Gwyneth Paltrow Receives Backlash On Calling A Salad A ‘Detox’
Gwyneth Paltrow has sparked criticism after sharing a recipe for a salmon “detox” salad while promoting Goop’s $195 seven-day “reset kit.” The actress and founder of the controversial wellness brand appeared in a video on Instagram Thursday (January 19) to walk viewers through the recipe. Paltrow’s reset kit includes recipes to “make one big meal a day” during the “weeklong elimination program.”
In the short clip, Paltrow, 50, began the video by showing off the salad. She says, “I mean, look at how bountiful, and beautiful… that’s a big meal!” She then proceeded to demonstrate the steps required to make the salad, which included grilling zucchini, asparagus, and chives. She then placed the vegetables on a bed of romaine lettuce. Paltrow then topped the salad with sliced avocado, a broiled salmon filet, and a chive, maple, dijon vinaigrette.
“What’s so nice about this reset is: there’s so much food in it! And it’s all really nutrient-dense,” she said at one point during the video. She took a bite from the salad, saying “so good.” Paltrow concluded: “You would never know that this was a ‘detox.’”
The salad recipe has since sparked backlash in the comments section. Many people have criticized Paltrow for describing the meal as a “detox.” One person, whose Instagram bio states that they are a nurse practitioner, commented, “There’s no such thing. Girl you just make crap up to make a buck. Your liver is what takes care of cleansing the body of toxins. All this ‘cleanse’ bulls— is just another way for you to make cash. People I’m a nurse practitioner who practices integrative medicine. You don’t need these ridiculous ‘cleanse’ gimmicky crap. Your liver and kidneys cleanse your body as they all work in harmony in an elegant manner. This chick has no f-ing idea what she’s talking about. Her Netflix show made me puke. It’s so full of s—!! Your body is made in a way to cleanse yourself of all toxins. Eat right. Eat healthy, exercise, get enough sleep and get your vitamin D levels up over 60 to have them at optimal levels. Yo Goop Lady!! WTF are you kidding???”
Another person pointed out that “your organs detox you every day,” before asking Paltrow “what foods are poisonous enough that you need to detox?” They added, “Removing certain foods from your diet is not the same as going through a detox.” One person said, “detox isnt a thing. stop trying to make it one!” Meanwhile, another commented, “She’s always detoxing/resetting what she eats. It feels obsessive. It also appears like disordered eating. It appears unhealthy.” One person wrote, “LOVE but this IS NOT a detox.. lets be truthful now,” while another asked, “How is this a ‘big meal’? Can we stop lying to ourselves?” Someone else asked, “Why are we detoxing and resetting? Aren’t we ok just by loving and nourishing ourselves?”
As noted by Healthline, which describes “detox” as a “popular buzzword,” the body does not require detox diets or “expensive supplements” to eliminate toxins, as it “has a sophisticated way of eliminating toxins that involve the liver, kidneys, digestive system, skin, and lungs.” There is “no evidence” that “supports the use of these diets for toxin elimination or sustainable weight loss.” As for ways that individuals can optimize the body’s “natural detoxification system,” Healthline notes these include limiting alcohol intake, prioritizing sleep, drinking more water, and reducing one’s intake of sugar and processed foods.
The Goop site describes the reset kit as: “Removing potential dietary triggers and processed foods from your diet can be a lot of work.” The description says the schedule is “easy-to-follow” and “helps you experiment with new eating patterns and an intermittent fasting protocol. And you’ll get added support from daily superpowders formulated to help promote the body’s natural detoxification system and promote digestive health.” As noted with an asterisk, the statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the kit is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
