Why Does Tom Brady Avoid Strawberries? The Surprising Reason

For years, fans assumed Tom Brady’s avoidance of strawberries was a strict adherence to his anti-inflammatory TB12 diet, but in 2018, he revealed the real, and much more personal, reason on NPR. The former NFL quarterback’s dislike for the fruit stems from a simple, sensory memory from his childhood, completely separate from his nutritional philosophy.

Quick Summary

Tom Brady avoids strawberries due to a lifelong aversion triggered by the smell of the fruit as a child, not as part of his TB12 diet, a clarification made during a 2018 interview,.

Key Points

• Childhood Aversion: Tom Brady's dislike for strawberries stems from a bad sensory experience with their smell as a child, not his diet.

• TB12 Diet Confusion: Many fans mistakenly believed strawberries were off-limits due to the TB12 diet's anti-inflammatory principles, but Brady clarified this wasn't the case,.

• On-Air Taste Test: He first tasted a strawberry on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2018, confirming he still hated the taste.

• Nightshade Avoidance: The TB12 diet does restrict other food groups, like nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, peppers), based on an anti-inflammatory theory.

• Not a Medical Condition: Brady's strawberry aversion is a simple, psychological food preference rather than a medically-enforced dietary rule.

The Smell That Turned an Athlete Off

In March 2018, Tom Brady appeared on the NPR show Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me! and finally put to rest the rumors surrounding his hatred for strawberries. The story, he explained, dates back to his childhood in California. His aunt would often visit and bring large trays of freshly picked strawberries, storing them in the family's refrigerator,. Every time the refrigerator door opened, the powerful, sweet smell of the strawberries would fill the room, a scent that Brady found unbearable. This sensory overload created a powerful negative association that has lasted his entire life. The sheer thought of a strawberry, he confessed, was "terrible" for him. This revelation came shortly after a televised segment on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert where Brady was coaxed into trying a strawberry for the first time. His disgusted reaction, followed by his candid story on NPR, confirmed his genuine, visceral dislike for the fruit was a matter of preference, not diet,.

The TB12 Diet and Its Real Restrictions

While strawberries are a personal aversion, the TB12 diet is indeed famous for its long list of exclusions. Brady and his former chef, Allen Campbell, designed the regimen to promote longevity and athletic performance by reducing inflammation. The diet is heavily plant-based, often following an 80/20 ratio of plants to lean meat, and avoids processed foods, white sugar, and white flour. However, it also includes several exclusions that have been widely debated by nutrition experts due to a lack of scientific evidence. For example, Brady eliminates the entire 'nightshade' family of vegetables—which includes tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants—because of his belief that they contribute to inflammation,. He also famously avoids coffee, caffeine, and dairy products. These specific, diet-driven restrictions are often confused with his strawberry stance, but the root cause is fundamentally different. The strawberry issue is a psychological and sensory phenomenon, while the other avoidances are tied to an unproven nutritional theory. To learn more about the TB12 method's philosophy, you can visit the TB12 Sports website.

The Difference Between Personal Aversion and Dietary Principle

Understanding the distinction between Brady's personal food aversion and his dietary principles clarifies why strawberries are an exception to the broader TB12 discussion. One is based on a memory and sensory dislike, while the other is based on a specific, if unproven, nutritional theory.

Attribute	Strawberry Aversion	Nightshade Avoidance (TB12)
Underlying Reason	Childhood memory and negative sensory experience related to smell.	Belief that these vegetables cause inflammation in the body.
Scientific Backing	Explained by food psychology; preferences are highly subjective and often formed in youth.	Minimal to no conclusive research supports the idea that nightshades cause inflammation for most people.
Relation to Diet	Purely a personal preference, not a component of the TB12 diet's anti-inflammatory or alkalizing goals.	A core, though questionable, principle of the TB12 method designed to combat inflammation.
Public Clarification	Brady directly addressed this multiple times, clarifying it was a personal dislike after an on-air taste test.	The reasoning is part of the TB12 methodology, which is outlined in his book and on his company's website.

