Celebrated as one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of American football, Tom Brady’s storied career spans over two decades in the NFL. Brady rewrote the books, securing six Super Bowl victories with the New England Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A true unicorn, Brady, now a football commentator for Fox, set a new standard for longevity in one of the most physically demanding sports, continuing to play competitively well into his 40s, defying expectations for how long an athlete can play at a professional level. Pivotal to Brady’s success is his unwavering commitment to maintaining his physical and mental health with his own philosophy of wellness and performance known as the TB12 Method. This approach emphasizes pliability training (a term used by Brady, but not accepted by most in the exercise science community), a plant-forward, anti-inflammatory diet, functional workouts, mindfulness, hydration and sleep. His plan isn’t just for athletes, he says, but for anyone who wants to support their longevity and feel great as they age. It’s something that appeals to many of us in middle age-feeling and performing our best for as long as we possibly can. Though some of the ideas in Brady’s methodology have come under scrutiny, like his avoidance of foods in the nightshade category of plants and claims that hydration prevents sunburn, several of his ideas have gained traction in the wellness community, like his focus on the importance of recovery and the benefits of a plant-based diet. Let’s take a look at Brady’s TB12 diet to see what components you might want to steal for yourself.
The Core Principles of the TB12 Diet
Brady lays out his plant-based diet in his 2017 book, "The TB12 Method: How to Achieve a Lifetime of Sustained Peak Performance." It is a mostly plant-based eating pattern that Brady has been following for years. He doesn’t ascribe to a vegan or vegetarian diet, but follows a plan that includes about 80 percent plant-based foods and 20 percent animal-based foods. In addition to balanced meals with lots of vegetables, Tom also incorporates several smoothies into his day made with pea protein-based from the TB12 brand. Almond butter is a delicious and nutrient-dense ingredient, providing 5 to 7g of protein per 2 tablespoon serving. And sure enough, the TB12 diet includes eggs in its recommended recipes and in a list of foods to eat, not only for their protein content but also for their immune supporting nutrients, like vitamin D. Foods with any amount of trans fat, such as deep fried foods, are also omitted. Dieters are also advised to choose sweet potatoes over white potatoes, red peppers over green ones, carrots and dried apricots over processed snacks, cashews and walnuts instead of almonds (though almond butter is used in many smoothies), and oranges and berries over apples. The reasoning for these specific recommendations is due to higher levels of immune supporting nutrients like beta-carotene and vitamin C. While alcohol and caffeinated beverages aren’t explicitly called out as items to avoid completely, they are mentioned culprits of dehydration and a link is made between dehydration and inflammation.
Foods to Embrace and Avoid
The Tom Brady Diet encourages you to eat the following minimally processed foods:
- Fruits and vegetables: These should be organic, non-GMO, locally grown, and seasonal.
- Meats: Skinless chicken and turkey, beef, bison, and lamb are all encouraged and expected to be organic, grass-fed, and free of hormones and antibiotics.
- Fish and seafood: These must be wild-caught instead of farmed.
- Whole grains: Minimally processed grains like quinoa and steel-cut oats as well as breads such as sprouted bread and organic whole wheat bread are allowed.
- Legumes: This category includes all beans, peas, and lentils, except for soybeans and products derived from them. Pasta made from beans and legumes like chickpea or black bean pasta are also allowed.
- TB12 products and supplements: These include whey protein powder, vegan protein bars, electrolyte mixes, nut mixes, and granola.
Around 80% of the diet should consist of plant foods, while the remaining 20% can be made up of grass-fed, organic, antibiotic- and hormone-free lean meats and wild-caught fish or seafood. The Tom Brady diet stimulates the intake of organic, local foods along with plenty of water.
The TB12 Method has an extensive list of foods to avoid or limit, due to them being pro-inflammatory. These include:
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- non-organic grass-fed dairy
- refined carbohydrates
- trans and saturated fats
- added sugars
- salt
- alcohol
- caffeine
The diet also limits:
- GMOs
- most cooking oils, like canola and soy
- high fructose corn syrup
- other soy-containing foods
However, research doesn’t support the idea that nightshade vegetables cause inflammation. “Nightshades are family of produce and spices that contain the compound alkaloids which are believed to be inflammatory, but there is little to no research to suggest that alkaloids are associated with inflammation,” says Nicole Feneli, RD, CSSD, VP of wellness, performance nutrition & sustainability at FLIK Hospitality Group. In fact, there’s some recent evidence to the contrary. What’s more, the most recent version of the TB12 Method allows nightshade vegetables and even includes tomatoes and peppers in the shopping list. The change will likely prove a welcome addition for those considering the diet.
