According to scripture, it troubled a lot of Jesus’ listeners too.

It starts with John 6:53: So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. He continues in verses 57 and 58: As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

It didn’t go down well with the Jews in general or even the disciples:

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” ‘John 6:60 ESV. Jesus gave them some explanation in verses 62 and 63: Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

So I think it’s fair to conclude he meant his words were like bread that would sustain the spirit and save it.

As I understand it, Catholics believe they are literally eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Christ, which really is cannibalism. To the protestants (I was raised as one) it is indeed symbolic. Still a bit uck, though.