Gwyneth Paltrow has spent decades as Hollywood’s poster girl for clean living, but now she’s softening her famously strict approach to food — and embracing a little indulgence. The Goop founder and wellness entrepreneur has revealed she’s back to eating the very things she once cut out completely, including sourdough bread, pasta and cheese.
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Speaking candidly on the latest episode of The Goop Podcast, Paltrow admitted that after years of sticking to paleo and macrobiotic diets, she’s finding more joy — and balance — in her meals again.
From extreme wellness to a softer middle ground
“I might have got a little didactic about it,” she confessed, reflecting on a time when her obsession with ‘clean eating’ took over her life. “I went into hardcore macrobiotic for a while… It was local, seasonal food, mostly vegetables and fish — no dairy, no sugar. I felt amazing and wanted everyone around me to feel the same.”
Her commitment to wellness was deeply personal, sparked by her father Bruce Paltrow’s battle with throat cancer. That experience drove her to pursue natural ways to heal and protect the body — from hydration and whole foods to more restrictive approaches.
In the years since, she’s co-founded a wellness empire, Goop, known for championing controversial trends and pricey health solutions. But even the queen of wellness is now questioning rigidity.
“I’m getting back into eating sourdough bread and some cheese — there, I said it,” she joked. “A little pasta after being strict with it for so long.”
The rise (and fall) of restrictive eating
Paltrow isn’t the only one stepping back from extreme food rules. Nutrition experts have long cautioned against cutting out entire food groups — especially carbohydrates, which play a key role in energy levels, digestion and overall wellbeing.
Priya Tew, a dietitian with the British Dietetic Association, welcomed Paltrow’s shift. “It’s great to hear she’s reintroducing foods into her very restrictive diet,” Tew told the BBC. “Carbohydrates provide fibre, B vitamins, and energy. They’re also key for gut health and enjoyment of meals.”
Tew added that the most beneficial diets are those that include diversity and flexibility, not rigid restriction. “Cutting out entire food groups is not good for our overall health… Nutrition should also bring pleasure.”
Still rooted in wellness, but more realistic
Paltrow hasn’t abandoned her health-conscious ethos entirely. She still leans toward whole, fresh foods and believes in the core principles of paleo eating. But at 51, she admits things have become more complex — especially when dealing with inflammation and age-related health changes.
Her husband Brad Falchuk, the TV producer behind Glee, joined her in going paleo several years ago, though she now admits she’s “a little sick of it”.
For Paltrow, it’s not about abandoning wellness — it’s about redefining it. “I still think eating whole and fresh is a good template,” she said. “No doctor or nutritionist would refute that. But I also think there’s room for sourdough and parmesan.”
A more grounded Gwyneth — and a return to the big screen
While she’s stepped back from acting in recent years to focus on Goop, Paltrow is set to return to Hollywood in the upcoming film Marty Supreme, starring alongside Timothée Chalamet. The sports action drama marks her first major screen role in years.
Now, with a more flexible approach to food and life, Paltrow seems to be moving away from perfection and into something far more relatable — and enjoyable. After all, sometimes a bit of bread and cheese is the best kind of wellness.
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Featured Image: Getty
