A new dieting trend is turning back the clock on healthy eating, claiming that only consuming foods mentioned in the Bible can help with everything from bad skin to toxic relationships.
The diet called ‘biblical eating’ has become a social media sensation, with Christian influencers focusing on home-cooked meals and whole, natural foods mentioned in the Bible.
These ancient staples of the biblical diet include raw milk, sardines, sourdough bread, fish and vegetables. It also limits heavily processed meals and junk foods.
Despite not mentioning strict calorie counts or cutting out certain food groups like many other diets do, followers of biblical eating have claimed the switch has had a drastic impact on their lives, including improving their hair and treating depression.
Kayla Bundy, a 27-year-old Christian content creator originally from Michigan, has claimed that something felt ‘off’ both physically and mentally before discovering biblical eating, which affected both her body image and relationships with friends.
On April 28, Bundy said on Instagram: ‘I’ve been eating according to the Bible for 8 years now and what is on my plate every single day is what the kings and queens used to eat.’
‘Not processed, packaged, toxic food, that’s been covered in pesticides, seed oils, and sugars. But actual Whole Foods, with the most incredible flavors and natural sweetness that God created.’
Her TikTok video from May 2, where the influencer revealed that the diet ‘cured’ her skin and hair problems, has been view more than 1.1 million times.
Biblical eating has gained in popularity alongside the MAHA movement, with supporters choosing to only eat foods mentioned in the Bible
Christian content creator Kayla Bundy (Pictured) said she has followed biblical eating for eight years and it has improved her skin and relationships
Despite being open about not having any formal training as a dietitian or nutritionist, Bundy has offered up her experience as a biblical eater to those seeking the secrets of her dieting success, reportedly selling a $28 digital guide to biblical superfoods as well as $700 monthly coaching sessions.
She added that those following this eating plan would ‘experience food freedom, ultimate health, clear skin, and a closer relationship with God.’
Bundy, who has over 500,000 followers on TikTok, has shared an entire assortment of different foods that allegedly fit into the biblical era, including grass-fed steak, chicken, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, sweet potatoes and Greek yogurt.
Bundy is not the only person who has gained a massive following by promoting the foods mentioned in the Bible.
Annalies Xaviera, a stay-at-home mom in Georgia, told the New York Times she saw her online following jump from a few thousand to over 300,000 on Facebook when she began posting biblical eating tips.
In a recent post on May 14, Xaviera referenced Psalm 136:25 from the Bible’s New International Version, which states ‘He gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.’
‘And what are we called to do with anything He has provided for us? We are called to be good stewards,’ Xaviera said.
‘That looks like intentionally choosing foods that are going to nourish and sustain you. Choosing less of the junky, sugary, artificial foods, and more of the real stuff.’
Bundy’s meal plates include foods such as chicken, vegetables and no processed junk food
Other biblical eating foods include fish, grass-fed steak, eggs and raw milk
While the modern version of biblical eating has exploded in popularity alongside the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ (MAHA) movement, the core principles of biblical eating have been around for decades.
In 2004, author and natural health expert Jordan Rubin published The Maker’s Diet, which promoted a biblically inspired health plan. Over two million copies of the book were printed.
That diet was broken down into three, two-week stages. The first one cut out all commercial dairy products, chlorinated tap water, most fats and oils and all carbs.
During the following weeks, dieters could then add in red meat, carbs and saturated fats.
While the biblically inspired plan was popular with readers, it drew mixed reviews from dietitians, including Dr Ruth Kava, who said that humans in ancient times did not have the knowledge of vitamins and supplements to improve their health.
Christian influencers claim the biblically-inspired diet improves both physical and mental well-being (Stock Image)
Kava told WebMD: ‘We have come a long way in terms of our knowledge, and I don’t think that should be ignored.’
‘One of the things [Rubin] said is that our ancestors enjoyed exceptional health, but I don’t know how he knows that from the Bible,’ the dietitian added.
However, in 2008, Dr Rita Hancock’s book, The Eden Diet, offered a Christian weight-loss program based on foods from the biblical story of the Garden of Eden.
Hancock focused on the practice of listening to your own hunger cues, also known as intuitive eating, portion control and biblical principles rather than sticking to strict food lists and eating strategies.
