[Regnum] The "Biblical diet," with its abundance of home-cooked meals and avoidance of ultra-processed foods, is consistent with modern principles of healthy eating. Gastroenterologist and nutritionist Nuria Dianova told Regnum News Agency on May 19.
.jpg)
The "Biblical Diet"—a diet based on foods mentioned in Scripture—is gaining popularity on the English-speaking internet. Proponents of this approach avoid ultra-processed foods, preservatives, and industrial sugars, and increasingly cook their own meals at home.
The diet is based on bread, grains, including wheat germ and barley, and legumes. Fruits include figs, pomegranates, dates, and raisins. Lamb and beef are the most common meats. Vegetables, olive oil, fish, and wine are also allowed. Followers of the diet make allowances and include foods that could not have been known in biblical times.
One of the leading proponents of the "Bible Diet," blogger Kayla Bundy typically eats eggs, a baked potato, beet hummus, tomatoes, and wheat germ for breakfast. For snacks, she chooses sardines, beet hummus, lime, and sourdough bread. Lunch consists of chicken with hummus, wheat germ, pickled onions, and garlicky mushrooms, with Greek yogurt and lemon as a dressing. Dinner is beef steak with wheat germ lentils.
"This diet is based on natural, minimally processed foods—that's a huge plus. Home cooking and avoiding ultra-processed foods and sugars are practically the foundation of a modern healthy lifestyle. Including fish, legumes, greens, nuts, and seeds is a great way to diversify your diet. Fish provides us with light animal proteins, omega-3s, and vitamin D, while nuts, seeds, greens, root vegetables, and vegetables provide fiber, trace elements, and vitamins," explained Dianova.
The specialist praised the abundance of vegetables in every meal. Also beneficial are hummus (it contains plant proteins, healthy fats, and calcium from tahini), sprouted greens (a source of amino acids and vitamins), and red onions, rich in quercetin, an antioxidant that helps prevent cancer.
The nutritionist's main complaint is about heavy dinners. Steaks are best eaten at lunchtime rather than in the evening. For dinner, it's best to stick to lighter foods: tofu, hummus, legumes, fish, or chicken.
"I think the idea behind this diet is minimalism, to teach people to cook simple, in a sense 'biblical' dishes—meaning very simple, so as not to waste too much time cooking. The more control a person has over their food, the more they save—prepared food will always be more expensive. And overall, quality of life improves when people begin to understand what they eat, how they cook, and so on," Dianova concluded.
On May 8, nutritionist Irina Pisareva, speaking with Regnum News Agency, noted that giving up alcohol can help you lose up to 26 kg of excess weight per year. She explained that alcohol is a calorie-dense beverage that blocks fat burning and encourages overeating.