What does a ‘blood type’ have to do with ‘personality’? Is there a co-relation? A blood group can give a lot of insight about you. Seriously! And there are foods and food supplements which stimulate your cells based on the blood group you have. As it so happens, nutrients that are harmful to people with one blood group, can actually be beneficial to another.
This logic is backed by science and research. Dr. Peter D’Adamo – author of the bestsellers “Eat Right for Your Type” and “Live Right for Your Type” feels an O+ blood type diet can be of great help to people with type O blood in order to live a healthy life. Before I proceed further, it is important to know the characteristics of O blood type.
What is O Blood Type?
If there is one blood type, which is the most sought after in terms of donating (not the ‘donations’ we hear in politics) it is O Blood type.
Type O, in fact, is the oldest types of blood. Blood, actually has antigens which determine the blood type in a person. There are two types of antigens – Antigen A and Antigen B which are found on the surface of blood cells.
What makes Type O blood unique? ‘Immune system’ is overactive, has hard digestive system, cannot digest products that have glue in it and many more.
Since meals have a lot to do with O blood type, let us find out the ideal meal plan for O blood type.
O Blood Type Diet Meal Plan
Let us get our notepad and pen in order to go through meal plan of Type O.
1. Beans
For people who belong to the O positive blood group, the production of the thyroid hormone is very low. Which is why, they land up into trouble with their thyroid gland.
Beans come in as a ‘savior’ for people with type O positive blood. Items in the bean family such as black-eyed beans, azuki, aduke and ainto need to be included in meal plan for O positive blood type individuals. Other examples of beans are green peas, pea pods, red soy, string and snap which do not have harmful effect on people with Type O blood.
In the legumes family, the following foods should be eaten. Eg,- Yellow snap, cannelloni, garbanzo (commonly called chickpea), lima, mung (beans, sprouts), northern beans, white beans and soy products (such as granules, milk, beans, miso, cheese, nut butter, tempeh, tofu).
According to Dr. D’Adamo, green and red lentils, tamarind, copper beans and kidney beans should be avoided – since they can be harmful for type O people.
2. Meat
For the O blood group, a high protein diet which has organic meats is good. Mutton, lamb, beef, and fish like cod, mackerel and herring give you the protein part. In fact, seafood is best for type O group, reason being – it is high in iodine, which helps in regulating thyroid glands.
But, stay away from pork, bacon and goose (as also, smoked salmon, pickled herring, octopus, caviar and catfish). These are meats and seafood that should not be included in O positive diet.
Since people of O blood group can digest meat easily, veg diet is not advisable for this blood type.
3. Vegetables
Veggies are indeed your best friend – if you are a type O blood group. Keep taking spinach, broccoli, kale, romaine lettuce and collard greens (as they are rich in vitamin K). Vegetables like leeks, onions, garlic, artichokes, pumpkins and parsley can also be taken as they are safe.
But, it is advisable to stay away from cabbage, cauliflower, mustard greens, brussels sprouts, as they can hamper the thyroid function. Similarly, eggplants, corn, potatoes, alfalfa sprouts, fermented olives, shiitake mushrooms should be avoided as they can create swelling in the digestive tract.
4. Juice
Consuming fruits, fresh plums- red, green or dark purple are recommended for people with type O blood group. So also are prunes, figs (fresh and dried), allowed fruits (whose juice can be extracted) for blood type O individuals include a whole lot of items – cherries, apples, grapes (all varieties), watermelon, pears, bananas, blueberries, lemons, grapefruit, papayas and raspberries. Avoid coconut and melons. As for the juices, Black Cherry, Pineapple, Prune, Strawberry, Carrot, Celery, Cucumber should be taken once a day by Type O individuals.
5. Nuts
Nuts and seeds are good for snacking purpose and eating. Some of them are good for people who have Type O blood. Of all the nuts and seeds, pumpkin seeds and walnuts are most beneficial. But when you are exploring others in the ‘nutty’ and seeds family, try and avoid Brazil nuts, peanuts, pistachios, cashew seeds and poppy seeds (that is when you have Type O blood type).
