FULL NAME: José Antonio Bautista
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6'0", 205 lbs
BORN: October 19, 1980, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
POSITIONS: Right fielder and third baseman
DRAFT: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 20th round of the 2000 MLB Draft
HIGH SCHOOL: De La Salle, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION: 6x AL All-Star; 3x AL Silver Slugger Award; 2x AL Hank Aaron Award; 2x MLB home run leader
My body is my number one tool and I’ve got to take care of it. Starting in high school I was always researching the right things to eat—looking online, talking to nutritionists, dieticians, and performance experts. There have been a lot of advances over the years that have helped me narrow down what I’ll eat today. Eating smart is related to what I do for a living. I deserve it, my employer deserves it, and the fans deserve it. And I’m not going to play forever, so I want to take advantage of this time in my life.
I try to add food to my diet that is going to help me heal if I’m injured or sick so that I don’t have to take medicine. I pick food and seasonings that are going to be healing, not just tasty.
I have oatmeal for breakfast every day because it’s not only a good gluten-free source of protein, but it also helps detox the body. I put fruit on it, along with nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and some cloves. I make it with almond milk.
I eliminated beef and dairy from my diet during the last off-season and I’ve noticed that I am less stiff and less bloated. I also have less inflammation. Cutting out sugar helps too. Sometimes I’ll have raw agave or honey, but only occasionally. When I did eat meat it was always from Colorado and grass fed.
When you’re hungry and looking for a snack, reach for fruits and vegetables and you’ll be fine. You’ll always find fruits and vegetables in my refrigerator for that reason.
My favorite smoothie has berries in it for the antioxidants, plus almond or rice milk. I add superfoods in powder form, like protein powders with multivitamins and turmeric. I throw in Brazil nuts because they have a lot of glutathione, which is an important antioxidant that’s hard to get through your diet.
I drink a lot of tea, usually, with turmeric and ginger. I don’t have caffeinated tea except for green tea in the morning, and even that doesn’t have as much caffeine as black tea. Lately I’ve been on a blueberry green tea kick. After every meal, I drink some kind of tea depending on the time of day and what kind of meal I ate. If I eat a big meal I’ll go with a cup of ginger mint tea. Before bed I drink chamomile. If I feel worn out after a game, I’ll go for something good for recovery like coconut almond chai tea.
My favorite fruits are tropical and exotic like passion fruit, mango, and papaya. They were in my diet growing up. I’m from the Dominican Republic and I’m kind of going back to my roots a little bit to bring up my immune system.
My biggest meal of the day is lunch—I normally have a gluten-free grain like rice, risotto, or quinoa with lentils, mung beans, or some other type of bean. I also have either a fish or a bird. There are always vegetables and often I add in an avocado. I like my fish or chicken sautéed with vegetables, mostly green peppers and onions. Sometimes I’ll eat rice with peas in it; it’s really good cooked in coconut milk. Dinner is similar to lunch but a little lighter. I throw in a salad because that helps to detox your system when you’re sleeping. I like to do my detoxing at night and also when I wake up. So I’ll eat salad at night and have oatmeal in the morning.
It’s a cliché, but your body is your temple—you have to take care of it and know what you’re putting in it. If you neglect or mistreat your body, it’s going to come back to haunt you at some point. You’ve got to know what you’re doing. Even the water you drink, which I never paid attention to before, can throw you off balance. It’s so simple.
Once a week, I do a three-hour long acupuncture session and a lot of breathing exercises. This leads to a self-meditative state and helps me get rid of tension. I get massages three times a week on different days than the acupuncture. I do a lot of stress-relieving things, including cupping, to relieve tension. If tension builds up it’s harder to get rid of it later. It’s like ironing a shirt—if you let it get super wrinkled, you are going to have to iron it for, like, seven hours to make it flat. So if I see a little wrinkle, I take care of it right away.
