According to a 2012 Food & Health Survey (IFIC), 52% of Americans believe that doing their annual income taxes is easier than knowing what they should and should not eat to be healthier. In addition, 76% believe that ever-changing nutritional guidance makes it hard to know what to believe when it comes to healthy eating.
It appears that, for the average American, healthy eating has become a complicated endeavor. Christians are not immune to this and, sometimes, it can become even more complex for us as eating is often a part of our fellowship gatherings. In addition, there are many different teachings in the Christian community regarding food consumption. Some believe that we should adhere to the Jewish food laws outlined in the Old Testament. Others believe that, because prior to the fall God gave Adam vegetation for food, eating a vegetarian diet is God’s best eating plan (Genesis 1:29-30, Genesis 2:9). Still others market specific foods as preferable because they are made so as to be representative of foods eaten in Bible times. Between the latest nutrition information reported almost daily by the media, the opinion of many people claiming to be nutrition experts found on the internet and the differing views of food consumption in the Christian community, it all becomes very confusing.
If we read the gospels, we may get the impression that what we put into our mouth is really not all that important to God. When talking to his disciples after an encounter with the Pharisees over hand washing prior to eating, Mark tells us that Jesus said - “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body. What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” – and that in saying this, "he was declaring all foods clean.” (Mark 7: 17-23) If we are concerned about becoming more like Christ, we need to be far more concerned about what is coming out of our mouth as opposed to what we put in our mouth. But what we eat may become important in light of the biblical principle of stewardship.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, a steward is one who has the responsibility to “manage or look after another’s property.” Consider 1 Corinthians 6: 18-20:
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
In this passage, we are clearly told that we are not our own, but we were redeemed or bought back at a price (Colossians 1: 15-23). While we live in and use our bodies and all that goes with them, we do not own them. And if we are not the owners, then we become the managers and that makes us stewards. As a steward, we not only look after God’s property, but according to this passage, we are to manage it in a way that honors God.
It should be noted that the context of this passage refers to honoring God by not engaging in sexually immoral behavior. But if we are to manage our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit in a way that honors God, there may be implications in this beyond merely choosing not to engage in sexually immoral behavior.
Consider Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 9:24 as he describes his own life purpose: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
What race has God called us to run? We know that our personhood consists of body, mind and spirit, so, whatever our race, our body will somehow be involved in the process of fulfilling whatever God has called us to. Is the condition of our bodies helping or hindering us from serving God and others by fulfilling our calling?
We are wise to ask ourselves if our food choices and eating habits are helping or hindering us as we run our race. There is no doubt that eating is an important activity related to maintaining good health. Eating provides our body with energy and nutrients that it needs to both survive, perform optimally and to do the “…good works that God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10). Healthy foods are tools for service. They help our bodies do what they need to do. Healthy eating is an act of stewardship. But God also gave us food, and many other things, for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17).
As someone who has been in the health care field for many years, there is one thing I know for sure! When it comes to making nutritional recommendations, humility is in order. There is so much that we do not know because God’s creation is so unique and complex and beyond our ability to completely comprehend. However, by looking to His word and at His creation, we can glean some general principles that will be beneficial to all.
