by Matt Weik, BS, CSCS, CPT, CSN
Tom Brady was named the oldest quarterback to start and win the NFL. He had one heck of a career and made more money than you or I will ever see in our lifetime combined (and good for him). After one of his wins, the post-game interview dove into his diet. Since then, it’s been deemed the Tom Brady Diet.
His eating regimen was spotlighted when he revealed that he follows a plant-based diet focusing on anti-inflammatory and alkalizing foods. He believes in organic and locally sourced produce, and when he does consume meat, it’s usually lean protein sources like fish.
But is this diet something you should actually try, or should you just let Brady follow it on his own?
In this article, we will dive deeper and learn more about the Tom Brady Diet and what benefits you may experience if you try it.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, changing your daily nutrition, or adding any supplements to your regimen.
What is the Tom Brady Diet?
The Tom Brady Diet, introduced in 2017 through his book The TB12 Method, outlines his approach to maintaining peak athletic performance. It claims to boost energy, reduce inflammation, lower the risk of injuries, and enhance sports performance and recovery.
The diet focuses on whole, minimally processed foods while avoiding those thought to cause inflammation.
In addition to food recommendations, The TB12 Method includes a section on hydration, offering advice on the best types of water, daily intake, and the benefits of electrolytes.
The program also incorporates training guidelines, recipes, and a shopping list and promotes TB12-branded meals, snacks, and supplements.
What Makes Up the Tom Brady Diet?
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the Tom Brady diet:
- Vegetables: Brady’s lunch and dinner mainly consist of organic and locally sourced vegetables. However, you can’t consume nightshade vegetables and fungi.
- Fruit with a Focus on Bananas: Brady is a big advocate of protein and smoothies. His breakfast consists mostly of smoothies made of fruits with nuts and seeds. His favorite fruit is bananas, but there are not many fruits throughout the day apart from his breakfast.
- Whole Grains: The Tom Brady Diet includes a lot of brown rice, quinoa, and millet because complex carbohydrates are more nutrient-intensive than their refined counterparts.
- Protein Powder and Bars: Protein supplements in the form of bars and powders are attributed to enormous importance. Tom Brady himself is in the business of manufacturing them, and additional protein supplementation reduces the dependency on meals or animal protein.
- Lean Protein and Beans: The diet allows for a little bit of lean meat, seafood, and fish, and because Brady derives most of his proteins from plants, he consumes a ton of beans.
What is Excluded from the Tom Brady Diet?
If you have tried the TB12 diet or have been following it, here are some of the foods that are off-limits when on the Tom Brady Diet:
- Gluten: White flour and soy sauce with gluten are not part of the diet because Brady believes that gluten has anti-inflammatory properties. However, the jury’s still out on this, but it could be detrimental to people with gluten sensitivity and celiac disease.
- Dairy: His beliefs on dairy products are also similar because he believes that dairy has anti-inflammatory properties, which again is not scientifically validated unless a consumer has a dairy allergy.
- Corn and Soy: Soy should be avoided because it has acidic properties, which are against the TB12 diet, which is alkaline in nature. Corn is not a part of this diet because it’s considered a GMO food.
- Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners: Brady is against sugars and artificial sweeteners because he believes sugar is the nerve center of a variety of diseases, with a huge percentage of the US population suffering from obesity.
- Overly Processed Foods: Brady can’t stand processed foods. Products like Coca-Cola have been branded as poison by Brady because they contain added sugar, trans fats, and gluten.
- Coffee and Alcohol: Brady has claimed to have never tried coffee because it’s acidic, which contradicts the philosophy of his alkaline diet. He also generally avoids alcohol because of its inflammatory properties.
- Saturated Fats and Trans Fats: The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests avoiding trans fats to keep blood cholesterol levels in check. Brady only uses raw olive oil and coconut oil for cooking to avoid trans fat and mitigate the consumption of anti-inflammatory agents.
3 Benefits of the Tom Brady Diet
The Tom Brady Diet is still being researched, but below is some information based on everything that makes up the diet.
1. Weight Loss
Scientific research strongly supports the benefits of plant-based diets. A study found that eating more plant foods can lower cholesterol, increase metabolism, and promote weight loss.
2. Heart health
Research shows that plant-based diets can protect heart health. Many studies connect vegetarian, vegan, and other plant-focused eating styles to better heart outcomes. A study revealed that plant-based eating reduces factors that contribute to heart disease.
3. Protects against chronic diseases
Plant-based diets promote eating whole, natural foods. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. This approach resembles the Mediterranean diet, which may help prevent type 2 diabetes. The diet also limits alcohol, processed meats, added sugars, and trans fats. Avoiding these foods has been linked to a lower risk of many long-term health problems.
