CARRYN-ANN NEL | Why food, faith and body politics shouldn’t mix

We’ve just come out of the Easter season, a time of reflection, confession, and a little bit of honesty before God. So, in that same spirit…let me confess something: I love food.

Not in a cute, “oh I enjoy a nice meal” kind of way. No. I love food. The joy, the comfort, the flavours, the experience, the sauce-of-the-tjoppie-dripping-down-my-elbow kind of love for food. I sometimes eat with my eyes closed.

Where most have pics of their kids on their phones, I have of food. (And of our dog, Aries, who will not forgive me if I don’t mention him.)

Food is my sixth love language. It’s how I show care, how I connect, and how I celebrate life with the people I love. I adore preparing a three-course meal for friends, experimenting with new recipes for my partner, and holding onto those trusted staples that never fail (hello, ‘tamatie yoghurt’).

There’s a special joy in making sure everyone’s glass is full and their plate is just right - it’s in those little moments of nourishment and care that my heart truly feels at home.

But let’s not pretend this is just me.

South Africans, we love food. Tell me I’m lying that when we’re having a braai at someone’s house that we’re first discussing who’s bringing what, like it’s not the most important thing to project manage. We plan, celebrate, and mourn with food. We jig-ama-jiga with food. We even have a public holiday that is mostly celebrated through one activity that we all love doing: braai-ing.

So yes, confession made. I love food.

Not that my confession should come as any surprise…right, Heinz?

In case you missed it, the country’s very first Idols winner turned pastor (and yes, in my opinion, Brandon October should have won, but that’s not the point today) recently had a few things to say about people’s weight and I nearly choked on my pasta.

On a podcast with his wife, Aletté Winckler, the two recently spoke about weight, health, and church leadership. Aletté has built a whole platform around this: A programme called The Exodus Experience, which is a structured wellness journey focused on weight loss, detoxing, and nutrition.

Alette compared being overweight to “gluttony,” calling it a sin, and even said that unlike other sins, this one “shows” on the body. She also pointed out that some pastors preach against sin while visibly struggling with this one.

Sjoe.

Heinz agreed, adding that healthier living could be a kind of “wake-up call” for Christians and, of course, threw in the classic: you are what you eat.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying health doesn’t matter. It 100% does. And yes, I know I need to make my own choices, maybe go a little easier on the chocolate, the bread and the wine (but that’s a conversation I have to have with myself).

What doesn’t sit right with me is bringing the Bible or anyone else’s judgment, onto people’s plates. Because if there’s one thing I’ve come to understand about God, it’s this: He leads with love, not shame. He shows grace, not commentary on bodies.

And here’s the thing about weight: it’s a deeply personal journey. Nobody else gets to define it, nobody else gets to judge it. You never know why someone is overweight and just as importantly, you never know why someone is underweight. There’s a story behind every body, and it is not yours to interpret.

They apologised after the backlash, and that’s fair.

But the lesson is clear: don’t comment on other people’s bodies. Ever. Not when someone gains weight, not when they lose it. Because you simply don’t know the story behind it.

In a world already obsessed with appearances, do we really need more voices policing what’s on our plates? So no, respectfully, keep your theology, your opinions, and your judgment away from my dinner. Let me enjoy my pasta in peace.

Carryn-Ann Nel is a news anchor and journalist at EWN in Cape Town.