Bruce Lee Diet
with Chinese Food, Supplements & Protein Shake Nutrition
What Was Bruce Lee’s Diet Plan?
Bruce Lee’s diet mainly consisted of healthy Chinese food, protein shake juicing and vitamin supplements nutrition. According to his wife Linda Lee Cadwell, Lee started to take his diet and nutrition seriously after he moved to the United States. Bruce Lee’s body depended more on what he didn’t have (body fat) and less on what he did (muscles). It was key to his martial arts mastery and he refused to fuel his body with junk food. Read on for more nutrition information like the ingredients in a Bruce Lee protein shake, Bruce Lee food and Bruce Lee supplements.
For the convenience of all Bruce Lee diet readers, links to buy modern equivalents of Bruce Lee nutrition supplements and diet food from Amazon.com have been added when appropriate. All food, supplements and protein drink products listed below have an Amazon rating of at least 4 out of 5 stars.
Bruce Lee & Chinese Food
What was Bruce Lee’s favorite food?
Bruce Lee preferred Chinese or other Asian dishes due to the variety of asian cuisines. Bruce Lee’s favorite Chinese food dish was beef in oyster sauce. He also ate shrimp or chicken with vegetables and tofu. For Bruce Lee, the larger amounts of rice, noodles and vegetables often used in Chinese food are filled with more high-energy carbohydrates than western food portions that favor more fat and protein. Although his diet mainly consisted of Chinese food, he was also fond of steak and, for a time, ate liver once a week. Bruce even went to McDonalds every now and then. Check out the books below for Chinese food recipes and cooking healthy meals.
Easy Chinese Recipes: Family Favorites From Dim Sum to Kung Pao
This 5 star Amazon.com reviewed Chinese food cookbook features over 80 great Chinese cuisine recipes using ingredients found in local supermarkets. “Easy Chinese Recipes” is awesome because everything is clear and every recipe is easily accessible. This cookbook is highly recommended for a Bruce Lee diet plan.
Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking
This Chinese food cookbook showcases acclaimed chef Eileen Yin-Fei Lo’s step by step home cooking lessons. Features more than 100 classic Chinese food recipes.
Eat Chinese Food Like Bruce Lee!
Did Bruce Lee Eat Meat? Was Bruce Lee a Vegan?
Was Bruce Lee a Vegetarian?
No, Bruce Lee was not a vegetarian or vegan. According to the classic Bruce Lee training book “The Art of Expressing The Human Body” available in the Bruce Lee Books page, he ate steak, liver, shrimp, chicken and beef. It is rumored that Bruce Lee ate a vegetarian diet for spiritual reasons during short periods of time, but he definitely ate meat.
Although Bruce Lee ate meat, he preferred vegetable-heavy Chinese food dishes. Bruce hated dairy and couldn’t understand why Western people ate cheese. He also used lots of vegetables in his protein shake drinks. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan trying to follow the Bruce Lee diet, there are many non-meat protein substitutes you can eat, like green peas, beans, peanut butter and edamame, for a modified Bruce Lee-type version of a vegetarian diet.
Bruce Lee Diet Plan Portions
Bruce Lee would normally consume four or five smaller meals a day instead of 3 large meals. He would also eat fruit throughout the day to boost his metabolism. For extra energy in between meals, Bruce had his wife prepare congee, made by boiling rice to the point of soup-like consistency, mixed with organ meats like heart, kidney, brain or liver. Today’s bodybuilders have similar eating habits, eating approximately every four hours to ensure the body has a good supply of nutrients to help build and repair muscle tissue. Eating more often than that is not good and can put too much pressure on the digestive system, leading to indigestion.
Foods Bruce Lee Avoided
Bruce Lee & Dairy
Bruce Lee did not like dairy, so he used non-instant powered milk in his cereal and protein shakes. The non-instant variety of powdered milk supposedly has a higher concentration of calcium than other forms of powdered milk. Bruce knew he had to consume some form of dairy, regardless of his taste for it, due to its muscle-building qualities.
