The vegan diet tends to raise eyebrows in the NFL, where meat-eating is the more typical route toward getting muscular.
When New England Patriot Deatrich Wise, Jr. went against the traditional food regimen of a defensive end, his teammates questioned his ability to maintain a strong figure. Following his rookie year, Wise said that if he lost any muscle mass, he would return to eating eggs. Over five years later, not an egg has yet to be cooked.
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Wise recently announced his investment in Boston's Veggie Galaxy, a traditional diner in Cambridge that is 100% vegetarian, with a 100% vegan bakery on-site. The restaurant has been an asset for plant-based eaters in Boston for nearly 15 years.
The goal of the establishment is to provide old-school service with a modern twist on a comfort-food menu style. Featuring classic items like BLTs, burgers, sandwiches and mac and cheese, nearly everything is made in-house, and every element is vegetarian (and can be made vegan). He's joining other Veggie Galaxy owners founder Adam Penn and Michael Bissanti, who once founded Boston's The Paramount Diner and Cambridge's Four Burgers. The three are seen at the diner below:
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The passion Wise has for accessibility to a healthy eating lifestyle was part of his decision to partner with the group. In a news release, Wise explained, "As a professional athlete, it's hard to ignore the trend towards healthy living in this country, including the explosion of vegetarian and vegan food in the last several years."
He continued, “To have the opportunity to work with a company with which I share the same core beliefs and values makes this more than just a business opportunity for me. I’m also very excited to play a role in helping to make plant-based food more accessible to a wider audience.”
In the same release, Penn said, "We’re thrilled to have Deatrich as part of our team. He’s been a great customer, and will no doubt be a great partner as we continue to spread the word about Veggie Galaxy.”
