What Would Jesus Eat?: The Ultimate Program for Eating Well, Feeling Great, and Living Longer

by Don Colbert

Though there are many diet programs claiming to be "God's way" to healthy living, and while some of them are based on biblical principles, and even have proven effective for weight loss, What Would Jesus Eat? is the first to note the obvious health benefits of what Jesus ate. In this comprehensive program, Dr. Don Colbert reveals the sensible approach to healthy eating laid out by the ultimate role model. Readers will discover: Also included are Dr. Colbert's tools to effectively follow the plan: recipes, nutritional information, and practical advice, including how to follow Jesus's model of eating with foods readily available today.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Christian, Food, Cooking, Religion, Cookbooks

256 pages, Paperback

First published February 29, 2000

About the author

Don Colbert, MD, has been a board-certified family practice doctor for over twenty-five years in Orlando, Florida, and most recently in Dallas, Texas. He is also board-certified in antiaging medicine through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and has received extensive training in nutritional and preventive medicine. He is the author of three New York Times best-selling books: Dr. Colbert's Keto Zone Diet, The Seven Pillars of Health, and Dr. Colbert's "I Can Do This" Diet, along with best sellers Toxic Relief, the Bible Cure series, Living in Divine Health, and Stress Less. He has sold more than ten million books and treated more than fifty thousand patients in his years of practicing medicine.

Reviews

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, and it offered great recipes at the end of the book. I like reading books related to healthy eating because it's a constant reminder to watch my diet (and a great motivator). The biblical references were intertwined into the modern eating program. A few interesting areas of the book:
1) the processing of wheat for "whiteness" in bread takes 20 steps and 80% of nutrients have been removed to make white bread appealing on the grocer shelf to the American public; also take this into consideration for crackers, bagels, and many pastas that are made of white flour -- this low-fiber bread that has been laced with sugar and fat becomes pastelike in the intestines leading to health issues (CHOOSE WHOLE GRAIN)
2) hot dogs are made of waste products of meat (and some have animal hair as part of the waste); they are processed, high in fat, and have nitrates which are all hard for the digestive system (LIMIT PORK CONSUMPTION) **I know bacon is not healthy but it's so delicious**
3) yogurt is super food and high in bone-building calcium with live cultures (LOW FAT PLAIN YOGURT MAKES A HEALTHY SNACK)
4) many people are reluctant to eat beans bec they cause excessive amounts of gas -- by soaking beans overnight and discarding the water, the gas-producing effects of beans are decreased (EAT MORE GARBANZO BEANS)
5) extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality of oil and has been shown to help decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol levels (COOK WITH OIL RATHER THAN BUTTER)
6) NutraSweet (or aspartame) is the most popular artificial sweetener in America, and it's 200 times sweeter than table sugar by volume; it contains two amino acids -- in the body, these elements produce substances that art identical in composition to wood alcohol and formaldehyde (yes, embalming fluid); this chemical sweetener has been shown to have addictive tendencies and increase sugar cravings (DRINK MORE WATER)

[Ebookwormy1 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I came across this book years ago when a friend asked me to read it. I don't remember much about it accept thinking, "this is a gross twisting of Scripture". I also remember ruefully wondering if he would discuss Acts 10, because he sounded a lot like a Jewish disciple.

The fact that Jesus died around age 33 and the life expectancy of his followers appears to be somewhat... short, doesn't clue the author in to the idea that God might have had other objectives than the diet of self-absorbed modern Americans. Nor does it seem to occur to him that there are already plenty of books written about the Jewish kosher diet and it's benefits (which he is eager to talk about) and disadvantages (not surprisingly, ignored). This does not stop the publisher or the author from peddling Jesus junk.

I would not recommend you purchase this book. If your curiosity gets the best of you, or you have a somewhat wayward but earnest friend, do yourself a favor and get it from the library.