All Foods Are Good – Most of us already know that processed foods are less healthy than whole foods. But even in the whole foods arena, there are many who label foods as good or bad when God declared all food (His creation) as good (Genesis 1:31). The idea that there is no definitive list of good and bad foods is not a popular line of thought. After all, the marketplace is filled with books and programs for us to buy that will tell us how to avoid the bad foods and incorporate the good foods. And what makes that so profitable is that the popular opinion of what foods are good and what foods are bad keeps changing. Should we avoid red meat, all meat or every type of animal product? Should we eat whole grains, only gluten-free grains or no grains at all? Should banish fruit and natural sweeteners from our diet or only refined sugars? Should we stop drinking all cow's milk, or should we only drink organic milk, only whole milk or only nut milks? Can we eat all fruits or only low-glycemic fruits? Are all vegetables really good for us or should we avoid the nightshade vegetables? And what about beans - are they okay to eat or not? The added drama makes it all the more interesting as certain types of foods or food groups are now being labelled as "poison", "toxic" or "unnatural" and the ever changing list of "bad" foods goes on and on. And yet, God declared all that He created as good. Yes, we are all uniquely created and we all have some foods that we don't tolerate well, don't make us feel good or that we just plain don't like. But does this require a sweeping statement that a food is universally bad? Remember, God called all that He made "good." How do we reconcile this? Perhaps the problem is not the food. Perhaps what we do with the food God gives us and how we use the food God gives us is the source of the problem. Are potatoes bad in and of themselves? Maybe the problem lies in the fact that we cut them up and throw them in some oil then eat them everyday thinking that we have eaten our vegetables. Everything that God created is good if it is used in the most effective way for the purpose for which it was intended. Eating a dessert is enjoyable, but sugar has virtually no nutritional value, so it is not a good idea to eat it outside of having an occasional treat. White potatoes is only one of a wide variety of plant foods available to us, so it is not a good idea to eat them every day to the exclusion of other God-given options. Meat is more difficult to attain and consume, but is more calorie dense and contains complete proteins. Vegetables are easier to attain and consume and contain micronutrients and fiber, but are less calorie dense and have incomplete proteins. Each type of food has a purpose.
The food is not the problem because everything God has made is good! The problem is in how we consume foods.
We often consume foods in forms and preparations that do not maximize their nutritional value. The food industry has made a way for me to buy a variety of bagged greens and eat ruby red grapefruit in the Midwest in the middle of January. I appreciate that! But the food industry has also prepared and packaged some foods in a form that diminishes their nutritional value.
We also consume foods in ways that do not reflect their purpose in the whole of creation. We love the taste of honey! God knew that and so he made manna for the Israelites taste like “wafers with honey” (Exodus 16:31). But honey was created to satisfy us in small quantities “If you find honey, eat just enough-- too much of it, and you will vomit.” (Proverbs 25:16).
We ask, “Is this food good or bad?” when it may be better to ask, “Is this food in a nutrient-rich form – is it nutrient dense?” and "Is this food one small part of my diet that contains a large variety of foods?" and “Is this a fuel food or a fun food and I am eating this accordingly?”
Variety = Good Nutrition – You’ve heard it many times – “Eat a variety of foods!” This is the one piece of nutrition advice that has withstood the test of time. At one time, God provided all the nutrients that His people needed in one single food called manna (Exodus 16), but for the rest of us, God has spread important nutrients across a wide variety of foods with varying tastes, colors, odors and textures for our enjoyment! All we have to do is look at creation to see that God loves variety and this gives us many fine options for meeting our nutritional needs! We can choose from a variety of foods and eat them cooked or raw, hot or cold, spicy or unseasoned.
Today, many people are eating more gluten-free grains. For some this is medically necessary and for most it is a preference. But I think one of the main benefits of the popularity of gluten-free eating is that it encourages us to include a wider variety of grains in our diet. In the typical American diet, we have toast for breakfast, and sandwich for lunch and a dinner roll with supper – all of these are wheat grains. Even if we have no interest in a gluten-free diet, we can still benefit from the greater variety of grains that are now available to include in our diet.
Nutritionists label some foods as “super foods” which I am not sure is the best idea considering that God labeled all of His creation as “good” and created everything for a specific purpose. However, many people have taken a step out of their food comfort zone to try a new “super food.” Increasing the variety of the foods we eat is always a good thing!
