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List of Foods for Blood Type A

The blood type diet developed by doctor Peter D’Adamo works on the basic principle that different blood types evolved at various points of human existence and hence the dietary needs of each group is quite specific. Following the specific diet for blood type can lead of enhanced health. Let’s look at the list of health and weight loss foods for blood type A.

Healthy Foods for Blood Type A

Blood type A came into being when man moved away from his initial hunter-gatherer existence and started growing crops and domesticating animals for food. As a result, blood type A people thrive on a vegetarian diet and are naturally less warlike than those who retain the inheritance of blood type O.

The ‘Eat Right 4 Your Type’ book by Dr D’Adamo lists all foods from different groups under three headings – ‘highly beneficial’, ‘neutral’ and ‘avoid’. It also includes recommendations for weekly amounts of each food source. The lists below are a very short summary of those and are of course much abridged.

Meat, offal, poultry and game – there are no meats under the ‘highly beneficial’ list for type As and only chicken and turkey listed under ‘neutral’. The rest, wherever possible are to be avoided especially processed meats such as ham and bacon which present a stomach cancer risk to blood type As who have naturally low stomach acid levels.

If eliminating meat from your diet seems an impossible goal then opt for poultry and lean, organic cuts. Red meat will leave the blood type A person lethargic and energy sapped as their systems struggle to digest meat products, ultimately resulting in weight gain.

Seafood – many seafoods are acceptable and fit well into the type A diet which make for an easy replacement for meat. Included on the highly beneficial list are sardine, salmon, mackerel, cod, red snapper, rainbow trout and monk-fish.

Dairy products – in general dairy products are another food group which cause problems for blood type A as they struggle to digest them, stimulating insulin reactions and affecting metabolism. Blood type As are prone to greater risk from heart disease, certain cancers and diabetes which can be heightened by including too much dairy in the diet. As a general rule whole milk products should be avoided because the make up of blood type A means the body rejects such foods.

Blood type As are also predisposed to have greater mucus secretion than other blood groups and dairy products exacerbate this. This is a particular concern for asthmatics or those type As with any condition which affects the breathing.

Natural yoghurts, soy milk and goat’s milk, goats cheese and hen’s eggs (in moderation) are the acceptable diary products for blood type A.

Nuts and seeds – these are in general a good choice, particularly as a protein source since blood type As are advised to avoid animal protein. Brazil nuts, cashews and pistachios are on the ‘avoid’ list.

Beans and pulses – almost all beans and pulses are of great benefit to those of blood type A who as previously discussed thrive on a vegetarian diet. They are also an important protein source. Type As should avoid kidney beans and chick peas which contain a lectin disagreeable to this blood group and which may contribute to higher risk of diabetes and weight gain.

Cereals and breads, grains and pastas – although cereals and grains are generally acceptable as healthy foods for blood type A, but caution needs to be taken to ensure the previously discussed mucus condition isn’t aggravated. Blood type As need to experiment a little with this food group to work out what suits best and avoidance of instant and processed products is recommended. Rice cakes, buckwheat, soya flour products and sprouted wheat Essene bread are especially good for this blood group.

Wherever possible avoid packaged, processed and frozen sources of this food group and opt for whole-grain versions, otherwise most rice and flour is acceptable.

Vegetables and herbs – blood type As have almost free rein where vegetables are concerned and if meat has been eliminated from the diet will rely on them heavily for their protein needs. One or two vegetables need to be avoided due to moulds, lectins or irritants that they contain and these include – peppers, black olives, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes and cultivated mushrooms.

Fruits – again, this food group has very little that is unacceptable for blood type As. Alkaline fruits such as berries are especially beneficial for this blood group as they help to balance out pH levels within the body’s soft tissue. Amongst those fruits to be avoided are oranges, which act as a stomach irritant, bananas and several of the tropical fruits such as coconut, papaya and mangoes.

Weight Loss Foods for Blood Type A

People with Blood type A will quickly accumulate weight with too much meat in their diet. As previously discussed they struggle to digest these products and end up storing them as fat.

Other foods which will contribute to weight gain for the blood type A are dairy foods, kidney beans and lima beans all of which provoke insulin reactions and effect efficient metabolism. An excess of wheat products in the diet will also be non-beneficial to those blood type As attempting to lose weight as it interferes with calorie utilization.

Lifestyle Recommendations for Blood Type A

Blood type A evolved to deal with a very different lifestyle to the highly physical, hunter-gatherer blood type O, the original blood type of all humans. Blood type As carry the memory of humans who adapted to more crowded and urban environments, learning to co-operate and get along with many others around them. Reactions to stress became more intellectual and less animal.

Blood type As respond well to gentler, more focused exercise such as t’ai chi, swimming, dancing, Chinese boxing and walking. Their systems will become overwrought and exhausted by over strenuous exercise or highly competitive sports and far from alleviating stress will only add to it.

The summary here is very much abridged but covers a few of the more salient points concerning blood type As particular dietary needs. For a much more in-depth exploration or explanation for much of the above then Dr D’Adamo’s book series will be beneficial. Many of the full lists previously only available in hard copy are now also available on-line.

Article by expert author ‘Deneice Arthurton’.