[Marni Tagami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I feel like I've been in a week long seminar on excellent nutrition. The book does exactly what the synopsis says it does. I bought the book because I'm trying to deal with the health issues many of us in the USA have as is my husband. I also believe much of our normal diet is carcinogenic. You don't have to be a Christian to read the book and glean all of the wisdom from it. (Although I highly recommend that you become one!) I also learned some things that turned my stomach like about the slaughterhouses where cattle are taken for butchering, farm-raised fish, swine and their eating habits, the way chickens are raised. All I can say is BLEAH and those poor cows. The book is chalk full of great information and is an easy read, unlike many books on nutrition. I bought mine at Half-Price Books. I'm glad I have my own copy. I'll be reading it and using it as a reference a lot. It also confirms that The Mediterranean Diet that was so popular a few years ago is right on, but this book is much more layman friendly. Happy healthy eating to you!

[deZengo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is just one of many books that are directing socially health conscious members toward a healthy / happy life starting with what goes within the "temple" body.

It discusses the types of meats / fats / other proteins / veggies / beverages & even dessert's that Jesus ate.
I had no idea that WATER is considered the most important nutrient for the human body.

I believe Yoga is perfect for the mind/body/soul. I also believe that putting the correct (good) food/fuel in our body allows it to run longer and more effectively. This is about quality of life - not quantity of food!

[Fred Kohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Please don't be scared off by the title- this book is too full of useful information to pass up on that account. The diet proposed in the book is based on a practicing doctor's experience with nutrition and sound science. He doesn't really propose sticking strictly to what Jesus ate- certainly not for religious reasons. He is an advocate for soybeans, even though he acknowledges that Jesus never ate any. He simply uses the Bible texts as a fun way to structure sound dietary advice for anybody, whether they be Christian, Jewish, or heathen.

[Katherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't even make it all the way through the introduction on this one. Based on what I read of the introduction, I doubt I'd find much unique nutrition and likely would find some bizarre conclusions about Jesus' diet.

[Jun S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good steward that was Jesus. He was not all spiritual, he was also physical. He took care of his body by eating nutritious food as His body was the temple of the Holy Ghost. His intake could not be a better example for us. Enjoy eating but be mindful with what you eat.

[Jenny Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned things about food that I needed to know...

[Audra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really interesting and explained the jewish way of eating as well. Makes a lot of sense. Need to find me a kosher butcher now...

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book on the subject!!!!!!!

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Colbert does a very good job in taking what the Bible says about food, combining it with what archeology would say about the area, and positing quite probably what Jesus ate.

The truth is today the food we eat, even whole foods, are different then the foods in Jesus' day because of hormones, pesticides, and genetic altering. Dr. Colbert brought out a lot of those things (processed oils, processed grains, etc.) in a thorough but understandable way. The bread we read about in the Bible isn't remotely close to the bread we can buy at the supermarket (unless you only buy pita, and even then it's not the same).

The only complaint I have - or perhaps just a caution - is that some of the things he says, particularly about eggs and meat, are based on study results that have been challenged by other studies.

However, I believe if you want to eat the way Jesus ate, this is one of the best essays I've come across that would help you get there as best as you can in today's world.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cheesy cliche title? Who cares. I found this to be a interesting look at food history, nutrition, and health. I have been intrigued by the Mediterrean diet since I discovered that Greeks, Italians, and the like have much lower rates of cancer and heart disease. Colbert modifies this diet to exclude the prohibited foods from Deuteronomy and Leviticus (giving his own medical reasons why). If we are what we eat, maybe Christians should take more care of what they put into their bodies instead of letting popular culture dictate what we consume.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book, even if it didn't go as indepth as I think it could have into what the ancient Israelites ate (which is different from modern foods). There was a list of good ideas for a weeks worth of meals, with one or two recipes (marinara and salad dressing). I would have liked to see recipes (a what would jesus eat cookbook has been released recently and I will check it out). For a person who is a just starting to look into this way of eating, it is a good starting point.

