this nutrition plan was achieved in the opposite way of most. In my quest to live a healthier life, I toyed with my diet over the past couple years. Through trial and error, I migrated towards the "Type O diet" but did so before I read this book.

I'm not entirely convinced that this would work for anyone; however, my success through trial and error certainly has supported the book's theories. Interestingly, many of the characteristics held true for close family members, as well.

What I also find interesting when looking at the comments by other "readers" (and I use that term loosely) who gave it a * or ** rating is that I cannot conclude whether any of them actually tried the nutrition plan and failed (or even read the book!). Those that did comment simply dismissed this as "theory" that at best makes interesting reading. I'm flabbergasted how people are so willing to put unnatural, synthetic drugs into their system because someone with an MD next to their name says so (and that MD has likely never actually studied the drug) over someone who has studied a field for years, has "tested" his theory on actual humans and has found that theory to work. Oh, and one other small item: he's suggesting foods that the human body has been known to tolerate for thousands of years! I guess, like everything else, people want the quick fix and not the best one.

Like I said, I'm not convinced this will work for everyone. But I am convinced that, since it's natural, the worst case is you waste a few dollars and some time/energy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Ebookwormy1.
1,829 reviews359 followers
April 6, 2009
The idea of this work, that your blood type determines what you should eat and how you should exercise, is compelling, so I borrowed it from a friend.

Of course, I started by skimming my own blood type, and I found it to be much like reading a horoscope in a Sunday paper. Sure, there were some things that seemed to fit, but there were also some things that were the exact opposite of my experience. I laughed out loud when I read that certain Types are subject to heart disease and cancer! Oh really, those are only the top two killers in the US, thanks so much for letting me know! :) The lack of actual research/ study citations becomes glaring in light of so many 'scientific' assertions, althought anticdotal case studies abound, further facilitating the feeling that this book is more about the author (and his desire to break new ground and/or recruit followers) than the book's actual content.

And yet I could not back away from the appeal of the idea. Wanting to take my investigation a step further, I called my mom, the resident medical expert of our family. We discussed our family history and how it fit within the rubric of D'Adamo's theories, and our conclusions were pretty much the same as mine previous. The categories of blood type, as presented, simply failed to provide insight into our family health history.

Finally, I read a few goodreads reviews, and looked the idea up on the web by googling, "Blood Type Diet". It seems that others had the same problems with Dr. D'Adamo's theories as I did. There is simply no research to support his ideas, and in the end, the types he sketches out are so general that those willing to believe will quickly see themselves in his writing and disregard all that doesn't fit.

Not recommended at all. Well, I guess if you are studying mass hysteria, development of cult followings, or something similar, D'Adamo's book might interest you.


Profile Image for Agnė.
787 reviews68 followers
November 5, 2015
Well... I finally finished reading this book only because my library wouldn't let me keep it any longer. I started reading it because I heard a lot of different opinions about Blood Type Diet and wanted to know more about it. While reading this book, I actually tried to avoid foods which are harmful for my blood type. Since I felt pretty healthy before this diet anyways, I did not experience any significant benefits.

This January, a new study came out, which found no scientific evidence for the Blood Type Diet whatsoever, except the fact that diets recommended for different blood types are pretty healthy in general and would benefit a person of any blood type. Anyways, now I am back at eating my regular diet and enjoying tomatoes, avocados, chicken, peanuts, some wheat etc. (all the forbidden pleasures!) in a moderation.

Generally, I liked the idea of the Blood Type Diet and some points made by the author seemed very reasonable. However, in my opinion, the book is quite out dated and lacks hard proof as most of the conclusions are drawn from the observational studies (which are quite subjective) and generalizations (something like having a theory and trying to fit it everywhere) rather than objective scientific evidence. Since I have some scientific background, the book seems a little bit repetitive and some explanations are over simplified, but it might be good for someone who has no scientific background.

All in all, I think the Blood Type Diet theory is not a complete nonsense but I do not agree with the author that EVERYTHING about us is determined by our blood type, and living, eating, and exercising by our blood type is the only way to go.
Profile Image for Latiffany.
654 reviews
October 8, 2012
I don't think it is fair for me to write that I read this book because in actuality, I skimmed it. A coworker suggested this book about two years ago. I immediately purchased it and went to the doctor to confirm my blood type. Shortly after, the same coworker said that her doctor informed her that the book is junk science. I never told my doctor why I needed to know my blood type, so I can't 100% concur.

