David Carter on Veganism in & out of the NFL
Former NFL defensive lineman David Carter, also known as the 300-pound vegan, has been profiled in a recent article on NFL about his plant-based lifestyle both in and out of the field. Carter adopted the vegan diet in 2014 after watching the documentary Forks Over Knives, and his health rapidly improved, with his high blood pressure, muscle fatigue, arthritis, nerve damage and tendonitis virtually disappearing. Carter stated:
“It got me thinking, why do we need meat? I need protein to be big and strong, but look at some of the largest and strongest animals in the world and none of them eat meat. Food is my medication now.”
While the former defensive lineman may have been the “rare vegan football player,” he was able to keep the seemingly conflicting aspects of his life in balance, stating:
“Socially, it kind of isolates you. Football is a machismo sport, which is great, but everything can’t be machismo. On the field and at practice, yes, you can be machismo, but when it comes to diet, you need to have compassion for your body.”
While Carter is now retired from the NFL, he continues to give talks about veganism, aims to help NFL players “understand the science behind healthy eating,” and works with his wife Paige on The 300 Pound Vegan, which aims to expand veganism “to include more people of color, more children, more athletes.”
The article also mentions Tyrann Mathieu of the Arizona Cardinals, who tweeted earlier this year that he was “closing in” on a 100% vegan diet, and wide receiver Griff Whalen, who has been a vegan for over two years after trying the “Engine 2 Diet.”
Photo Credit: www.yahoo.com
[…] Former NFL defensive lineman David Carter, often refereed to as as the 300-pound vegan, has always been outspoken about how a plant-based diet dramatically improved his health. […]