Tom Brady's Famously Strict Diet Now Includes Some Surprising Foods

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is famously known for his extraordinarily strict diet. However, Brady may not vigorously follow this diet as he always has, as nestled deep within a recent interview with Men's Health he mentions some pretty surprising foods that he actually does eat. 

In 2017, he authored The TB12 Method, which outlined, among other things, his tried-and-true diet regimen, and explained how you can do it yourself. The bulk of the diet consists of fresh produce, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. The rest consists of organic lean meats and wild caught seafood. You won't find any sugars, trans fats, caffeine, MSG, alcohol, or iodized salt anywhere, and you'll also have to drink a lot of water. Nightshades are also a no-go, which means no tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, or mushrooms. And forget dairy, which means no cheese, yogurt, or ice cream. Also off the table? Gluten, anything with GMOs or soy, and most oils.

However, in his recent interview, Brady says that it's more important to make more good choices overall than bad choices, and that if he's really wanting something, he doesn't deprive himself — and guess what? You shouldn't either. "If I'm craving bacon, I have a piece," he said. "Same with pizza. You should never restrict what you really want. We're humans, here for one life. What's changed as I've gotten older is now if I want pizza, I want the best pizza. I don't eat a slice that tastes like s**t and then wonder, 'Why am I eating s**t pizza?'"

You have to wonder if he's getting some really super fabulous tomato-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free pizza prepared at home by his personal chef, or if he's breaking some of his extremely rigid rules for some truly decadent pizza pie — he did say he didn't want a pizza that tasted... bad. Also, bacon is not exactly a lean meat at all, and while you can get "healthier" versions that are naturally cured and without regular old nitrites, it's still a highly processed, fat-laden meat. 

Maybe Brady is easing up on his ways, as he says in the interview, because he's mellowing out a bit with "age." But it's good to know that you can still make better and healthier food choices and improve your health while still allowing yourself to give in every now and then, even if you are superstar athlete Tom Brady.