According to Sky News, Gwyneth Paltrow raised eyebrows with her endorsements of unconventional “wellness” items and practices on her highly publicized website Goop before she made news by testifying in court. Despite having no training in medicine or alternative therapies, the Academy Award-winning actress has made headlines for endorsing things like vaginal steaming, jade eggs, and bee sting therapy, according to The Cut, Goop, and Us Magazine.
With the launch of Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow rose to prominence as a wellness expert, but not all of her methods are valid or supported by research, according to Jackie Newgent, RDN, a plant-forward gourmet nutritionist in New York City and the creator of The Clean & Simple Diabetes Cookbook.
Given that Paltrow has written numerous cookbooks, including The Clean Plate, it may not be a surprise that food plays a large role in many of her wellness rituals. On The Art of Being Well podcast, which is hosted by functional medicine specialist and bestselling author Will Cole, Paltrow revealed that she takes vitamins intravenously, contrary to other famous chefs.
Even if switching your multivitamin for an IV sounds like a Goop-worthy stunt, Paltrow also suggested eating lots of vegetables and seafood, which is actually not awful advice. Here, Newgent and fellow nutritionist Tara Collingwood, RDN, who is based in Orlando, Florida, rank how safe and effective each of Paltrow’s habits actually is and offer their comments on her diet.
Really Acceptable Counsel
She Follows a Diet That Is ‘Anti-Inflammatory’
“In order to properly concentrate on meals that aren’t inflammatory, I’ve started working with Dr. Cole. So, lots of vegetables, cooked vegetables, different types of protein, and nutritious carbs have been proven to significantly reduce inflammation, according to Paltrow on the podcast. This is based on my medical findings and the rigorous testing I’ve had over the years, as you are aware. In the Goop piece from 2022, she also mentioned that limiting her alcohol use was another way she was “lowering inflammation.”
Newgent concurs that reducing inflammation is beneficial thing. Research has connected persistent cellular inflammation to a number of illnesses, including autoimmune diseases and obesity. But it’s crucial for people to understand that, for a large portion of the population, intensive testing is not necessary, she adds. An anti-inflammatory diet instead emphasizes a healthful variety of green leafy vegetables, berries, cherries, citrus fruits, nuts and seeds, green leafy vegetables, avocados, green tea, turmeric, ginger, and fatty fish like salmon and sardines. Whole grains also feature prominently in an anti-inflammatory diet, especially sorghum, and oats.
Collingwood also concurred that cutting back on sweets and alcohol, which “is definitely a toxin,” as well as increasing your intake of vegetables will help lower inflammation.
She Consumes Paleo
Paltrow also has a tendency to act like a cavewoman. She stated on the program, “For dinner, I try to eat, you know, according to paleo, so lots of vegetables. Supporting my detox is really important to me. She went into more detail about her dietary habits in a 2022 Goop piece. I keep a very clean diet, she declared. “The paleo diet has shown to be the greatest option for me, therefore I avoid grains and sweets while consuming a lot of vegetables and clean protein. Plenty of seafood and olive oil.
Diet-wise According to Newgent, Paltrow “absolutely” practices some good habits, such as eating a lot of veggies, avoiding added sweets, and using a lot of olive oil. But she adds, “Our bodies have evolved in accordance with the fact that we no longer live in the Paleolithic era.
She recommends consuming whole grains because of their possible anti-inflammatory effects and gut-friendly prebiotic fiber, which can give considerable health advantages.
Advancing With Caution
She enjoys fasting
Paltrow told Cole on the program that she practices a “nice intermittent fast,” skipping breakfast. She said, “I typically eat after twelve, then in the morning I’ll have some items that won’t spike my blood sugar, so I have coffee.
A study published in January 2023 in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that fasting was less effective for weight loss than merely reducing calories. However, emerging research on intermittent fasting does show that it may have benefits for all research remission of type 2 diabetes, reducing inflammation, and preventing neurological disease.
Furthermore, according to Collingwood, fasting in the manner Paltrow claims to do means skipping out on all the advantages of breakfast. She asserts that skipping breakfast reduces the chances of consuming fiber, protein, and other nutrients. A study indicated that people who regularly skip breakfast get fewer nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D, and iron. The report was published in April 2021 in Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. Collingwood claims that while coffee will temporarily increase mental energy, it will “not provide real energy in terms of calories and any nutrients to help with focus and concentration at work.”
