What is the Tom Brady Diet? A Dietitian Review

Written by Jordyn King BS, MS Nutrition Science

Tom Brady, 44 years old, is an American football quarterback who is currently playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) and a legend, as some might say. However, Tom Brady is a little different than most athletes in regards to his age, lifestyle and continuous diet planning business. As a professional athlete, Tom follows a high protein plant-based diet which consists of a strict structured diet that some people may find it hard to do. His diet is essentially made up of antioxidants and alkaline food groups, with an emphasis on organic, whole, local and natural foods. His thought process throughout this diet is, the body should be fueled the right way in order to support my workouts and recovery to reduce inflammation for myself and to achieve peak performance on the field. People from all over the world have practiced and recommended this plant-based diet, however, is this for everyone? And the ultimate question is, is there research to back this diet plan for everyone to follow, from a pro athlete perspective? 

Why does Tom Brady follow this diet?  

The reason he follows a plant-based diet is simple: fruits and vegetables are high in nutrients, fiber, and enzymes, with limits of meats, however there are flaws and restrictions to this new trendy diet. Plant based means, you're consuming more plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables and just eating less of a ratio in meat and meat products. In a nutshell, athletes need nutrients to fuel their bodies, with essentially  high protein and  fruits and vegetables to provide those nutrients without many of the negative side-effects of ultra-processed foods. A balanced plant based lifestyle for Tom Brady means limiting meat to a small portion of his meals and maximizing vegetables and grains, which is great! From many evidence based research and studies, the plant based diet provides many health benefits. However, his method is a little different. His method is also known as “TB12”. The TB12 method claims it includes high protein, fast recovery, nutrient rich whole foods, antioxidant rich, anti inflammatory and no processed ingredients included. 

Here's a basic outline of his TB12 Method: 

• 80% fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes 

• 20% protein (chicken, red meat, seafood)

• Choose lower acidic produce 

• Consume raw or lightly steamed to have an “alkalizing effect” on the body

• Eat until you're 75% full

• No nightshades such as tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, and bell peppers

• Halve your body weight in pounds and drink that many ounces of water (70 ounces for me daily)

• Max 2 cups of coffee / No caffeine after noon

• No food within 3 hours of going to bed

• Processed foods and added sugars

• Limits: Gluten and refined carbs like bread, snack foods, cereals, pastas, Trans and saturated fats, Dairy, Processed foods and added sugars

• Game day: a smoothie and a PB & J.  Brady always skips the greens, beans, and animal protein. 

Alkaline and Acidic foods 

Brady advises eating a diet of 80% alkaline and 20% acidic food groups, however there are only claims for this diet theory. The theory states that when foods are consumed and burned for energy, they either have an acidic or alkaline effect on the body’s pH. Consuming overall acidic foods cause the body to increase disease risk. The idea, Tom says, is that he's eating alkaline-heavy foods, which he believes reduces inflammation and have anti-aging properties. Highly alkaline foods include broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, spinach, sweet potatoes, and  zucchini. Highly acidic foods includes strawberries, pineapple, oranges, salmon, beef, chickpeas, walnuts, yogurt, and soybeans. Also, no clinical studies have indicated certain acidic foods link to cancer and only limited research indicates consuming more alkaline food groups have an impact on inflammation. However, not consuming certain fruits or vegetables is not a good idea to limit or avoid. Remember, when consuming fruits and vegetables, it's important to eat as much variety as you can so you know you are getting all the vitamins and minerals intended. 

Consuming Nightshades

Nightshade veggies such as tomatoes and eggplants have claimed they produce inflammation, however, no conclusive evidence has proved nightshades trigger inflammation. If anyone did have inflammation from consuming these veggies, it’s likely not due to nightshades, but rather,  this could likely be from a food sensitivity or food intolerances. Keep in mind, restricting food groups can be harmful to your body. If you feel better restricting certain foods and it isn't harmful for your health and providing essential vitamins and minerals, this is okay. The fact about restriction, specifically fruits and vegetables, is that to a certain degree it could cause nutrient deficiencies over time. 

Anti- inflammatory foods

From research studies,  low grade inflammation in the body has been linked to increased progression of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some autoimmune diseases. Cutting out or limiting high diet inflamed foods such as added sugars, processed foods, foods high in saturated or trans fat will help you to lose weight and enhance recovery post workouts, ultimately reducing inflammation in the body. Replacing inflamed foods with high protein sources like nuts, grain, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats and oils has been linked to reducing inflammation in the body. Remember, whether a pro athlete or not, whole high protein food is essential with losing weight and gaining muscle.  

Dairy products

Consuming dairy products is okay, but it's not necessary to restrict. In the TB12 method, they restrict all dairy food and products due to inflammation effects. Some dairy products can be high in fat such as ice cream and whole milk. However, some dairy products like yogurt have anti-inflammatory effects and have many benefits to your microbiome. Restricting dairy products can limit the amount of protein, vitamin D and calcium that are needed for your body. If you have an allergy to dairy or dairy products, that's different. 

Water vs. Electrolytes 

As we can see also from the Tom Brady method, he drinks a lot of electrolytes during his performance and daily routines since he is a pro-athlete with high intensity daily workouts. However, putting too many electrolytes (potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium) into your body as a normal human doing (only moderate physical activity) can cause an electrolyte imbalance. If you're trying to lose weight, water is the best source for hydration. A sports drink with electrolytes is recommended for a pre or post high intensity workout, in addition to water. 

Rest! 

There is definitely something to take away from the TB12 Method,  and that is REST! In the T12 method, they emphasize how there are two key pieces of mindful recovery: meditation and healthy sleep. Getting 7-10 hours is key to being in control with your body and maintaining your long term weight loss and staying in a routine.  

Should I be following this diet?

As you can see Brady’s performance and routine is much different than a regular normal person working a 40 hour job with moderate physical activity. This diet, as Tom Brady mentions, makes him feel better and more confident, which we would never discourage. However, everyone feels different with different eating habits and pushing the body to such an extreme routine can take a toll on the body. Combining anti-inflammatory and alkaline foods can be a restrictive, challenging diet for health, recovery and performance reasons.  The key is to find what makes you feel the best, and our Millennial Nutritionist team can help figure out what that is for you, with our program. Overall, the TB12 Method does not help with individuals who want to long term lose weight and individuals who aren’t seeking out for high intense workouts, like a pro athlete. 

Importance of calorie deficits and really losing weight

Combining anti-inflammatory, alkaline foods, etc. ends up creating a pretty restrictive eating plan, which can be very challenging. With the basics of water, produce, healthy fats, stress reduction, and adequate sleep can also help with performance so you don’t have to be so intense with it. Tom Brady recommended a high protein diet fix which is recommended to all individuals who would like to lose weight and gain muscle; However, limiting or restricting food groups that nourish our body should not be recommended, especially when we are trying to lose weight long term. Tom Brady’s amount of protein and carbs are much higher than normal, which makes sense since he burns more calories than a normal human being. Even though a plant based high protein diet is healthy, restricting your lifestyle eating habit can over be tough in the long run. So stick with all fruits and vegetables but from research it is best to stay away from unhealthy inflammatory foods. Staying within the calorie deficit which is what The Millennial Nutritionist teaches you, is what will help you lose weight and stick to your long term weight loss plan.

To start your sustainable weight loss journey today, check out our calorie-tracking tutorial. The first step of weight loss is being aware of how you eat and our calorie-tracking method can get you there!