Anticipation of Gwyneth Paltrow’s new cookbook is building as its April release approaches. Unfortunately for Paltrow, much of the excitement surrounding the book seems to be because of all the snarking opportunities it promises to provide.
As we previously reported, the book, inappropriately titled It’s All Good, is based on an elimination diet that bans coffee, alcohol, dairy, eggs, sugar, shellfish, deep-water fish, wheat, meat, potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, corn and soy. Oh, and any kind of food that was touched by a machine!
“She is once again promoting herself as a foodie and a health guru, despite a weird obsession that treats eating with a greater sense of restriction than relish,” described a New York Post review.
According to book’s description on Amazon, Paltrow was advised by a doctor to begin the diet after she reported feeling faint and fatigued. In spite of the seemingly insurmountable challenge to make real meals out of such limited options, Paltrow paired with Julia Turshen to create 185 “easy, delicious recipes.”
“And it worked! After changing her diet, Paltrow healed totally, felt more energetic and looked great,” the Amazon description teases. “Now, in IT’S ALL GOOD, she shares the go-to dishes that have become the baseline for the restorative diet she turns to whenever she feels she needs it.”
These excerpts created a bit of controversy when they were first published earlier this winter. Now the plot thickens as more of Paltrow’s nutritional advice has been disclosed.
^Paltrow shared this picture of her children on her website, Goop.
“Sometimes when my family is not eating pasta, bread or processed grains like white rice, we’re left with that specific hunger that comes with avoiding carbs,” wrote Paltrow, implying this is a positive thing. Nutritionist Yvonne Wake disagrees, saying this practice could be particularly detrimental to growing children.
“I think it’s not a good idea, especially because her children are thin,” said Wake in an interview with The Daily Mail. “Kids need carbohydrate because it gives them glycogen which keeps your brain going. Without it they won’t be able to think straight as their brain won’t be functioning and their thinking patterns will be slow.”
As she has a chapter titled devoted to grains in the book, it doesn’t sound like the children are entirely deprived. But it’s highly doubtful that Apple and Moses are allowed the joy of a sugary cupcake or pastry.
Paltrow also mentioned that she, her husband and the children are intolerant of gluten, dairy, chickens’ eggs and “many other surprising foods.” Nutritionist Carina Norris told The Daily Mail that people who self-diagnose food allergies are making their lives unnecessarily difficult.
“Far too many people self-diagnose themselves with allergies, or cut out wheat to lose weight, or because they think it’s bad for them,” Norris said. “cutting out such an important food group shouldn’t be done without the advice of a medical professional, as it could put them at risk of nutrient deficiencies.”
So far, the majority of public response to the excerpts have been critical.
“Her cred as a health guru is as sketchy as her foodie-ism, especially given the numerous health-trend trains she’s ridden over the years, from a macrobiotic diet to cupping acupuncture,” continued the aforementioned New York Post review.
However, we should withhold complete judgment until the book is released on April 2. At that point, I’d say admonishment is totally acceptable.