Sense Signals Of Satisfaction – “Intuitive Eating” is a style of eating that focuses on paying attention to the hunger and fullness signals that God created our bodies with so that we know when to start eating and when to stop eating. We need these signals because, without them, we would eat too little or too much. For most Americans, eating too little is not the problem. We live in a food affluent society. Rather, we struggle with excess weight because we eat more food than our bodies really need. In Proverbs, King Solomon warns us about the dangers of excess: “Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.” (Proverbs 23:20-21) Yet many of us don’t pay attention to or we consciously ignore our body signals indicating that we are now satisfied and have had enough food. Our reasons for doing this may include: believing that eating all the food on our plate is a moral issue, people-pleasing or fulfilling emotional needs through the eating experience.
Before every meal, ask yourself, “Am I really hungry?”
Before an unplanned snack, ask yourself, “What do I really need right now?”
In the middle of every meal, ask yourself, “Am I still hungry? Do I really need more to feel satisfied?”
Enjoy Freedom, But Be Considerate – Part of our inheritance as children of God is freedom! “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36). But in all things, God want us to use our freedom in a way that considers others and pleases God. We are reminded that:
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” ...“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” (1 Corinthians 10: 23-24, 31-33)
We all have our own nutritional preferences and philosophies. But when eating with others, we should consider the impact of our choices. Will our food offerings and choices tempt others who are struggling? Will we accommodate those with special needs? Do we view ourselves as superior because of our eating habits or food choices? Do we demand special accommodations for our food preferences?
We are free to enjoy the beautiful and delicious foods that God has provided for us. He only asks that we glorify Him by considering the impact of our choices on others as well as ourselves.
As Christians, will we acknowledge that our bodies do not belong to us and will we embrace our role as stewards of them as the gift God has given us? Will we manage and look after our bodies and will we honor God in what we do with them? Will be eat to supply our body with the energy and nutrients needed to run the race that God has called us to and run it to win? Will we thank God that all the food He has created is good and will we honor Him by consuming foods in the most effective way and for the purpose for which it was intended? Will we fuel our bodies with a variety of foods in order to get all the nutrients we need? Will we listen to the signals our body sends us and stop eating when our hunger has been satisfied? Will we enjoy the freedom to make our own eating choices while considering the impact of our choices on others?
To eat is to energize, equip, and enjoy!
It appears that, for the average American, healthy eating has become a complicated endeavor. Christians are not immune to this and, sometimes, it can become even more complex for us as eating is often a part of our fellowship gatherings. In addition, there are many different teachings in the Christian community regarding food consumption. Some believe that we should adhere to the Jewish food laws outlined in the Old Testament. Others believe that, because prior to the fall God gave Adam vegetation for food, eating a vegetarian diet is God’s best eating plan (Genesis 1:29-30, Genesis 2:9). Still others market specific foods as preferable because they are made so as to be representative of foods eaten in Bible times. Between the latest nutrition information reported almost daily by the media, the opinion of many people claiming to be nutrition experts found on the internet and the differing views of food consumption in the Christian community, it all becomes very confusing.
If we read the gospels, we may get the impression that what we put into our mouth is really not all that important to God. When talking to his disciples after an encounter with the Pharisees over hand washing prior to eating, Mark tells us that Jesus said - “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body. What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” – and that in saying this, "he was declaring all foods clean.” (Mark 7: 17-23) If we are concerned about becoming more like Christ, we need to be far more concerned about what is coming out of our mouth as opposed to what we put in our mouth. But what we eat may become important in light of the biblical principle of stewardship.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, a steward is one who has the responsibility to “manage or look after another’s property.” Consider 1 Corinthians 6: 18-20:
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
In this passage, we are clearly told that we are not our own, but we were redeemed or bought back at a price (Colossians 1: 15-23). While we live in and use our bodies and all that goes with them, we do not own them. And if we are not the owners, then we become the managers and that makes us stewards. As a steward, we not only look after God’s property, but according to this passage, we are to manage it in a way that honors God.
It should be noted that the context of this passage refers to honoring God by not engaging in sexually immoral behavior. But if we are to manage our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit in a way that honors God, there may be implications in this beyond merely choosing not to engage in sexually immoral behavior.
