April 29, 2025, 12:24 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Currently, it’s almost everywhere on social media: fruits, vegetables, nuts, and dates — carefully arranged on a wooden board and labeled as particularly “pure” nutrition. This is known as “God’s Food.” The idea is to eat as naturally as possible and in harmony with religious or spiritual principles. But what exactly is behind this diet, and how healthy is it really? FITBOOK writer Sarah Bachmann consulted an expert to find out.
Anyone searching social media for healthy eating tips will quickly be overwhelmed by a multitude of trends. Alongside keto, sugar-free, and others, a new term is increasingly appearing: “God’s Food.” This trend focuses on natural and unprocessed foods. Together with nutritionist and author Uwe Knop, FITBOOK examines the trend.
Overview
The Principle of “God’s Food”
The “God’s Food” trend follows the principle of eating only what is given by God. The focus is on natural, minimally processed foods that come directly from nature.
Similar to “Clean Eating,” this trend emphasizes avoiding artificial additives like flavor enhancers, sweeteners, or preservatives. It’s not about a short-term diet but a long-term dietary change intended to positively impact the body and well-being sustainably.
For many, “God’s Food” is not just about health but also faith. The diet is often linked to religious beliefs or spiritual and esoteric worldviews. They all share the idea of consuming only what is considered “God-given.”
These Foods Are Allowed
As mentioned, “God’s Food” primarily includes natural and unprocessed foods. Central components also include fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, honey, and high-quality oils. Unlike a raw food diet, this approach does not necessarily require raw consumption of foods, but it emphasizes preserving natural ingredients as much as possible. Preferably, products are purchased in organic stores and from ecological farming.
For dairy products, many advocates recommend raw milk, meaning milk directly from the animal without pasteurization or processing. However, it’s important to note that consuming raw milk is not without risk. Since this variant is not heated before consumption, it may contain potential germs, posing a health risk, especially for children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.1
When it comes to meat, opinions vary on social media. Some advocates opt for organic meat, while others avoid it entirely. According to the “God’s Food” philosophy, the following foods are allowed:
- fresh fruits and vegetables
- nuts, seeds, and legumes
- raw milk, raw milk cheese
- whole grain products made from spelt, rye, oats (preferably homemade)
- eggs
- unsweetened tea, still water (preferably spring water)
- superfoods
These Foods Should Be Avoided
Since the diet focuses on natural foods, it advises avoiding highly processed products. Sugar- and fat-rich foods also have no place in this dietary concept. Many followers extend the concept to their lifestyle, avoiding artificial additives not only in food but also in deodorants, cleaning agents, and other everyday products. Specifically, the following food groups are taboo in a “God’s Food” diet:
- soft drinks
- artificial sugar (refined sugar, sweeteners) and additives
- white flour products
- processed meats
- confectionery
- alcohol
What Science Says
A long-term study by the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) shows that high consumption of highly processed foods can harm health. Over 23 years, data from more than 540,000 adults were evaluated. The result: People who regularly consumed highly processed products like sugary drinks or processed meats had a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.2
The Concept from a Nutritionist’s Perspective
The overall concept of “God’s Food” and its effects on the body have hardly been scientifically researched. Many of the associated claims on social media are based more on personal feelings than on solid studies.
Nutritionist Uwe Knop emphasizes: “Even if individual followers of this trend report potential benefits, it remains personal experience — there is no scientific evidence, as the claims about the benefits lack a solid scientific basis and/or are simply exaggerated.”
Critically Questioning the Promises of “God’s Food”
The dietary trend of so-called “God’s Food” focuses on fresh, unprocessed foods and a mindful approach to eating. For nutritionist Uwe Knop, the hype is nothing new: He refers to it as “Clean Eating 2.0” and advises a critical examination of the social media trend.
“Even though the movement around ‘God’s Food’ promotes a fundamentally welcome return to natural nutrition and the focus on unprocessed foods can have positive aspects, the associated promises should definitely be critically questioned,” Knop emphasizes. “Scientific evidence is completely lacking so far — one should not be guided by unfounded promises of salvation.”
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Dangers of the Diet
It becomes problematic when the diet takes on obsessive traits and even minor deviations trigger feelings of guilt. “The strong focus on unprocessed foods can lead to unnecessary restrictions and unsettle people — this increases the risk of disordered eating,” warns nutritionist Uwe Knop. The sometimes exaggerated portrayal of the trend on social media can additionally cause guilt, with many feeling they are harming their health if they do not strictly adhere to the rules of “God’s Food.”
The expert’s conclusion: “Those who find joy and satisfaction in eating this way, and especially those who can digest and tolerate a lot of raw food well, should enjoy ‘God’s Food’ to their heart’s content — those who don’t can simply let the hype pass them by.”