I had to convince mum my new diet was a good idea
The Premier League footballer tells ROZ LEWIS why he hopes that cutting out meat will prolong his playing career
WHEN Bournemouth striker Jermain Defoe decided last year to start cutting down the amount of meat he ate, it wasn’t the club doctor or his manager who needed persuading that following a mostly vegan diet would be good for his health – it was his mum Sandra.
But almost a year on, Defoe, 35, has no doubts it has made a positive impact on him.
“I’m feeling great,” says Jermain, who is recovering from a fracture in his right ankle he sustained on the pitch last month.
“I feel less bloated, less lethargic and feel like I have more energy now. My mum has taken a bit of convincing that my new diet was going to be good for me. But she will now cook me something like a vegetable curry and a traditional meal such as jerk chicken for the rest of the family.
“This Christmas I had a nut roast and didn’t miss having a turkey dinner at all. I love roast potatoes and vegetables.”
Prolonging his football career was Jermain’s principal motivation for the new approach. “I tick all the boxes when it comes to looking after my body and this was another thing I decided might be worth looking at,” he explains.
“As a young boy growing up in London I was always hungry and ate whatever was put in front of me.
“My family are from St Lucia and my mum cooks really good food so we ate a lot of lamb, chicken, fi sh and lots of vegetables.
“When I was playing in the England sides for the Under- 16s, Under- 18s and Under- 21s we ate very well. There would be breakfast, lunch, then a pre- match snack, then dinner at seven, another snack at 9.30pm and then a protein shake before bed.
“I remember eating ham and cheese toasties back then as a snack although I was never one for a McDonald’s burger. Now I’d never dream of eating anything like that.”
INCREASING numbers of professional athletes are turning to veganism, with some seeing performances soar and recovery times plummet. Many high- profi le stars including the boxer David “The Hayemaker” Haye and superstar tennis sisters Venus and Serena Williams claim a plant- based diet is key to success.
“Transitioning to a meat- free diet for anybody should involve some planning and consideration in order to meet their iron and protein needs,” says Aisling Pigott of the British Dietetic Association.
“Very active individuals may want to pay attention to the timing of non- meat protein sources and combinations of food consumed.”
Jermain says: “My typical diet right now involves eating a lot of vegetable- based dishes early in the week and then eating fi sh towards the end of the week when I feel I need to up my protein levels.
“In the morning I will have a ginger smoothie – made from fresh ginger, fresh pineapple and maybe coconut water or a beetroot shot.
“I snack on fruit like bananas, pineapple and maybe have some hummus, almonds or cashew nuts. I have beetroot shots before matches and eat beetroot in my pre- match meal too. After matches I have a green smoothie made of kale, broccoli, spinach and apple juice.
“I’ve avoided picking up any major muscle injury since I’ve made these dietary changes. I had little niggles but nothing big which is unusual for a player of my age.
“My girlfriend Rachel does most of the cooking but I don’t mind helping out. We sometimes have Quorn burgers which are really tasty. We tend to eat out only once or twice a week. There is a great vegan restaurant in Bournemouth, fi ve minutes from my house.
“I am the only player at the moment who is eating this kind of diet at Bournemouth. The chef at the club prepares dishes for me which are delicious so that is fantastic. Some of the other players ask me about what I eat and why and I just try to tell them that there are alternatives to meat available.”
Apart from eating as well as he can, Jermain has regular cryotherapy sessions to help his muscle recovery. “I’ve been doing that for years but you never get used to it,” he says. “Those three minutes at - 140C are the longest three minutes ever. But it really works, so I do it twice a week.
“I also have ice baths and sometimes do contrast baths, dipping in ice- cold water for two minutes and in hot water for one, over a 20- minute period. I also use Pilates, yoga and have massages.”
HELPING others is something close to Jermain’s heart. In 2010 he set up his own charitable foundation to raise funds to build a children’s home in St Lucia. He is also keen to raise awareness about neuroblastoma, a rare type of cancer that frequently starts from one of the adrenal glands.
During his time at Sunderland he formed a close relationship with mascot Bradley Lowery, who tragically died last July aged six. The pair have been nominated in the Best Sporting Moment category at next month’s Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco.
“We knew it was going to happen but you can never prepare yourself for something like that,” says Jermain. “Bradley was such a special boy, we had an instant connection. When I found out he was so sick and how long he had been fi ghting the disease [ Bradley was diagnosed at 18 months] I went to see him and his family. At fi rst there was hope it would be cured. But then things got worse.
“We grew really close and had a strong bond. It is so hard to see a little boy suffer like that and so hard for his mum and dad Gemma and Carl. I was in touch with them over Christmas to support them through their fi rst festive season without Bradley. I hope that I brought some happiness into Bradley’s life. You can’t understand why a child has to go through something like that, all you can do is hope doctors will fi nd a cure.”
As for the rest of 2018 Jermain is planning to carry on with his new diet and to get back on the pitch next month. “I hope to end the season with a good run of goals for AFC Bournemouth,” he says. “I’d recommend anyone try eating a healthier diet. If it keeps me on the pitch for as long as possible I will be very happy.”