Additional Guidelines
Aside from its strict food guidelines, the Tom Brady Diet has a few additional rules:
- Drink a lot of fluids: The TB12 Method recommends drinking half your body weight in water daily while also adding electrolytes to most of the water you drink. However, the diet recommends avoiding drinking water with or around meals.
- Meal timing: The diet instructs followers to avoid eating within 3 hours of going to bed.
- Portion sizes: The diet recommends eating meat, poultry, and fish in portions the size of your palm accompanied by two palm sizes worth of vegetables.
- When to stop eating: The TB12 Method also instructs its followers to stop eating when they’re 75% full with claims that this practice aids in digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Potential Benefits of the TB12 Diet
Weight Loss
The Tom Brady Diet isn’t specifically designed or promoted as a weight loss diet. That said, it may help you lose weight due to the potential to reduce total calorie intake. This is because the diet instructs followers to avoid highly processed foods while choosing fiber-rich, whole foods. And it outlines specific guidelines on timing of meals while also paying attention to fullness cues.
The TB12 Method emphasizes eating minimally processed foods which may aid in weight loss. Eating a diet with majority processed foods has shown to contribute to an increased calorie intake which can contribute to weight gain over time (3).
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The diet also limits the amount of food you can eat in the three hours before bedtime, which discourages evening snacking. This practice of eating within a specific window of time may further reduce total calorie intake which can contribute to weight loss (4).
Additionally, Brady recommends leaving the table when you’re 75% full, a practice that may have beneficial effects related to mindfulness and weight management.
“Leaving the table when you are 75% full could be a good tip for most people as we tend to eat past the point of fullness,” Feneli says. Mindful eating, which encourages people to pay attention to their hunger and fullness cues and acknowledge when they’re full, has been shown to be helpful in weight loss (5). Research consistently shows that a calorie deficit results in weight loss, regardless of the approach taken to achieve the deficit (6, 7).
The TB12 Method emphasizes fiber-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and promotes drinking water throughout the day while also restricting sources of added sugar including sugar-sweetened beverages.
Fiber-rich diets aid weight loss, as they help you feel full longer which may reduce calorie intake. Additionally, replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with water reduces total calorie intake and has been associated with weight loss (8, 9).
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However, due to its strict rules, the diet and its weight loss benefits may not be sustainable long term which could put you at risk of weight regain.
Heart Health
In many ways, the TB12 Method resembles that of many popular diets including the Mediterranean diet, Mayo Clinic diet, and DASH diet, all of which have been ranked as top diets in recent years due to their myriad health benefits. The Tom Brady Diet places an emphasis on eating mostly plants while also limiting unhealthy fat sources like trans and saturated fat.
The diet includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, olive oil, nuts, and seeds, as well as limited amounts of lean meats and fish. Specifically, the TB12 Method recommends an 80/20 split between plant and animal products.
Other experts approve of this approach, too. “For the general population, this is a great recommendation for a heart-healthy diet,” Feneli says. “Produce, grains and legumes are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber while typically being low in fat,” she says. “Most people can get enough protein with only 20% of their calories coming from lean meat/seafood; in fact, most Americans eat too much animal protein.”
Research associates this eating pattern with a lower risk of stroke, heart attacks, and death from heart disease (10, 11).
Additionally, it may also reduce your risk of metabolic syndrome - a cluster of risk factors, including elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, that harm heart health (12).
However, this eating pattern can make it difficult for some, including athletes, to meet their protein needs, Feneli says. “While it can be done - vegetables, grains and legumes do contain protein - the volume of food that needs to be consumed to get enough protein is daunting,” she says.
This could explain why Brady reportedly drinks multiple TB12 protein shakes per day.
Disease Prevention
The minimally processed, fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds encouraged as well as the diet’s similarities to the Mediterranean diet may aid in the prevention of type 2 diabetes (13).
Additionally, the diet restricts your intake of alcohol, processed meats, added sugars, and trans fats, which have been associated with a reduced risk for many chronic diseases (14, 15, 16).
Athletic Performance and Recovery
Some aspects of the Tom Brady Diet may help boost athletic performance and recovery.
For instance, it’s rich in vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds that work together to reduce inflammation, an important aspect of optimal performance and recovery (17).
This is especially important for professional athletes, whose busy competition and travel schedules can present challenges for maintaining a healthy immune system while also optimizing recovery (17).
Proper hydration, which is strongly promoted on this diet, is another factor crucial to sports performance and recovery (18).