Consider Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 9:24 as he describes his own life purpose: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
What race has God called us to run? We know that our personhood consists of body, mind and spirit, so, whatever our race, our body will somehow be involved in the process of fulfilling whatever God has called us to. Is the condition of our bodies helping or hindering us from serving God and others by fulfilling our calling?
We are wise to ask ourselves if our food choices and eating habits are helping or hindering us as we run our race. There is no doubt that eating is an important activity related to maintaining good health. Eating provides our body with energy and nutrients that it needs to both survive, perform optimally and to do the “…good works that God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10). Healthy foods are tools for service. They help our bodies do what they need to do. Healthy eating is an act of stewardship. But God also gave us food, and many other things, for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17).
As someone who has been in the health care field for many years, there is one thing I know for sure! When it comes to making nutritional recommendations, humility is in order. There is so much that we do not know because God’s creation is so unique and complex and beyond our ability to completely comprehend. However, by looking to His word and at His creation, we can glean some general principles that will be beneficial to all.
All Foods Are Good – Most of us already know that processed foods are less healthy than whole foods. But even in the whole foods arena, there are many who label foods as good or bad when God declared all food (His creation) as good (Genesis 1:31). The idea that there is no definitive list of good and bad foods is not a popular line of thought. After all, the marketplace is filled with books and programs for us to buy that will tell us how to avoid the bad foods and incorporate the good foods. And what makes that so profitable is that the popular opinion of what foods are good and what foods are bad keeps changing. Should we avoid red meat, all meat or every type of animal product? Should we eat whole grains, only gluten-free grains or no grains at all? Should banish fruit and natural sweeteners from our diet or only refined sugars? Should we stop drinking all cow's milk, or should we only drink organic milk, only whole milk or only nut milks? Can we eat all fruits or only low-glycemic fruits? Are all vegetables really good for us or should we avoid the nightshade vegetables? And what about beans - are they okay to eat or not? The added drama makes it all the more interesting as certain types of foods or food groups are now being labelled as "poison", "toxic" or "unnatural" and the ever changing list of "bad" foods goes on and on. And yet, God declared all that He created as good. Yes, we are all uniquely created and we all have some foods that we don't tolerate well, don't make us feel good or that we just plain don't like. But does this require a sweeping statement that a food is universally bad? Remember, God called all that He made "good." How do we reconcile this? Perhaps the problem is not the food. Perhaps what we do with the food God gives us and how we use the food God gives us is the source of the problem. Are potatoes bad in and of themselves? Maybe the problem lies in the fact that we cut them up and throw them in some oil then eat them everyday thinking that we have eaten our vegetables. Everything that God created is good if it is used in the most effective way for the purpose for which it was intended. Eating a dessert is enjoyable, but sugar has virtually no nutritional value, so it is not a good idea to eat it outside of having an occasional treat. White potatoes is only one of a wide variety of plant foods available to us, so it is not a good idea to eat them every day to the exclusion of other God-given options. Meat is more difficult to attain and consume, but is more calorie dense and contains complete proteins. Vegetables are easier to attain and consume and contain micronutrients and fiber, but are less calorie dense and have incomplete proteins. Each type of food has a purpose.
The food is not the problem because everything God has made is good! The problem is in how we consume foods.
We often consume foods in forms and preparations that do not maximize their nutritional value. The food industry has made a way for me to buy a variety of bagged greens and eat ruby red grapefruit in the Midwest in the middle of January. I appreciate that! But the food industry has also prepared and packaged some foods in a form that diminishes their nutritional value.
We also consume foods in ways that do not reflect their purpose in the whole of creation. We love the taste of honey! God knew that and so he made manna for the Israelites taste like “wafers with honey” (Exodus 16:31). But honey was created to satisfy us in small quantities “If you find honey, eat just enough-- too much of it, and you will vomit.” (Proverbs 25:16).
