Inside Tom Brady's controversial 'TB12 diet' as he 'winds down' brand
It’s fair to say that Tom Brady knows a thing or two about staying at the top of his game, having been a starting NFL quarterback for 22 seasons before retiring at the age of 45.
In recent years, the 48-year-old has become the minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, finished his second season as an NFL analyst, partially acquired an English football team, and starred in his own Welcome to Wrexham-esque docuseries with the squad.
Outside of sport, Brady owns apparel and production companies, has investments in the likes of Fanatics, and joined once telehealth startup eMed as Chief Wellness Officer and Aescape as Chief Innovation Officer.
Another of the star’s ventures is TB12 - a major health and wellness brand.
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Founded by Brady and alternative medicine practitioner Alex Guerrero, TB12 advises followers to eat well, move more, and ‘help you do what you love better and for longer’.
Frances Largeman-Roth, a nationally recognised health expert and author, has deep-dived into the controversial diet, revealing its benefits with TODAY as well as its drawbacks.
What is the TB12 Diet?
The Tom Brady Diet, also known as the TB12 diet, was initially developed by the seven-time Super Bowl winner and his team in 2017. It was revised three years later.
According to the website, it is a predominantly plant-based diet, with each plate being made up of 80 percent vegetarian products and 20 percent animal-based foods.
Placing an emphasis on whole foods and vegetables, the TB12 diet recommends eaters restrict saturated fats and dairy, and swap out highly refined carbohydrates, as well as beverages with added sugars.
Brady’s nutrition plan also stresses the importance of hydration, with Brady himself being a big believer in drinking electrolytes, and makes a case for alternative protein sources, such as pea protein in smoothies, almond butter, nuts, and seeds.
TB12 diet swaps
Anyone who follows Brady’s diet is advised to substitute white potatoes for their sweet sisters, select red peppers instead of green ones, and munch on cashews and walnuts instead of almonds.
Other controversial swaps include oranges and berries over apples, and carrots and dried apricots over processed snacks.
Frances Largeman-Roth, a nationally recognised health expert and author, stated that caffeinated beverages and alcoholare not explicitly called out as items to completely avoid.
However, they are mentioned as serious culprits of dehydration.
The diet also limits most cooking oils, high fructose corn syrup, and other soy-containing foods, as per Heathline.
Inflammatory foods such as salt and non-organic grass-fed diary are on the list of foods to limit or avoid.
More TB12 rules
The TB12 diet doesn’t just dictate what you eat but how you eat it, too.
People who follow the Brady-approved menu should schedule their meals more than three hours before going to bed.
Portion sizes are also controlled on the TB12 diet. Meat, poultry, and fish should be the size of your palm accompanied by two palm sizes worth of vegetables.
It also suggests that you should stop eating when you are 75 percent full, citing that it aids in digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Why TB12 diet is controversial
You may find your wallet a little less full when eating like Brady. This is because a lot of the ingredients are expensive, especially when organic produce and grass-fed dairy is favoured.
“Many people do not have the luxury of purchasing only organic and grass-fed dairy, as it is significantly more expensive than standard dairy,” explained Nicole Feneli, VP of wellness, performance nutrition & sustainability at FLIK Hospitality Group.
Moreover, it promotes proprietary supplements that come at a premium price tag.
Largeman-Roth explained in her article for TODAY that the plant-based protein powder that is sold on the TB12 website in costs $60 without autoship.
“And with plenty of smoothies in the meal plan, those scoops add up fast,” she added.
Benefits of the TB12 diet
“One of the things to like about the diet is that it emphasises whole, nutrient-rich foods like lean protein, fruits and veggies, nuts, seeds and whole grains. These are foods that should create the base of any healthy diet,” said Largeman-Roth.
“TB12 is also low in sugar and processed foods, which helps lower inflammation and helps decrease the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Cutting down on these foods may also help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.”
The dietitian added that foods included in the diet, such as berries, salmon, avocados, sweet potatoes and kale, are part of healthy eating patterns like the famed Mediterranean diet at the DASH diet.
The latter is a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating style for life, as per the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Limitations of the TB12 diet
In the past, Brady’s food plan tried to discourage people from eating plants in the nightshade family, including tomatoes and aubergines, with the Birmingham City owner claiming they cause inflammation.
However, research doesn’t support this claim, said Feneli.
She told Healthline: “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.”
The outlet wrote that the most recent version of the TB12 Method allows nightshade vegetables.
Largeman-Roth has said that avoiding dairy foods ‘may lead you to miss out on important nutrients, like calcium, potassium and vitamin D’.
“Unnecessarily skipping foods that contain gluten might mean you won’t be getting enough fibre and vital minerals in your diet,” she added.
TB12 is winding down
In an email update, dated January 2026, Brady revealed that TB12 was 'winding down'.
"Your support has made TB12 a brand and community I’m proud of,” he wrote in the email which was sent out to subscribers “After an incredible run, TB12 is winding down.”
“Now, I’m excited to share the next chapter: NOBULL Nutrition."
Nobull, founded in 2015, was merged with TB12 in 2024.
FOODbible has contacted representatives of the TB12 diet for comment.
Ella Scott