ITV World Cup co-commentator Andros Townsend has doubled down on his unconventional diet – which includes eating ‘yucky raw steak’.
The former England star, 34, has released a slew of videos promoting his all-natural diet including the steak, sardines, and boiled eggs on a plane.
Townsend’s aim is to stay healthy while staying in hotels throughout the tournament, while he is denied access to cooking facilities and faces the constant temptation of fast food. ‘Never let your circumstances dictate your health,’ he says.
In a previous video, he showed off a grisly-looking pre-prepared meal alongside bone broth, the health benefits of which are disputed.
The former Tottenham star has attracted increasing interest and praise for his bold culinary vision – but other viewers of his TikToks have been left disgusted.
‘Wouldn’t feed that to a dog,’ commented one detractor, while another quipped: ‘Thoughts on poo mate?’
Andros Townsend has doubled down on his bizarre diet, which includes eating raw meat
The former England and Tottenham star enjoys tucking into boiled eggs on his flights
Meanwhile, his decision to eat boiled eggs mid-flight brought ire in the comments section.
One viewer commented: ‘Personally I think it’s inconsiderate because of the smell. I enjoy your videos about diet and nutrition but a bit of respect for others goes a long way.’
Another added: ‘Inconsiderate’.
Meanwhile, tucking into a pungent can of sardines in one commentary area, he spoke of the wide-ranging health benefits and said they are ‘one of the healthiest convenient foods available’.
Townsend’s main issue appears to be with fast food and ultra-processed products, and he is absolutely right to stay away from them – the health drawbacks are well-documented.
He explains: ‘While I’m away for a month living in hotels, raw beef is often a better option than eating out in restaurants, where a lot of the food is cooked in heavily processed vegetable oils.
‘Of course, if you’re going to eat raw beef, quality matters. I only do this with high-quality beef, grass-fed, grass-finished, from a source I trust.’
He presents many of his videos topless in the sweltering heat of North America and, for what it is worth, appears to be in good shape. To his credit, he seems to track his food intake in precise detail. He is still on the books at Thai League 1 club Kanchanaburi Power.
Townsend swears by the health benefits of raw meat, but consuming it carries varied risks
He videoed himself eating raw sardines out of a can while on commentary duty
Townsend claims to have been eating raw meat for four years, dating back to his time when he was in the Premier League and would have had access to industry-leading dietary advice.
Eating raw meat is a risk. There is potential for it to be contaminated with harmful bacteria, such as E. coli or Salmonella, or parasites.
There are ‘safer’ versions of raw meat, such as whole cuts, which restrict the chance for bacteria to get inside compared to ground meat. However, the bacteria can still exist on the surface.
Townsend says he has not had any health issues from consuming raw meat and defends his diet on the basis that he gets more nutrients.
Some nutrients, such as Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12, can be partially degraded in cooking and so raw meat retains a higher concentration of them.
He is not the only footballer to evangelise about the virtues of raw products; Norway and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland enjoys raw milk as part of his diet, though he cooks his meat rather ferociously.
Regardless of the health benefits, his meals are beyond the pale for many viewers because of one simple reason: people just don’t like the look of them. ‘Those sardines make me ill looking at them,’ said one viewer