I will agree that there is no way that I am limiting myself to foods outlined in this book for people with my blood type. However, I will say that some of the foods that were suggested for people with my blood type, I already eat and crave. Science or coincidence? I don't know.

The lovely thing about this book is that unless you are just drawn to the subject and history of blood types, you can simply read up on yours and put the book away. That's what I did, which is why I won't say that I read it in its entirety. I read the portions that pertained to me.

Overall, I did not find it beneficial. I found it to be painfully boring.
Profile Image for Susan.
101 reviews
January 12, 2009
After reading this book I can't tell you how dangerous I think it is. If there was a negative rating I would have chosen it.
The idea behind this book is that certain blood types should only eat certain foods and completely omit other foods from their diets. I can see a whole hatfull of problems with that theory and that's what this is really. Theory. Tell me when and where in the history of life that there is any proof or evidence to support this?
I've heard of some close friends that have subjected their children to this type of hooey diet, so I called my children's pediatrician and asked his opinion. He has agreed that this book is a bunch of nonsense and actually dangerous to try out on children as well as adults.
Don't waste your time. I'm not sure if the person writing this book got his degree from a Cracker Jack box or what.
Profile Image for Finbar.
163 reviews33 followers
March 29, 2009
An interesting approach to diet and lifestyle, but a bit too generalized to be effective. I thought this would be a helpful tool to tweak my eating habits, but it reads more like a "fad diet" book. There are a few effective arguments and good advise to be found in here, but it just has too much pseudo-jargon to be useful. This book just didn't resonate with me.
Profile Image for Maarten Koller.
126 reviews4 followers
November 4, 2012
The author tells stories instead of backing up his ideas with science. No references at all in this book. Unless research confirms the ideas of the author, that is all they are, ideas and not facts. Also consider the fact that he published his book/ideas in 1997, if it hasn't been confirmed by now, will it ever?
Profile Image for Lori.
672 reviews29 followers
April 3, 2022
Eat right for your blood type is an interesting theory. The premise is that the different blood types were derived from different environments and sustained with limited foodstuffs. The idea is that by mirroring the types of foods that were to be had when the given blood type evolved, today's person would nourish the body and not feed less optimum foodstuff which can lead to illness. Maybe a valid idea, maybe not so much.
Profile Image for Ashwak.
95 reviews50 followers
February 3, 2020
يحتوي الكتاب على بعض الأخطاء الطبية كما أن أسلوبه ليس علميا 100% وانما يعتمد على القصص ورواية الشواهد وهذا لا يكفي لاثبات أي من الادعاءات التي ذكرها (خطيرة في بعض الأحيان) لكن لا بأس به على العموم كتثقيف للمواطن البسيط.
Profile Image for Christopher.
132 reviews3 followers
May 18, 2024
My new guilty pleasure is subscribing to the diet despite lack of scientific research. It lost me at the parts about vaccines and infections.
Profile Image for Ximena García De León.
16 reviews
February 3, 2021
Un libro que te abre una nueva perspectiva hacia la alimentación. Cada organismo es distinto, por lo tanto, es importante de no generalizar dietas y, en cambio, optar por la que se adapte a tu grupo sanguíneo. Leí la introducción y mi tipo de sangre únicamente, y aún debo de poner a prueba mi dieta para poder decir si sí me sirvió o no, sin embargo, toda la información brindada me pareció muy interesante.
Profile Image for Lisa.
1,118 reviews38 followers
October 10, 2019
Interesting concept, but am I ever going to give up wheat or avocados? Not a chance.
Profile Image for Monica Willyard Moen.
1,372 reviews29 followers
October 22, 2018
This is an interesting book with an interesting approach to good health and losing weight. I don’t agree with everything I’ve read or except all of it as valid, but I do think the author has some valid points. I believe our world was created by God, so I don’t except his theory of evolutionary biology as valid. However, I do believe that different body types, different blood types, could mean that we process foods differently. I have seen some people thrive on a high-protein, low-carb diet. I have seen others who seem miserable doing a low-carb diet but who flourish on a high fiber vegetarian diet. Al I believe that our bodies with our personal chemistry are quite unique, so it makes sense to me that we would need different types of food depending on our bodies’ ability to process foods. I don’t think we have to agree on evolution as the basis for these unique differences. I respect his opinion, and I do see why he looks at things from that viewpoint.
As for the eating plans themselves, they are definitely different from anything I have tried in the past. I am going to give my blood type’s plan a good 30 day trial to see what happens. The eating plans seem balanced enough that this doesn’t look like a crazy fad diet. There is a cookbook available that acts as a companion, modifying recipes for each blood type. The author also has a separate cookbook with additional recipes and meal ideas for each of the blood types. The recipes sound tasty, and I’m looking forward to this as an adventure.
Profile Image for Suzanne.
1,796 reviews
October 31, 2018
I was reading this for a challenge, vs. as a seeker of a diet, which probably didn't help, but I really had to push through this time.

