Gwyneth Paltrow ditches the 'hardcore' Paleo diet as pasta back on the menu

After years on a strict diet,says she’s once again incorporating carbs and fat-heavy foods into her diet again. The CEO and founder of the wellness and lifestyle company, Goop, has long been known for her restrictive diet, even making headlines in 2023 when she and coffee. But now pasta, cheese and sourdough bread are back on the menu.

Speaking on the most recent episode of the Goop podcast, For The Love of Food, Paltrow spoke about her diet, and how this has recently evolved. Paltrow explained that her and husband, , began their paleo diet "a few years ago", but that she’s grown “a little sick of it”.

The actress admitted: “[I am] getting back into eating some sourdough bread and some cheese. There, I said it, a little pasta. After being strict with it for so long.”

While she considers herself paleo, Paltrow has been a strong advocate of the macrobiotic mindset, saying: "I went into for a certain time, that was an interesting chapter where I got obsessed with eating very, very healthily," she said.

While the paleo diet advocates for animal-based protein sources and is rooted in a return to prehistoric dietary traditions, macrobiotic diets focus on plant-based source with a more holistic and balanced approach to wellness. Both diets focus on whole and unprocessed foods.

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She believes that her obsession with ‘clean’ eating had a lot to do with the of her late father. She said: “I was really trying to and he just didn't really want anything to do with it.” Her father, , died in 2002 after a years-long battle with throat cancer.

What began as a means to deal with her father's health, became a newfound passion for Paltrow. "I really deepened my connection with food and the whole philosophy around macrobiotics," she explained. Her new mindset around food prioritised "very local and seasonal" foods, favouring fish, vegetables and rice and eliminating sugar and dairy.

Paltrow now admits to being a bit too enthusiastic about spreading her newfound outlook on food. "I think that period of time I might have got a little didactic about it," she shared during the podcast.

Even while loosening the restrictions of her diet, Paltrow said she still feels passionate about how food can create and support a healthy lifestyle. “I was just so amazed that, we had this power in our hands that if we treated ourselves well and hydrated and ate whole foods that we could just feel so much better. I was sort of intoxicated by that idea, and I still feel that way to this day,” she shared.

For the uninitiated, the paleo diet is based on the notion that eating like our ancient ancestors - during the Palaeolithic era - will reduce the risk of certain diseases and lead to overall healthier bodies. According to the , the modern paleo diet typically consists of fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fish, nuts and seeds - foods that early humans could get from hunting and gathering.

Under the diet, everything from wholegrains to dairy products to processed foods are a no-go. Unsurprisingly, the diet became a weight loss fad that gained popularity in the early 2010s. The addressed the diet during its height in 2015, advising that: "Cutting out dairy products and starchy foods, particularly wholegrains, means losing key sources of fibre, calcium and energy." They warn that the diet "could affect your health in the long term."

But Paleo is just one of many in the long-list of diet fads, though it is bares a similarity to the . The Atkins diet also recommends reducing carbohydrates and encourages high-fat and high-protein intake as a method to lose weight.

While Goop doesn't directly promote restrictive diets to encourage weight loss, the company does share advice about how to "hack the genes that impact weight loss and metabolism". Goop also has a whole host of meal plans and "detoxes" that limit consumption of dairy, gluten, sugar, processed oils for certain periods. But Paltrow's recent revelation may be signalling an end to the paleo fad, at least for now.

The has continually promoted well-rounded diets, saying that: "eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health". This includes starchy foods, which the NHS says should make up just over a third of everything you eat as well as dairy products which are a strong source of protein.

The also says the public should avoid diets that recommend fasting or cutting out entire food groups. Their guidance says: "These types of diets do not work, can make you feel ill, and are not sustainable because they do not teach you long-term healthy eating habits."

According to a , restricting one's diets without medical advice or supervision can lead to major long-term health issues, including elevated cholesterol levels and an increased risk of heart disease.

If you're worried about your health or the health of somebody else, you can contact SEED eating disorder support service on 01482 718130 or on their website,