I am curious about protein powders, and haven't found them mentioned in the books. I know whey protein is probably not OK for Type O's, but what about spirulina? Are there any you are familiar with that work with the Diet? Thanks... Barb

Thank you for bringing it up, Barb!

Personally, I get plenty of protein from meat, fowl, fish and nuts. Each of the blood type diets is designed to provide optimal protein by source and quantity, and I tend to emphasize that aspect of the plans to those who like the "whole foods" approach. However, I understand that a "shake" or smoothie formulation is useful for people with special needs.

For our purposes, my best recommendation is to try to find organic rice protein or egg protein powder. That is, if you're unwilling to drop a couple of hard-boiled eggs, some ground seeds and a hunk of nutbutter into the blender with your soy milk or fruit or vegetable broth. One message board participant discovered that a little cubed steak whizzes up nicely. We all find our own path. :->

I get letters every week from body-builders and folks living in the fast lane who insist whey or soy isolate powders are the cat's meow, have turned them into dynamos, and I'm an idiot. I also hear detailed claims from die-hard fans of edible algae that they've been healed and sent to Heaven by blue-green algae, spirulina, a certain company's algae product but not others, and so on. My answer to these inquiries is, in short: I hate to disturb happiness, and I sure won't argue with success!

I'm not in the business of wresting your favorite protein drink from your trembling hands. If I want to do anything, it is to impel, not compel -- to encourage you to do your research on the product of your choice, see if the ones available to you locally or on the Net can offer a better BTD-compliance, be sensitive to your own body's reaction to whatever you choose, and go in peace.

Thanks for listening! ~~:-D

I am type A vegetarian (ie I eat no animal flesh or fish). I am a bit fed up of tofu, what else can I eat? I live in UK and find some of the ingredients in the books hard to get. Also is there somewhere in the UK I can have my secretor status checked? SUSAN

There is a wide variety of beans, nuts and seeds that provide valuable proteins for type A vegetarians. Black beans, black-eyed peas (cowpeas), favas, lentils, northern beans, all have distinctive flavors and a thousand recipes on the Net.



Using fermented foods such as miso and tempeh can alleviate your boredom in the soy department. :-) Aduki bean paste makes lovely sauces.



Your blood group seems to benefit more than the others from the proteins found in beneficial grains, as well. Try steamed whole amaranth or quinoa ~~ use vegetable broth instead of water when cooking your grains, and add herbs and spices, nuts or seeds. Toasted Scottish oatmeal with soy milk, raw walnuts, and a dollop of peanut butter used to be a favorite breakfast of mine... now it can be yours. :-D Eggs are a good protein source for occasional use ~ as are the fermented dairy foods such as yogurt and kefir.



Stacktheme distributes the secretor test in the UK. You can request it by email: info@stacktheme.com.



Thanks for writing!

I am type 0 but at the moment do not know if I am a secretor or non/secretor. I would like to start cooking with gram flour but am unsure if I can use this as I believe it comes from the lentil family which is bad for Os but is supposed to be made from chick peas which is ok - so I am slightly confused. The other problem that I have is finding the following melons in the UK are they known by other names here? Canang Casaba Crenshaw Christmas Spanish? Thank you for your advice. Sue

Hi, Sue ~~ Gram flour is made from chickpeas, otherwise known as garbanzo beans. It is an avoid for everyone except type O secretors ~~ so I'd put off using it until you find out your secretor status. Chances are that you're a secretor, so don't throw out that bag of flour yet!

Melons are a category for which it is much easier to identify the few avoids, so you can eat the rest with confidence! :-)

here's the dreaded "bitter melon,"

the dastardly "canteloupe"

&



and the beautiful but dangerous "honeydew."