However, it’s important to keep in mind that diet is only one component to sports performance. A training regimen that’s formulated to help you meet your performance goals is also necessary to optimize performance. Additionally, a diet to support sports performance must meet your daily energy needs to be successful. Because the TB12 Method limits a significant amount of foods, it may be more challenging to reach your daily energy intake. Working with a sports dietitian can help to ensure you’re meeting your energy and nutrient needs.
Criticisms and Potential Downsides
Despite its potential benefits, there are several downsides associated with the Tom Brady Diet.
Lack of Scientific Backing
Many aspects of this diet are not based on strong science.
The TB12 Method strongly encourages choosing only organic, local foods and makes claims that these foods are more nutrient-dense than their conventional counterparts. However, research is not conclusive that organic foods are more nutrient-dense than conventionally grown foods and in fact, recommendations to eat only organic may result in a lower total intake of produce overall (19, 20, 21).
The diet also encourages the avoidance of some cooking oils like canola oil. However, research has shown that dietary intake of unsaturated fats, like those found in canola oil, has been associated with positive health benefits when part of a healthy eating pattern (22).
Finally, though adequate hydration is important, there’s no evidence to suggest that the large amounts of water promoted on this diet provide any more benefits than more moderate intakes. Plus, hydration needs are highly individualized.
“Hydration requirements vary greatly based on factors such as body size, activity level, heat and humidity, and level of sweat produced from exercise,” Feneli says. “Drinking half your body weight in water does not address any of these factors.”
Cost and Accessibility
The Tom Brady Diet can be unnecessarily expensive.
For instance, it discourages eating conventionally grown foods, favoring organic foods instead. This can be a costly practice which may result in a lower intake of health-promoting foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
The emphasis it places on organic, grass-fed dairy may also present a monetary challenge for some people. “Many people do not have the luxury of purchasing only organic and grass-fed dairy, as it is significantly more expensive than standard dairy,” Feneli says.
“Standard dairy is an excellent source of protein and calcium. I would recommend sticking to low fat, but otherwise purchase whatever type is right for your budget,” she says.
Finally, the diet also promotes proprietary supplements that come at a premium cost. This is a similar approach to some other popular diets that promote supplements as a core component of their program. However, a varied diet that meets your energy needs is unlikely to result in a significant gap in nutrient intake that requires supplementation.
Reliance on Supplements
Not surprisingly, the TB12 Method is set up to encourage purchasing TB12 supplements. For example, protein at meals is limited to a portion no larger than the palm of your hand while simultaneously encouraging the intake of the TB12 protein shakes.
“The recommended portion size depends on the size of the person, how active they are and what their goal is,” Feneli says. “Saying a portion should be the size of your hand is really too broad.”
“Protein shakes can be beneficial to someone who has higher calorie and/or protein requirement if they have a hard time meeting their needs with solid foods, but they’re not necessary for everyone.”
The diet also promotes the addition of TB12 electrolytes to all water you drink. Electrolyte intake is extremely important for athletes and active people losing excessive fluid via sweat, but there’s no reason for electrolytes to be added to water throughout the day if not experiencing sweat losses or loss of electrolytes outside of typical ranges.
Eating a balanced diet can help to ensure you’re meeting your electrolyte needs.
The bottom line: The expensive proprietary supplements promoted by this diet are not required to lose weight or improve your health.
Is the TB12 Method Right for You?
The Tom Brady Diet, also known as the TB12 Method, is a whole foods diet developed by professional American football player Tom Brady. It’s claimed to be one of the main reasons behind Brady’s longevity in the professional football world.
Brady credits his diet and fitness regimen as helping him lower his risk of injury while improving athletic performance, recovery, energy levels, and overall health. In 2017, the first edition of the TB12 Method was released as a guide for others to eat like Tom Brady. This was followed by a revised, updated edition of the TB12 Method released in 2020. Some follow the diet to lose weight and have seen success. Others follow it with hopes of feeling more energized and for its potential to benefit athletic performance. Many online reviews by those who’ve tried the diet are positive, but critics point out that the diet is unnecessarily complex, unsustainable in the long term, and not supported by science.
There are no noticeable risks to this diet. Nevertheless, as it is quite restrictive, someone may find it impossible to commit to the TB12 Method over the lengthy term. They could also put weight back on if they suspend the diet.
A person who hopes to follow the Tom Brady diet should attempt a 20% intake of meat and fish and an 80% intake of mainly fruit and vegetables. They also should evade processed foods, nightshade fruits and vegetables, trans fats, alcohol, and caffeine.