[Adrienna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book reminded me of his other books like "Bible Cure" and "Seven.."

[Judy]

read as a book on tape. not necessarily worth re-reading.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could have given this book an A+, I would have. Common sense approach to eating to become more healthy and as a plus, to lose weight. Have already started trying some of the suggestions.

[Mark Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting book written by a medical doctor who specializes in nutrition. One warning----don't read this if you like shrimp or lobster! :)

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting Read.... talks about how if we go back to all natural foods how you can loose weight and be healthier.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thee best Biblically based health and diet book I've ever read. Can't recommend highly enough. Truth, truth, and more truth.

[Bevs Joycie]

a very good perspective in glorifying God with our body.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

DID JESUS TEACH HOW US TO EAT BY WHAT HE DID?

Author Don Colbert wrote in the Introduction to this 2002 book, "We want to follow Jesus' teachings when it comes to the use of our time, our talents, and our financial resources. But do we want to eat as Jesus ate? Why shouldn't we? We seek to follow Jesus in every other area of our lives. Why not in our eating habits?... But did Jesus actually teach anything about nutrition or how we should eat? My contention is that He did---not necessarily by what he said, but by what He did. There are hundreds of examples throughout the Bible of practices related to healthy eating. Jesus embodied them fully in His lifestyle." (Pg. ix-x)

He adds, "The diet plan presented in this book is an approach to food that emphasizes the following: 1. Whole foods 2. Fresh foods 3. Pure water and foods without... any type of additives 4. Foods that have not been laced with sugar or infused with fat, salt, additives, or chemical preservatives... If you truly want to follow Jesus in every area of your life, you cannot ignore your eating habits." (Pg. xiv-xv)

He states, "The foods that Jesus ate were based on Levitical law, the law that was given to the Israelites from God through Moses." (Pg. 7) He adds, "God's initial plan was for man to be a vegetarian... In addition, God's initial plan for every living creature was for it to be a herbivore... Those who lived during this vegetarian period---from Adam to Noah---lived very long lives... After the Flood, people began to live much shorter periods of time... The shift after the Flood also included the introduction of meat into the human diet---a factor that may be linked to a shorter life span." (Pg. 8-9)

He asserts, "Jesus certainly did not eat processed, high-sugar, high-fat, high-salt, low-fiber foods. He did eat many whole fruits and vegetables, whole-grain bread, fish, a little kosher meat, and some dairy products." (Pg. 16) After quoting John 8:48-51, he says "Jesus knew that bread was the staple of man's physical life." (Pg. 23) Later, he adds, "Jesus certainly obtained his daily dose of fish oil from the wide variety of fish He had in His diet." (Pg. 43)

He also points out, "It is very likely that Jesus ate beef since we know that many people celebrated His presence in their homes, and we also know from Scripture that He attended weddings, where beef was often included as a feast food. Beef consumption, however, would not have been a daily or weekly practice for Jesus." (Pg. 48) He also argues that Jesus drank wine---"primarily red wine." (Pg. 130-131).

He also observes, "The foods that Jesus ate are very similar to the foods advocated in the very popular Mediterranean Diet of recent years [e.g., The Mediterranean Diet], with the exception of the forbidden foods listed in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. The Mediterranean Diet allows pork and shellfish, as well as fish without scales and other foods forbidden in the Bible. Apart from these variations, the eating plan features foods that were common in Bible times and in the land where Jesus lived. I am a strong advocate for the Mediterranean Diet as a whole. It is not only a good diet for weight loss, but it is an excellent way to eat for the rest of a person's life." (Pg. 195-196)

[Viktoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good in principle. It has some very very good things, and some things that are not quite right. I also was hoping for more traditional Hebrew recipes, like challah bread or something, but I guess that would be more of "What DID Jesus Eat", rather than would. I think if the average person changed the way they ate based on this book, their health would increase tremendously, but there are many things that annoyed me about it.

