In news that probably does not matter, Arian Foster is no longer completely vegan.
Much ado was made about Foster's diet this offseason after he tweeted that he had decided to become vegan, abstaining from all meats and other foods derived from animals. The Texans' Pro Bowl running back said Thursday that he now occasionally eats meat.
"I've been dabbling back and forth," Foster said. "I just like to eat healthy, man. That whole vegan thing, a lot of people are really interested in my food… I've had meat since I've said I don't eat meat anymore. I like to stay with the plant-based foods, but every now and then, I'll eat (meat)."
Asked why, Foster gave a very pragmatic answer.
"I just wanted some," he said. "Like, I'm not like in a cult; nothing's going to happen to me (for eating meat). I just wanted a piece of chicken, so I ate one.
"It wasn't like a temptation. It was just like I felt like I could use one, so I ate a piece of chicken."
Foster did extensive research on veganism before adopting the diet over the summer. The decision spawned a seemingly unending wave of questions from reporters and fans about how it might affect his performance during the season.
It's unclear when Foster started eating meat again, but it is clear that his diet has not affected his play in 2012. Through eight games, he ranks fifth in the NFL with 770 rushing yards and has a league-leading 10 rushing touchdowns. He's on pace for 1,540 rushing yards and 22 total scores.
Foster leads the league with 192 rushing attempts but has only 12 catches, putting him on pace for 24 after he had 66 in 2010 and 53 in 2011.
"I'm getting a lot of touches, but I'm not getting a lot of touches in the receiving game, so I think it's kind of evening out," Foster said.
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