Novak Djokovic's Diet: Gluten-Free, Plant-Based, Sugar-Free
In short
- In 2010 a test revealed Djokovic's intolerance to wheat and dairy; he cut gluten and became nearly unbeatable — leaner, faster, fresher.
- Today he eats entirely plant-based (he avoids the 'vegan' label): vegetables, beans, fruit, nuts, seeds, quinoa, wild rice.
- Mornings start with room-temperature water and two spoonfuls of manuka honey; lunch is often gluten-free quinoa or buckwheat pasta with vegetables.
- On meat: 'Eating meat was hard on my digestion, and that took a lot of essential energy.'
- It's the mirror image of keto on macros — but identical on the enemy: gluten, sugar and processed food are out.
The gluten test that changed tennis
In 2010, Serbian doctor Igor Cetojevic found Djokovic was intolerant to wheat and dairy. He cut gluten — and the numbers turned surreal: leaner, faster and fresher, he won three majors and 70 of 76 matches the following season. Few diets in sport have a cleaner before-and-after.
What he eats now
Djokovic has since gone entirely plant-based (he skips the 'vegan' label because of how it's misread). Staples: vegetables, beans, chickpeas, lentils, fruit, nuts, seeds, quinoa, wild rice and sweet potato. A typical morning starts with room-temperature water and two spoonfuls of manuka honey; lunch is gluten-free pasta made from quinoa or buckwheat with arugula, broccoli or cauliflower and olive oil; smoothies blend berries, hemp seeds and spirulina.
Why no meat
His reasoning is functional, not moral: "Eating meat was hard on my digestion, and that took a lot of essential energy that I need for my focus, for recovery, for the next training session, and for the next match." Digestion, in his model, is an energy budget — and he spends it on tennis.
Djokovic vs keto
On macros they're mirror images — Djokovic runs on plants and carbohydrates, keto on fat and protein. But look at the ban list and they're allies: no gluten, no sugar, no dairy (for him), no processed food. Both diets prove the same underlying point: elite results start with removing inflammatory junk. Which fuel you run on afterwards — plants or fat — is the fork in the road.
Eat this way, keto-style
Not strictly keto — but the whole-food, high-protein core is exactly what keto is built on. Here's how to apply it:
Foods on this diet
Frequently asked questions
Is Novak Djokovic's diet keto?
No — it's essentially the opposite on macros: plant-based and carbohydrate-fueled. But it shares keto's ban list: no gluten, no sugar, no processed food.
Why did Djokovic go gluten-free?
A 2010 test showed intolerance to wheat and dairy. After cutting gluten he became dramatically leaner, faster and more consistent — winning three majors the next season.
Is Djokovic vegan?
He eats entirely plant-based but avoids the word 'vegan' because of how it's misinterpreted.
What does Djokovic eat for breakfast?
He starts with a glass of room-temperature water and two spoonfuls of manuka honey, often followed by a smoothie with berries, hemp seeds and spirulina.
Sources