Newgent makes the argument that for certain people, fasting can encourage disordered eating patterns. She advises anyone interested in trying intermittent fasting to speak with a registered dietitian or another healthcare provider about the best ways to implement it into their diet, possibly with a modified form like only eating between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
She eats a liquid meal.
One of the more controversial assertions made by Paltrow on the podcast involves the meal she breaks her fast with, a liquid lunch. She declared, “I really like soup.” For lunch, I’m having bone broth.
Even while bone broth has many health advantages, drinking it by yourself won’t offer much nutrition, says Collingwood, “especially after fasting all morning.” Soup has some lasting power thanks to ingredients like beans, noodles, and tons of vegetables.
Although collagen, a protein found in animal bones, has been touted as being present in bone broth, it is still unknown whether consuming collagen will boost collagen levels in the body. Additionally, since animal bones can potentially contain heavy metals, you would want to exercise caution if you often consume bone broth. According to a tiny study, the lead content of organic chicken broth was significantly higher than that of the water used to prepare it.
Conclusion: “Bone broth alone does not equal lunch,” claims Newgent. In fact, if you habitually eat lunch by slurping down straight bone broth, you’re shortchanging your health if you don’t incorporate nutrient-rich plant items.
Don’t attempt this at home; she injects her vitamins
Paltrow was connected to an IV while they recorded their podcast with Cole. Which, he added, “is so in line with both of us.” Phosphatidylcholine, a substance that is naturally present in all cells and helps to regulate energy metabolism, is Paltrow’s preferred nutrient to consume intravenously, according to the study. Although there is no proof to support this, some supporters think it can aid in boosting energy and reducing exhaustion. However, she disclosed during the podcast that her IV was stuffed with “good old-fashioned vitamins.”
Eating actual food is the best method to obtain “good old-fashioned vitamins,” according to Newgent. Why? With dietary sources, Collingwood claims, “You can get the synergy of the various vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and fiber.” Not to mention, you won’t have to prick your arm with a needle!
She engages in 5-day detoxes.
Regularly, Gywneth advises her Goop readers to detox. She claimed during the podcast conversation that her body “is not a natural detoxer.” An introduction to her 5-day detox on the Goop website states that “January is a good time to help our bodies catch up with detoxification—to give our detox organs a chance to rest and recover.” It’s a good time to consider eliminating environmental pollutants where you can, as well as to determine whether certain foods are problematic for you.
Caffeine, alcohol, dairy, gluten, corn, nightshades (potatoes, eggplants, peppers), refined sugar, shellfish, white rice, eggs, and soy are a few of the foods that must be avoided during the week.
Fact: The majority of dietitians and health professionals do not support detoxification. “Our body has a natural detoxification process in our liver, kidneys, and digestive system,” claims Collingwood. There is no requirement to ‘detox’ and allow our organs to recover. They are designed to continuously function to maintain the health of our bodies.
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In the end, ‘detox’ is merely a rather effective marketing technique that may make some things look ‘wonderful’ or ‘bad’—or make you feel ‘guilty’ if you’re not doing it. But because of your liver, your body naturally detoxifies itself, says Newgent.
What is the first rule to follow if you truly want to “detox” your body? Simply take in extra water, she advises.
Utilizes Colonics
What is one habit Goop encourages? Colonics. The Goop website explains that a colonic is essentially a means to regularly flush out your colon after continuously filling it with warm water to hydrate and irrigate it. Your colon is a part of your intestines that is around five feet long.
Collingwood advises against colonoscopies because they are risky and have no proven benefits in place of consuming fiber and drinking water to support healthy digestion.
when should you only think about getting a colonic? Dehydration, an electrolyte imbalance, and rectal tears are three potentially serious negative effects of having a colonoscopy, according to Newgent. She says, “Ask your gastroenterologist for advice on this one.”
She completed a goat’s milk fast.
Gwyneth claimed that the eight-day goat’s milk cleanses she underwent helped her combat parasites during an interview with Women’s Health.
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Collingwood and Newgent agree that there is no evidence to support the efficacy of goat milk cleaning. Saying “Simply say no to this one!” is Newgent. Any mammal’s raw, unpasteurized milk may include germs that cause disease.
