Rafael Nadal blasted the current obsession with fad diets on Monday, especially the moves towards gluten-free eating popularized by Grand Slam rival Novak Djokovic. Nadal, the world number two, insisted he has never been tempted to succumb to what he describes as a passing trend which will be replaced by something more fashionable in years to come.
‘At the end of the day, all the small things can help if you don’t get crazy. I always had the theory that the most important thing is be happy, enjoy what are you doing, and be fresh mentally,’ said Nadal.
‘If have the gluten-free diet or have the perfect diet or these kind of things, which are supposed to change you or be a big sacrifice, but mean you are not happy the rest of the day, not being fresh mentally because that’s a lot of effort for you, better don’t do it.
‘Not all the players who had success had the same diet or had the same style of play. Everybody’s different. ‘Now it seems like the gluten-free diet is great. After three years or four years we will find another thing that will be great, too. Then the gluten-free will not work anymore.’
Even in his darkest moments, the 27-year-old said he has never been tempted to tinker with his diet. ‘All these kind of things that are news, I am not doing. I am happy with the normal diet. But I don’t say it is negative. I will say everybody’s free to do what he wants. Everybody is not working the same things,’ said Nadal on Monday.