Bruce Lee & Carbs
Bruce Lee avoided refined flour and baked goods, like cake or biscuits, describing carbohydrates as providing “empty calories” that did nothing for the body.
Bruce Lee Protein Shake Smoothie Drink
Bruce Lee initially drank one or two protein shakes or smoothies a day, but stopped around 1970 to focus on developing strength without bulk. When Bruce Lee did drink protein shake smoothies, he usually used wheat germ (or wheat germ oil), peanut butter, banana, eggs (sometimes with shell), brewers yeast (for Vitamin B and releasing energy from carbs), Inositol and Lecithin supplements. Because Bruce hated dairy, he used non-instant powdered milk (which supposedly has a higher concentration of calcium than other forms of powdered milk) in his protein shakes instead of whole milk.
His wife Linda recalls that he “drank his own juice concoctions made from vegetables and fruits, apples, celery, carrots and so on, prepared in an electric blender.” Bruce especially loved carrots, using them in half his drink to offset the bitterness of the parsley and leafy vegetables. The remainder of the shake was split between other healthy and nutritious fruits and vegetables.
Bruce Lee believed juicing allowed one’s body to assimilate nutrients more easily. The enzymes in juiced vegetables act as organic catalysts that increase both metabolism and nutrient absorption. Bruce knew that most vegetable enzymes are destroyed when cooked, especially in boiling, so he would consume raw veggies however he could.
Bruce Lee also used ginseng and royal jelly. They contain Vitamins A, C, D, E, minerals, acetylcholine, numerous amino acids and B-complex vitamins, including a high concentration of Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) and Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), all great nutrients for Bruce Lee’s juice. Ginseng is often used in traditional Chinese medicine to improve blood circulation, increase blood supply and allow for faster recovery times after physical exhaustion.
All ingredients in Bruce Lee’s drinks, smoothies and shakes would be mixed thoroughly in a blender.
Blend a Bruce Lee Protein Drink!
Ninja Master Prep Blender
This Amazon.com top-rated 4 and a half star blender can mince, dice, chop, blend and puree anything you can throw at it, even frozen fruits, while making any smoothie.
Make a Bruce Lee Smoothie!
The Other Bruce Lee Drink
Bruce Lee regularly drank black tea, often with honey or sugar.
Drink a Bruce Lee Protein Shake!
Bruce Lee Diet and Supplements
Bruce was known to use the following vitamins and supplements:
Magnesium Pills
Magnesium is one of the body’s main electrolytes that participates in more than 300 reactions in the body, with an emphasis on those involved in energy production. They will also make you piss more, therefore ridding your body of water weight and help your body look more defined.
Nature Made High Potency Magnesium Liquid Soft-Gels (400 mg, 150 count)
Inositol
Inositol is found in many foods, especially high bran-based cereals. It plays an important role in cell membranes health, especially for the brain, bone marrow, eyes and intestines.
Jarrow Formulas Inositol Capsules (750 mg, 100 count)
Lecithin
Lecithin is a fat mixture of glycolipids, triglycerides and phospholipids. It is a key building block of cell membranes. Bruce Lee believed lecithin improves athletic performance for trained athletes.
Now Foods Sunflower Lecithin Soft-Gels (1,200 mg, 100-count)
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, is a potent antioxidant with increasingly diverse uses in health promotion and disease prevention. Some of the many uses include improving physical endurance and slowing aging.
Nature’s Way Vitamin-C Capsules 1000 with Rose Hips (1,000 mg, 250-count)
Bee Pollen
Bee pollen is a mixture of the pollens picked up by bees as they fly from flower to flower. It is a popular folk remedy for many conditions, including sports performance.
Eden Pond Queen’s Magic Bee Pollen Capsules (750 mg, 120 Count)
These organic capsules also contain propolis (1,000 mg) and royal jelly (1,500 mg).
Vitamin E
Vitamin E promotes heart health and healthy circulation. It is also an exceptional antioxidant for the immune system and skin.