We ask, “Is this food good or bad?” when it may be better to ask, “Is this food in a nutrient-rich form – is it nutrient dense?” and "Is this food one small part of my diet that contains a large variety of foods?" and “Is this a fuel food or a fun food and I am eating this accordingly?”
Variety = Good Nutrition – You’ve heard it many times – “Eat a variety of foods!” This is the one piece of nutrition advice that has withstood the test of time. At one time, God provided all the nutrients that His people needed in one single food called manna (Exodus 16), but for the rest of us, God has spread important nutrients across a wide variety of foods with varying tastes, colors, odors and textures for our enjoyment! All we have to do is look at creation to see that God loves variety and this gives us many fine options for meeting our nutritional needs! We can choose from a variety of foods and eat them cooked or raw, hot or cold, spicy or unseasoned.
Today, many people are eating more gluten-free grains. For some this is medically necessary and for most it is a preference. But I think one of the main benefits of the popularity of gluten-free eating is that it encourages us to include a wider variety of grains in our diet. In the typical American diet, we have toast for breakfast, and sandwich for lunch and a dinner roll with supper – all of these are wheat grains. Even if we have no interest in a gluten-free diet, we can still benefit from the greater variety of grains that are now available to include in our diet.
Nutritionists label some foods as “super foods” which I am not sure is the best idea considering that God labeled all of His creation as “good” and created everything for a specific purpose. However, many people have taken a step out of their food comfort zone to try a new “super food.” Increasing the variety of the foods we eat is always a good thing!
Sense Signals Of Satisfaction – “Intuitive Eating” is a style of eating that focuses on paying attention to the hunger and fullness signals that God created our bodies with so that we know when to start eating and when to stop eating. We need these signals because, without them, we would eat too little or too much. For most Americans, eating too little is not the problem. We live in a food affluent society. Rather, we struggle with excess weight because we eat more food than our bodies really need. In Proverbs, King Solomon warns us about the dangers of excess: “Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.” (Proverbs 23:20-21) Yet many of us don’t pay attention to or we consciously ignore our body signals indicating that we are now satisfied and have had enough food. Our reasons for doing this may include: believing that eating all the food on our plate is a moral issue, people-pleasing or fulfilling emotional needs through the eating experience.
Before every meal, ask yourself, “Am I really hungry?”
Before an unplanned snack, ask yourself, “What do I really need right now?”
In the middle of every meal, ask yourself, “Am I still hungry? Do I really need more to feel satisfied?”
Enjoy Freedom, But Be Considerate – Part of our inheritance as children of God is freedom! “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36). But in all things, God want us to use our freedom in a way that considers others and pleases God. We are reminded that:
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” ...“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” (1 Corinthians 10: 23-24, 31-33)
We all have our own nutritional preferences and philosophies. But when eating with others, we should consider the impact of our choices. Will our food offerings and choices tempt others who are struggling? Will we accommodate those with special needs? Do we view ourselves as superior because of our eating habits or food choices? Do we demand special accommodations for our food preferences?
We are free to enjoy the beautiful and delicious foods that God has provided for us. He only asks that we glorify Him by considering the impact of our choices on others as well as ourselves.
As Christians, will we acknowledge that our bodies do not belong to us and will we embrace our role as stewards of them as the gift God has given us? Will we manage and look after our bodies and will we honor God in what we do with them? Will be eat to supply our body with the energy and nutrients needed to run the race that God has called us to and run it to win? Will we thank God that all the food He has created is good and will we honor Him by consuming foods in the most effective way and for the purpose for which it was intended? Will we fuel our bodies with a variety of foods in order to get all the nutrients we need? Will we listen to the signals our body sends us and stop eating when our hunger has been satisfied? Will we enjoy the freedom to make our own eating choices while considering the impact of our choices on others?
To eat is to energize, equip, and enjoy!