--- title: Jesus, The Good Nutritionist? description: "Monica Portogallo offers a tongue-in-cheek argument for a new title for Jesus: the Good Nutritionist." image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/good-nutritionist-f.jpg --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/05/30/jesus-the-good-nutritionist/#) [MEDIA](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/media) # Jesus, The Good Nutritionist? May 30, 2018 11:00:51 AM  |  by [Monica Portogallo](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/monica-portogallo) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/good-nutritionist-f.jpg) [!["Jesus, the Good Nutritionist" by Monica Portogallo (CatholicMom.com)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/good-nutritionist-1.jpg)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/good-nutritionist-1.jpg) [FreelyPhotos.com](https://beta.freelyphotos.com/Collections/Easter/i-DmxhNcc/A), CC0 Public Domain[/caption] As a little girl, I got excited about commonalities I shared with my crushes. Michael had two older sisters like I did! Jimmy watched the same TV show I watched last night! It was silly, but it made me excited to think that I had a connection with them, however trivial. It may be this same sentiment that led me, as a nutritionist, to the idea of Jesus being "The Good Nutritionist." Sure, Jesus’s primary mission was not to improve His people’s physical health through their food choices, but I like to think he was at least hinting at it. Let’s explore a few passages. In Matthew 4:4, Jesus reminds Satan that man does not live on bread alone, of course referring to the importance of God over the flesh and worldly things like food. Still, he might have *also* been encouraging nutritional balance and variety in food choices ... In John 6:1-15, Jesus multiplies barley loaves and fish, feeding thousands and leaving more leftovers than he started with. Certainly, this miracle demonstrated His glory and foreshadowed the eternal banquet in heaven. He could have *also* been promoting soluble fiber from barley and omega-3 fatty acids from fish ... In multiple passages, such as Luke 22:19 and 24:30, Jesus breaks bread and shares it with his disciples. Sure, this tells us about the nature of the Eucharist, the importance of fellowship, and other spiritual truths. Perhaps Jesus was *also* teaching us about portion control ... In John 21:1-14, the resurrected Jesus invites his disciples to eat breakfast with Him. This act demonstrated that He was in fact resurrected and not some kind of ghost, but we might surmise that Jesus was *also *encouraging his followers to eat a healthy breakfast ... Finally, in the gift of the Eucharist, turning bread and wine into His very Body and Blood, He elevates food and drink. Now food can be not only a source of physical nourishment, but of spiritual nourishment as well, giving life to our souls. And just maybe, He was *also* letting us know that carbs in moderation are not “bad” for us. I don’t know if thinking of Jesus as “The Good Nutritionist” would be helpful to anyone besides me. After all, He has many more meaningful and poetic titles, like “The King of kings” and “The Good Shepherd.” For me, though, thinking of Jesus as The Good Nutritionist gives me another way to bring Christ into my work at a secular institution. I like to think it helps me to be *a *good nutritionist. --- Copyright 2018 Monica Portogallo ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2F30%2Fjesus-the-good-nutritionist%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2F30%2Fjesus-the-good-nutritionist%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2F30%2Fjesus-the-good-nutritionist%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Jesus%2C%20The%20Good%20Nutritionist%3F) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2F30%2Fjesus-the-good-nutritionist%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2F30%2Fjesus-the-good-nutritionist%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Monica Portogallo](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Monica%20Portogallo.jpeg) ### [Monica Portogallo](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/monica-portogallo) Monica Portogallo is a mother and registered dietitian nutritionist who does her best not to miss the lessons God sends to her through the joys and struggles of daily life. She lives in California. ## Related Blog Articles [ Back to School, Back to Prayer Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2019/08/13/back-to-school-back-to-prayer/) [ Celebrating the New Year with Little Ones Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2012/12/31/celebrating-the-new-year-with-little-ones) [ The Alliance for Catholic Education Honored with Seton Award for Serving Nation's Youth Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/10/04/the-alliance-for-catholic-education-honored-with-seton-award-for-serving-nations-youth) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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