The author's approach was to talk about how Jews in those days ate, the law of Moses plus what was available to them, and give recipes based on the principle. However, he would talk about how bad sugar is, and then include recipes with plenty of sugar in them. In the desserts section he says that fresh fruit is a great dessert and your taste buds can get used to eating that instead of regularly eating sugary desserts, and then his recipe for fruit salad contains a cup of sugar.

He also talks about not using processed things, and then has creamed style canned corn (which is not only very processed, but an abomination to anyone who has had real creamed corn) as an ingredient in a recipe.

He talked about the many health benefits of barley and how the Jews used to make bread out of it and eat it all the time, and then he has no recipe for barley bread.

His recipe for Ezekiel bread has soy flour in it...definitely not one of the things described in Ezekiel. I'm going to find a different recipe for that one.

He's definitely of the old school of "low fat" thought. He talks about how he doesn't think Jews back then drank milk (they actually did), and he recommends drinking skim milk, or eating skim milk cheese, which is way not something they did! He also said how they used to even drink olive oil, but then because of his low fat beliefs says you have to limit it a ton, and avoid butter (which is not biblical either).

He says to limit nuts, but doesn't give an reason. I've heard many schools of thought on nuts, but I think his reasoning must be the fat content.

I've tried a couple of the recipes so far and they turned out ok-not amazing, but I do plan to try many more, and overall I enjoyed the book and learned many things about health and nutrition that I didn't know before.

[Vicky Knowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 has been a year to try recipes so the title of this book intrigued me. I have been reading some missives in Substack, mostly politics and religion trends. Somewhere in that reading I came upon this idea - what would Jesus eat?
The book was an easy read. His medical research is well vetted and his scriptures are pertinent. His writing style can be a little judgy "If you must eat red meat..." then he listed a few choices as well as possible consequences.
He supports his opinions with scripture.
I have a few reservations though. As I started reading this book my personal devotional centered on Peter's dream in Acts with the quote "Do not call unclean what God has made clean". This verse is not in the cookbook and the Levitical cleanliness laws are often quoted.
I have not yet tasted recipes from the book but it seems that they were given the least amount of research. I would not be surprised to learn that the author eats the same thing every day 90% of the time.
The author repeatedly recommends fresh and whole foods and discourages canned or frozen foods. But a healthy percentage of the recipes have canned ingredients.
If you want a book to support a lifestyle change this is a good place to start but you will need a Mediterranean Diet cookbook to be effective.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main part of the book was very informative and was interesting to learn how some of our main foods are made. But I found myself getting a little bored of such scientific explanations sometimes (as I already don’t eat those foods). But great if you are interested in something like that!

But hands down the back of the book which contains recipes and full days meal ideas is worth the book itself! 🥗

[Tricia Kolsto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Advice - Easy to follow lifestyle without giving up a food group.

I really like how easy the dietary changes are to follow. Its mainly eating sensibly and in moderation. I like that you don't have to give up a certain food group. I think alot of the suggestions make sense. You may have to trim some extra carbs for weight loss though.

[Lisa Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

What Would Jesus Eat? was an interesting read and contained some enlightening information on a good way to eat healthy food. It did seem to also contain some contradictions here and there, but overall it teaches about a pretty healthy, Biblical sort of diet.

[Sherilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An answer to my prayers for my health.

I am not overwhelmed by the suggestions in this book with how I can enjoy a healthstyle and it aligned with what I currently practice. It will be a great addition to healthy living one day at a time.

[Rigoberto Vega · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy read. The author is straightforward and each chapter is short. I would of liked having more biblical references to food and nutrition, but this was decent enough to make the point it tries to make.

[Linda George · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was about Jesus's likely diet and exercise. The author related this to the Mediterranean diet. There was a great deal of helpful information and a section of menus for a week following the diet recommendations.

[Mikehoov.net · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy To Read

This book was very easy to read and understand. I was taught about how Jesus lived in a way I never imagined before. It is a must read.