6. Seafood
Being high in animal protein, seafood is best suited for Type O’s. Did you know, fish has vitamins, proteins, nutrients which have the ability to lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of heart stroke? Seafood is also good in iodine, which regulates the functioning of thyroid gland. Omega-3 cold-water fish have high amounts of Type O’s.
7. Grains
Type O’s generally do not tolerate ‘wheat’ products (they lead to weight gain), and grains. That’s because they have ‘lectins’ which react with the blood and digestive tract, and do not enhance their absorption in a favorable way. And so, breads, muffins and wheat-free breads are not ideal for type O, since most of them have wheat. The good news is that artichoke flour and Essene bread are beneficial to eat as compared to gluten flour, corn, cornmeal, sorghum and wheat products.
8. Dairy
Dairy foods – when consumed in small amounts – is good. But certain dairy items such as milk, cheese and ice cream should be kept at bay, particularly by people who have Type O blood group. Use non-dairy alternatives like soya milk.
9. Oils
Oils are not just good for cooking, they are an important source of nutrition too. Monounsaturated oils such as olive and flaxseed oil are good, but a tbsp of extra virgin oil, when consumed each day, is good for health and well-being. Besides, they have skin-enhancing properties, too, apart from being recommended for Blood Type O.
10. Herbs
Herbs can’t be forgotten when one is talking about Blood Type O. Luckily, there are cilantro, coriander, dill, caraway, chervil, chili pepper which are ideal for Type O.
O Blood Type Personality
What does your blood type say about you? Now that’s a tricky question. It says a lot about your personality and your health too.
Presenting some of the ‘unique’ traits of Type O, you need to know:
- Their digestive system is a bit ‘hard’ as compared to the ones found in others
- Immune system is overactive
- They are (largely speaking) meat-eaters
- Have a problem in digesting ‘gluten’ products easily
- The production of stomach acid is high in them
- Not much tolerant to dietary & environmental adaptations
- Need an efficient metabolism to stay slim and energetic
- Vigorous workouts makes them feel good
- And, they respond best to stress with physical activity which is intense
Behavioral-wise, if your blood is Type O, you are likely to be the following:- confident, strong-willed, self-determined, and intuitive. But the sad part about Type O individuals is that they are cold, self-centered, unpredictable, and a workaholic. Does any of this come closer to you or your friends – provided any of you is Type O?
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Blood Type O Strengths and Weaknesses
Knowing this part is important. Here are a couple of ‘strengths’ and ‘weaknesses’ of Blood type O which you should know:
Strengths of Blood Type O:
- Immunity is strong
- Digestion is strong (it means, proteins and fats are easily broken down)
- Can handle stress well (which is good news, don’t you think?)
- Have blood which is ‘thinner’
Weaknesses of Blood Type O:
- When you get stressed, it overtaxes you. Hence, you take a longer time to recover
- More prone to negative behavior such as ‘anger’ or risky behavior
- Equally more prone to mood changes and being ‘hyperactive’
- Carbohydrate utilization in the body is pretty poor
Now that you have an idea of the positives and negatives of Type O blood group, let us also know what meals to skip, depending on your blood type.
Foods To Avoid According To The Blood Type
Following are the food items which you should avoid if you belong to any of these blood types:
Type O blood – Grains, beans, cabbage, cauliflower, mustard greens, and legumes should be avoided by blood Type O individuals.
Type A blood – Since people with type A blood have sensitive immunity, it makes sense for them to stay away from eating non-vegetarian foods.
Type B blood – Strictly avoid corn, wheat, buckwheat, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Chicken can also turn out to be problematic – so stay away from it, while selecting your menu.
Type AB blood – At all costs, try and avoid alcohol, caffeine, and very importantly – ‘smoked’ or ‘cured’ meats.
Now that you know the diet do’s and dont’s according to blood type, do follow them without an error. Do drop in your comments on how you found this information. Share it with your friends and family members too. And stop feeling any negative about it!