TAMPA, Fla. -- Once a week this spring, a special delivery has arrived at George M. Steinbrenner Field with Mark Teixeira's name on it. It is what the Yankees first baseman solely credits for his lighter frame and increased energy. <\/p>\n
Teixeira fell in love with fruit and vegetable juices over the offseason, having been introduced to a New York company called Juice Press, and it is a major reason why the slugger showed up for camp with a body that deleted 15 pounds. <\/p>\n
\"There's all these diets and fads out there, but no one has ever said, 'You're eating too many vegetables,'\" Teixeira said. \"That's really the only thing I changed in my diet, substituting juice for what I would call normal snacks or unhealthy food.\" <\/p>\n
Teixeira didn't perform a complete overhaul of his diet, like Prince Fielder did a few years back with the Brewers, when the burly slugger opted to become a vegetarian. Teixeira still enjoys his share of meat, fish and potatoes, so he looks at this as more of a healthy supplement or substitution. <\/p>\n
\"You can eat too much meat, too many carbs -- there's even too much fish with mercury,\" Teixeira said. \"There's all these things that if you eat too much of them, there are all these negative effects. No one has ever said that you can eat too many vegetables. It has been a great thing for me, and I'll continue to do it as long as I feel good.\" <\/p>\n
Teixeira said that he grabs two or three of the cold-pressed juices from his shipment per day, taking them to the ballpark and freezing the ones he doesn't need right away. He can often be found chugging one after batting practice, opting for the juice instead of his old stand-by processed energy bar. <\/p>\n
Teixeira said that his favorite drinks contain mostly vegetables like carrots, kale, spinach or cucumber, with apples or pineapples blended in to provide sweetness. He also likes the options with cayenne pepper or ginger to add variety. <\/p>\n
\"I'm not a huge vegetable lover, but I eat a normal diet and just make better choices on the side and in between meals,\" Teixeira said. <\/p>\n
The results have been apparent following a winter in which Teixeira did most of his baseball training at Bobby Valentine's Sports Academy in Stamford, Conn., and a season in which he batted .248 with 39 homers and 111 RBIs. <\/p>\n
Teixeira is trying to consciously raise his batting average this year by hitting the ball with more authority to left-center field and center, and the Yankees don't believe Teixeira's new look will rob any of his home run power. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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\nWith eye on nutrition, Tex seeing results<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"