6 Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen
From a hatred of strawberries to, well, a hatred toward nightshades, here are six surprising things you didn't know about Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen.
Overview
Super Bowl LII is right around the corner. As you get caught up in the excitement of gathering your closest family and friends, spreading out delicious platters of guacamole and finger foods, and watching the infamous commercials and halftime show, don't forget to check out the five surprising things you may not know about New England Patriots royalty (remember that Super Bowl kiss?) Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen.
1. Tom's First Strawberry
Although he's been living on planet Earth for more than 40 years, the five-time Super Bowl champ had never tried a strawberry: That is, until late-night host Stephen Colbert had something to say about it. Making on appearance on the March 13 episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Brady faced his indifference toward the fruit and decided to give it a try. His thoughts? "Not that bad." Ok, then.
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2. Hydration Habits
Tom Brady is one of the most impressive quarterbacks in the history of football. But being a champion athlete at the age of 40 does not come without discipline. According to his new book, "The TB12 Method," his diet includes drinking a whopping 25 glasses of water per day. "The regimen I follow is a mix of Eastern and Western philosophies," Brady writes. "My nutritional regimen may seem restrictive to some people, but to me it feels unnatural to eat any other way." You do you, Tom.
Read more: You Won't Believe How Much Water Tom Brady Drinks Every Day
3. Dessert Indulgence
The couple's tight and toned physiques don't come without sacrifices — but it turns out that ice cream and froyo are still on the "nice" list. In 2016, Brady gave us a peek into his freezer (and his adorable little pup) by posting a photo to his Facebook page. The NFL pro showed off his collection of yummy treats, including avocado ice cream and Yasso frozen Greek yogurt bars in delicious-sounding flavors like chocolate-chip cookie dough and mint chocolate chip. These gluten-free treats are only 100 calories each and full of gut-benefitting probiotics. We'll take 'em.
Read more: Tom and Gisele Eat Dessert, and Here's What They Indulge In
4. Raw Performance
At 40, Tom Brady has reached an age at which other players are often forced to invoke the "North Dallas 40" mantra of "better football through chemistry" (i.e., pain pills and injections of painkillers) But he chose to improve his performance by including more raw foods into his diet. He even hired a personal chef who was referred to him by chef, author and restaurant owner Matthew Kenney — himself an expert in raw food.
Read more: Can Athletes Improve Performance With Raw Food?
5. Happiness Over Six-Packs
There's no doubt that supermodel mom Gisele Bundchen has one of the hottest bodies on the planet. So it might surprise you to hear that she isn't necessarily seeking out the perfect six-pack. In fact, her Costa Rica-based trainer, Jill Payne of Spiritual Athlete, admits that when it comes to her body, the only result that actually interests Bundchen is achieving happiness.
"You can decide how you want to feel," Payne told Glamour. "I love to create fun, super-happy people."
Read more: Why Gisele Doesn't Aim for a Six-Pack and You Don't Have to Either
6. No-Nightshades Zone
Brady has spoken extensively about his restrictive diet, in which ingredients like white sugar, white flour, caffeine, olive oil and dairy are big no-nos. Another ingredient neither he nor Gisele will touch? Nightshade vegetables. These are part of a plant family called the Solanaceae and contain more than 2,500 species, including potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants and peppers.
In an interview with Charlie Rose on CBS This Morning, Bundchen fessed up to being the enabler of the no-nightshades rule. "It has come from me," she told Rose. Turns out that she and Brady have been following the strict diet since they got together more than 10 years ago. (Some people have a sensitivity to nightshade plants and are unable to digest them fully, often experiencing diarrhea, gas, bloating, nausea, painful joints, headaches and depression.)
Read more: What Are Nightshades?
What Do YOU Think?
Have you ever followed a diet as restrictive as Tom and Gisele's? Would you ever take fitness and nutritional advice from them? Which of these facts is your favorite? Comment below and let us know.