First off, while I do not buy into (nor can I disprove) the link between blood type and dietary needs, I think any of the diets advocated in this book are healthy, and people could be successful choosing/following one.

I just have a hard time buying lots of the claims. There are a lot of scientific terms thrown about, and it is mostly just stated that they are true. Maybe it is the mathematician in me, but I like proof, not claims. However, since I haven't tried it, I certainly can't say for sure it doesn't work :) It just disagrees with quite a few of the things that have worked for me with diet and exercise.

My rating is solely about my personal enjoyment/opinion. But again, if you need some healthy dietary guidelines, this could work well for you.



Profile Image for Chad.
397 reviews8 followers
July 7, 2020
This was definitely a very interesting read. Well put together. Convincing. Also, somewhat over-the-top. Dr. D'Adamo presents a believable case. Backs it up with stated research. I am not doubting him by any means, but I am doubting my ability to follow this diet. Of course all of my favorite foods are the bad ones for my blood type. I wish I could say I will give this diet a try and get back to you, but I won't. I know me. Sad but true.

This book lays it all out for you though. It makes it easy to get started and follow if you have the desire and ambition. For me, the change would be huge, and I am not wholly convinced in the argument that my blood type has to eat a certain way. If I was, I might be more successful at following such a strict regimen.

Anyway, I don't know that this is another diet fad, but if you are looking for something to try after trying everything else, this may be for you.
Profile Image for Ngan Ha  Nguyen.
81 reviews8 followers
December 3, 2024
This book's analysis matches exactly what I felt about my body when eating food, even before reading it: As a person who has a rare blood type AB, I cannot function well when eating various kinds of meat (pork, beef, smoked meat...), and this book explains why!

My daily meal portions before reading consisted of 40% veggie, 30% slow-release carbs (always whole grains), and 30% meat or seafood. Still felt unwell, I think because of that 30% pork or beef.

My daily meal portions now, after reading it, are: still 40% veggie and 30% slow-release carbs, 20% mainly seafood (excluding those which are not recommended) or meat (only turkey, sheep, or goat), and 10% others like soybean products, nuts, and unsaturated fat in cheese, etc. Feel more awake after eating, and my stomach feels lighter.

Besides, there's much more than that: individualized daily meals, activity exercises, illnesses and symptoms, natural eating medical cures, anthropology of 4 bloodtypes, biochemical explanations, etc.

I don't know about you, but it just fits me well! 🫶​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Profile Image for Lisa.
45 reviews2 followers
November 24, 2019
I listened to the audiobook and the abridged version...free from the library. It was a quick 3+ hour listen. The actual book that I attempted years ago is actually pretty robust with a lot of scientific information. This was a good review for what one can use immediately in the way of diet changes to follow his/her blood type diet. I do follow it for mine and it’s very beneficial. More than other diets I’ve tried.
April 15, 2024
Почетак је занимљив јер је уопштено о настанку крвних група. Остатак књиге, који је о исхрани на основу крвних група је непримењив код нас. Треба све савете прихватити са задршком. Писац је натуропата (лекар алтернативне медицине који се бори са болестима здравом исхраном као терапијом), који за извор користи оно што је његов отац (такође натуропата) уочавао код људи док је радио у бањи.
262 reviews12 followers
July 9, 2017
When I look back on the foods I am drawn to and what foods make me feel better, Dr. D'Adamo's explanations made sense to me.
Profile Image for Pam.
12 reviews
September 16, 2024
Very interesting. It was right on mark for my blood type.
Profile Image for Shelby Gubler.
53 reviews
November 17, 2024
Very intriguing thoughts on how certain foods affect the different blood types and how it aides in immune and physical health.
Well written and organized.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 419 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.