All of us process food differently. There are so many different factors that play a part in how easily, or stubbornly, our body takes the food we consume and converts it into energy, waste, and fat stores. It can depend on your genetics, age, gender, level of physical activity, and many other components. But what about your blood type?
There is a new diet that makes the claim that different blood types play a role in how our bodies process food. Does this theory hold up, or is it just another diet fad meant to sell some books and weight loss programs? Let’s see what the experts say.
Does Blood Type Play a Role in Your Diet?
The basis of this diet is that you need to modify your diet specific to your blood type in order to reach better health and lose weight. But is this true? The proponents of this diet claim that lectins, which are proteins found in foods, have a different effect on people based on their blood type. Lectins are not digestible and bind to carbohydrates and other molecules, where they are then used by the body.
This diet argues that the lectins found in the food that we consume interact in different ways depending on their blood type. If the wrong kind of lectin is eaten by someone with the wrong blood type, this can lead to problems such as digestive issues, skin irritation, chronic fatigue, and other maladies.
While lectins in our blood are key indicators on differentiating our blood type, there is no scientific evidence that indicates that consumption of the “wrong” lectins can lead to the issues described above. Rather, the pushers of this diet rely on pseudoscience and questionable credentials (as described in this in-depth article on bigthink.com) as the basis for their claims.
What Should You Eat for Your Blood Type?
Nevertheless, here is what the blood type diet says each individual should eat:
Does This Diet Make Sense?
I have no idea how this list was compiled, or what kind of analysis was performed to draw these conclusions. The article linked above does a great job of dispelling this diet and why it should not be trusted. If you ask me, it’s just another diet that is all hype. It doesn’t pass the test when it comes to scientific backing.
If you want to lose weight, follow the tried-and-true principles of making healthy food choices and increasing your physical activity. For a little extra boost, you can also add a diet pill to the mix to raise your metabolism and curb your appetite. With those three working together, it will shed weight much more effectively than following any diet fad.
About Shaun Hudson
Shaun Hudson loves sports, being outdoors, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. After many unsuccessful attempts to lose weight, he finally was able to drop 25 pounds and keep it off. The secret? He kept a journal of his activity, diet, and daily life. That journal changed his life, and has since evolved into this website. Read his full bio.