“My favorite smoothie has berries in it for the antioxidants, plus almond or rice milk. I add superfoods in powder form, like protein powders with multivitamins and turmeric. I throw in Brazil nuts because they have a lot of glutathione, which is an important antioxidant that’s hard to get through your diet.”
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 15 minutes // COOK: 10 minutes
This nutrient-dense salad paired with the slight pepperiness of watercress is bat-flipping good. Mung beans are protein- and fiber-filled legumes similar to peas and lentils. Brazil nuts, loaded with the powerful antioxidant glutathione and a favorite of José Bautista’s, add a tasty finish.
4 to 5 Brazil nuts
¼ cup cooked green lentils (see this page)
¼ cup cooked mung beans (see this page)
½ cup diced bell pepper (red/green/yellow)
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
½ teaspoon finely grated peeled ginger root (a Microplane is great for this)
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups watercress or baby arugula
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Lay the Brazil nuts on a sheet pan and toast for 8 minutes, until they just begin to brown. Let cool before coarsely chopping. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the lentils, mung beans, bell pepper, red onion, mint, ginger, turmeric, coriander, olive oil, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Divide the watercress between 2 plates. Divide the lentil-bean mixture over the watercress. Top with the toasted Brazil nuts.
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 5 minutes // COOK: 10 minutes
For avocado lovers, this snack is a no-brainer. The punchy flavors of chili powder, cayenne, and cumin are offset by the sweet creaminess of the avocado.
2 tablespoons nuts (e.g., pistachios, almonds, walnuts)
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 avocado, halved and pitted
1½ teaspoons coconut oil
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Lay the nuts on sheet pan and toast for 7 to 9 minutes, until they just begin to brown. Let cool, then chop. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, black pepper, cayenne, and salt. Sprinkle the mixture over the cut sides of the avocado.
4. In an 8-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the avocado, flesh-side down, for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown.
5. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Sprinkle with the nuts. Serve with a spoon for scooping the avocado out of its shell.
SERVES: 1 // PREP: 10 minutes // COOK: 10 minutes
Turmeric is the key ingredient that helps reduce inflammation in this soothing tea. Be sure to toss in some black peppercorns to boost its absorption.
3-inch piece of turmeric root, chopped (about ¼ cup)
Peel of lemon (save the fruit for another recipe)
⅛ teaspoon black peppercorns
½ teaspoon raw honey (optional)
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the turmeric, lemon peel, peppercorns, and 2½ cups water just to a boil and simmer for 7 minutes. Strain and add the honey (if using).
SERVES: 1 // PREP: 5 minutes // COOK: 10 minutes
For fans of caffeine-free tea, chamomile combined with mint brings tranquility to your day. The fresh ginger helps boost digestion and your immune system. Sit back and enjoy the healthful benefits of each sip.
2½ cups chamomile tea (see Note)
1½-inch piece of ginger root, chopped
Handful of fresh mint leaves (about ⅓ cup)
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the tea, ginger, and mint to a low simmer; continue simmering for 8 to 10 minutes. Strain and serve hot.
Note: To make your own chamomile tea, steep 2 tablespoons chamomile tea leaves in 2½ cups boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain out the tea leaves.
SERVES: 1 // PREP: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours for soaking
Inspired by José Bautista’s Dominican roots, the tropical fruit gives this smoothie great texture and flavor. If you can’t find mango or papaya—or if they’re out of season—chunks of fruit like grapefruit, orange, or kiwi can easily pinch-hit. Brazil nuts are a great source of selenium, an immune-boosting and stress-fighting mineral.
6 Brazil nuts
1 cup chilled rice milk
¼ cup coarsely chopped mango
¼ cup coarsely chopped papaya
1 banana, broken into pieces
½ passion fruit, flesh scooped out
1. In a small bowl, soak the Brazil nuts in room-temperature water for 2 hours. Strain, rinse, and drain.
2. In a high-powered blender, combine the nuts, milk, mango, papaya, banana, and passion fruit and process until smooth.
