From social media to TikTok to “biblical eating” programs: in the United States the trend of eating exclusively the foods mentioned in the Bible is exploding. Between real benefits, ideological drift and marketing, what science really says.
For decades, food trends have come from California, Hollywood celebrities or the latest nutritional discoveries. Today, however, inspiration comes from a text from over two thousand years ago. In the United States it is experiencing a new popularity “Biblical eating”the biblical diet, an approach that invites you to consume mainly the foods mentioned in the Holy Scriptures: fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, whole grains, olives, olive oil, figs, honey, nuts and the so-called “pure” meats described in Leviticus. At the same time they are eliminated or severely limited ultra-processed foodssugary drinks, industrial and fried snacks. The phenomenon, relaunched by New York Timeshas been amplified by influencers such as Kayla Bundy and Annalies Xaviera, who promote “Biblical Eating” programs on social media followed by thousands of people. What makes it particularly interesting is the cultural context in which it was born. In fact, in the United States there is a growing desire to return to a diet perceived as “authentic”, in harmony with the movement Make America Healthy Again (MAHA)which promotes the consumption of minimally processed foods and criticizes the excessive presence of industrial products in the American diet. The new federal food guidelines insist on the need to bring things back to the centre whole foodswhole and minimally processed foods, reducing added sugars, salt and ultra-processed products.
How scientific is there in the “Bible Diet”?
Net of the religious component, many nutritionists observe that the dietary model proposed by the biblical diet presents numerous points of contact with Mediterranean diet and with the model DASHboth supported by solid scientific evidence. The abundance of vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish and extra virgin olive oil is in fact consistent with international recommendations for the prevention of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Some American dietitians point out that the potential benefits derive not so much from reference to the Bibleas well as the elimination of many ultra-processed foods that characterize the contemporary Western diet. The problem arises when the model is interpreted rigidly or transformed into a promise of healing. There is no shortage of testimonials of spectacular weight loss on social media“regenerated” skin, newfound energy and even alleged healing effects. However, these are anecdotal statements which are not confirmed in the scientific literature. No study demonstrates that eating exclusively foods mentioned in the Bible produces greater benefits than a normal balanced diet rich in vegetables and low in industrial products. As experts point out, what matters is the overall nutritional profile of the diet and not its historical or religious reference.
More than a diet, a mirror of today’s America
The success of the biblical diet speaks above all of the moment the United States is experiencing. According to theInternational Food Information Councilin 2025 the 57% of Americans followed at least one specific diet throughout the year, a constant increase compared to 2018. Furthermore, interest in “natural”, lightly processed and protein-rich foods is growing, while distrust towards the food industry and the often contradictory nutritional information spread online increases. The “Bible Diet” perfectly intercepts this need for simplicity. It offers easy-to-follow rules, an identity narrative and a spiritual dimension that goes beyond simple weight loss. But, as often happens with trendy diets, the risk is confusing a reasonable food choice with an absolute truth. If the message is to eat more fruit, vegetables, legumes and less ultra-processed foods, science can only agree. If, however, therapeutic properties are attributed to the fact that a food appears in the Holy Scriptureswe enter a territory where scientific evidence stops and personal beliefs, faith and marketing begin. Perhaps this, more than the diet itself, is the reason for its success: in an era dominated by uncertainty, promising that the answer has already been written for millennia has a charm that is difficult to ignore.