Nature’s Bounty E-400 IU Natural Pure “D-Alpha” Vitamin E Softgel Capsules (400 IU, 100-count)
Vitamin E promotes heart health and healthy circulation. It is also an exceptional antioxidant for the immune system and skin. These softgels feature the 100% natural “d-alpha” form of Vitamin E.
Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Vitamin E (125 IU, 60-count)
If you feel like spending a little more money on totally natural, untreated and organic ingredients, then check out these Garden of Life vitamin E supplements that are raw, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, non-GMO and contains no binders or fillers. They’re made of a probiotic and enzyme blend along with a raw organic fruit and vegetable blend for added nutritional support.
Rose Hips (in liquid form)
Rosehips are packed full of vitamin C and other antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They also contain a substance that fights inflammation.
VoilaVe Organics 100% Pure and Organic Rosehip Oil
Wheat Germ Oil
Wheat germ oil is extracted from the germ of the wheat kernel and is particularly high in octacosanol, an exercise and physical performance-enhancing agent. It is also a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E.
Now Foods Wheat Germ Oil Soft-gel Capsules (1,130 mg, 100-count)
Natural Protein Tablets
Protein is the building block of muscles and essential for repair and growth of muscle after exercise. Research shows that protein consumed before exercise and within 30 minutes of finishing your workout will help with growth and recovery.
Nature’s Blend Honey Flavor Protein Tablets (500 mg, 200-count)
Acerola-C
Acerola-C is derived from a small shrub native to the West Indies. It is one of the richest sources of vitamin C and also contains vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and bioflavonoids.
American Health Super Acerola Plus Chewable Berry Wafers (500 mg, 100-count)
B-Folia
B vitamins provide essential nutrients for the cardiovascular system. They include vitamins B-1 (thiamin), B-2 (riboflavin), B-3 (niacin), B-5 (pantothenic acid), B-6 (pyridoxine), B-7 (biotin), B-9 (folic acid) and B-12 (cyanocobalamin).
Nature’s Bounty Super B-Complex Vitamins with Folic Acid Plus (multi-mg, 150-count)
A note to Bruce Lee supplements readers:
The supplements that Bruce used were popular among bodybuilders during the 1960s and early 1970s. Some of the health supplements in an original Bruce Lee diet may now be usurped by new ones which produce better results. Any supplement can have side effects if taken to excess. Please do your own research before making any dietary changes and consult a doctor or licensed physician before starting a weight training or weight loss diet.
Modern Supplements
For our Bruce Lee diet readers who want more modern nutrition, here are three (3) additional supplements commonly used by the today’s best athletes in their workout routines:
Please note that Bruce Lee did not use the 3 supplements listed below because they either didn’t exist when he was alive or there was no evidence that he used it. The three items below are simply presented here as modern supplements that are very popular among gym rats like Bruce Lee.
Creatine
Clinically-proven, creatine aka creatine monhydrate helps gain size and strength as well as cut recovery time. Bruce Lee did not have creatine around when he was alive, but most believe he would have used it in his diet.
Optimum Nutrition Unflavored Creatine Powder (600g, 114 servings)
Omega-3 Fish Oil
Omega-3 are essential fatty acids the human body doesn’t produce on its own. It aids the joints, heart, brain and eyes along with many more benefits.
Nature Made Omega-3 Fish Oil Soft-gel Capsules (1,200 mg, 300-count)
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is critical for strong bones and helps the body absorb calcium from food.
Nutrigold Vitamin D3 Softgel Capsules (5,000 IU, 360-count)
Start Taking Supplements for a Workout Boost Like Bruce Lee Did!
A note to our Bruce Lee Diet readers:
Bruce Lee used a wide variety of exercises including weight training, body strength training, circuit training, isometrics, ab workouts, stretching, diet and cardio fitness. He used the best training equipment available to get that muscular Bruce Lee body in his classic martial arts movies. Bruce Lee’s perfect body, wisdom, charisma and kung fu skill inspired books on his life, philosophy & martial arts!
Visit the Bruce Lee Workout homepage for a complete breakdown on all the Bruce Lee training programs and workout routines. Workout Like Bruce Lee!