Other Foods Avoided on the TB12 Diet

The TB12 diet is known for its extensive list of prohibited foods, reflecting Brady's commitment to peak performance and reduced inflammation. In addition to nightshades, here is a list of other items he typically avoids:

• White Sugar and White Flour: Considered highly inflammatory.
• Caffeine: Excluded due to its acidic nature and potential for dehydration.
• Dairy Products: Excluded for their inflammatory properties, though TB12 does promote its own whey protein supplements,.
• Alcohol: Believed to increase inflammation and hinder performance.
• Processed Foods: Anything with additives, preservatives, or artificial ingredients.
• Certain Oils: Cooking with olive oil is avoided, with coconut oil being the preferred alternative.
• Some Fruits: Certain fruits, along with strawberries, were reportedly limited by his chef, with bananas being a rare exception in smoothies.

The Aftermath of the Taste Test

Brady's dramatic revelation about his aversion to strawberries was famously capped off by his initial taste test with Stephen Colbert. On the show, Colbert presented Brady with a strawberry, which the quarterback hesitantly ate. When asked about the taste on NPR, Brady's response was succinct and unenthusiastic: he famously replied with an expletive, stating it tasted terrible and lingered for 30 minutes,. This moment solidified the sincerity of his long-held disgust for the fruit and transformed a dietary rumor into a classic celebrity anecdote. The incident highlighted that even the most disciplined and restrictive athletes can have a food dislike that has nothing to do with health or performance metrics, but is instead tied to something as simple as a strong childhood memory.

Conclusion

Tom Brady's avoidance of strawberries is not a product of his much-publicized TB12 diet but is instead a decades-old personal preference. While his official diet, aimed at reducing inflammation, does exclude a wide array of foods like nightshades, dairy, and caffeine, strawberries are a unique case. The story behind his aversion—a persistent childhood memory of an overwhelming smell—is a simple, relatable anecdote that debunks years of nutritional speculation. This distinction proves that even for elite athletes with highly controlled eating habits, some food choices come down to personal taste and sensory experiences, not just performance goals.

References

Brady reveals the story behind his hatred of strawberries, USA Today, https://ftw.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2018/03/20/new-england-patriots-tom-brady-strawberries-npr-wait-wait-dont-tell-me-stephen-colbert-late-show/81782817007/ So, What Does Tom Brady Eat? Introducing the TB12 Diet, TB12, https://tb12sports.com/blogs/tb12/what-does-tom-brady-eat Tom Brady Goes On NPR, Offers Fair Explanation For Hating Strawberries, NESN, https://nesn.com/2018/03/tom-brady-goes-on-npr-offers-fair-explanation-for-hating-strawberries/ The bizarre diet Tom Brady says helped him become NFL GOAT, Daily Mail, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11705949/The-bizarre-diet-Tom-Brady-says-helped-NFL-GOAT.html All The Things You CAN'T Eat On The Tom Brady Diet, Balls.ie, https://www.balls.ie/fuel/all-the-things-you-cant-eat-on-the-tom-brady-diet-408310 Tom Brady’s Diet Once Got Him Branded a ‘Psychopath’, Yahoo, https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tom-brady-diet-includes-surprising-185422116.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the real reason Tom Brady doesn't eat strawberries?

The real reason Tom Brady avoids strawberries is a lifelong aversion based on a childhood memory. The overpowering smell of fresh strawberries from his aunt's trips created a negative sensory association for him,.

Does the TB12 diet prohibit strawberries?

No, the TB12 diet does not specifically prohibit strawberries. Brady's avoidance of the fruit is a personal choice based on a strong dislike, and not a rule of his nutritional regimen.

Why did people think strawberries were part of the TB12 diet's forbidden foods?

People often mistakenly linked Brady's personal aversion to the wider restrictions of his TB12 diet, which does eliminate other food groups like nightshade vegetables and dairy for anti-inflammatory reasons,.

What happened when Tom Brady first tried a strawberry?

Tom Brady famously tried a strawberry for the first time during an on-air television appearance with Stephen Colbert. He later described the experience as terrible on an NPR show,.

What is a 'nightshade' and why does Brady avoid them?

Nightshades are a family of vegetables including tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Tom Brady avoids them as part of his TB12 diet due to his unproven belief that they cause inflammation,.

Does Tom Brady avoid any other fruits?

Based on his former chef's account, Tom Brady generally avoids fruit with the exception of bananas, which he sometimes adds to smoothies.

Is Tom Brady's food aversion scientifically explained?

Brady's sensory-based food aversion is a psychological preference, which is highly subjective and a well-known phenomenon in food psychology. It's not a medical condition but a powerful personal dislike.