A chemical reaction occurs between your blood and the foods you eat. This reaction is part of your genetic inheritance. For the most part, our immune systems protect us from lectins. Lectins are abundant and diverse proteins found in foods. They have agglutinating properties that affect your blood and the lining of your digestive tract. 95% of the lectins we absorb from our normal diets are eliminated by the body. But at least 5% of the lectins we eat are filtered into our bloodstream, where they react with and destroy red and white blood cells. The actions of lectins in the digestive tract can be even more powerful. There they often will create a violent inflammation of the sensitive mucous of the intestines, and this agglutinative action may mimic food allergies. Even a minute quantity of a lectin is capable of agglutinating a huge number of cells if the particular blood type is reactive.

Signs that you might be experiencing problems from lectins in your diet:

Bloating and flatulence after meals
Changes in bowel habits
Skin eruptions
Achy joints and muscles
Hormonal fluctuations
Fatigue and tiredness

This is not to say that you should suddenly become fearful of every food you eat! After all, lectins are widely abundant in legumes, seafood, grains, and vegetables. It’s hard to bypass them. The key is to avoid the lectins that agglutinate your particular cells—determined by your blood type. Many people with joint problems feel that avoiding the nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplant, and white potatoes seem to help their symptoms. That’s not surprising, since most nightshades are very high in lectins. If you know your blood-type, this is a short list that may peak your interest…there are many more details in the book Eat Right 4 Your Type.

Common Foods to Avoid For Each Blood Type That Contain Harmful Lectins:

Type O
Wheat
Soybean oil
Peanut
Kidney bean

Type A
Lima bean
Tomato
Eggplant
Garbanzo bean

Type B
Chicken
Corn
Soy
Lentil

Type AB
Chicken
Corn
Banana
Fava bean

Excerpts from the book: “Eat Right 4 Your Type”