Actress and health blogger Gwyneth Paltrow just tried the newest diet detox trend. According to her site, Goop, cleanses that use goat milk and herbs will eliminate parasites — which we all supposedly have.
Paltrow told Shape that she “felt so good” after eight days on this detox diet.
Linda Lancaster, a Santa Fe-based naturopathic physician, explained the science behind the cleansing regimen in a Q&A for Goop.
“Parasites primarily live in the mucus lining of the gut system, where they feed on nutrients before they enter the body. Think of the goat milk as bait — parasites come out of the gut lining to drink the milk, which they love, but they also consume the vermifuge, which will eventually eradicate them,” Lancaster explained, adding that parasites are at the root of many types of illnesses.
So, is there any evidence to back up Lancaster’s claims? Scientific research does not support parasites’ fondness for milk, Forbes reported, and there is no proven mechanism in herbs that target parasites.
In fact, in 2014, experts described detox diets as being mostly founded on health myths, Medical Daily previously reported.
Gwyneth isn’t the only star to try the fad goat milk diet; supermodel Miranda Kerr also did the detox last summer.
“I just did a goat’s milk cleanse — it was eight days of raw, unpasteurised goat’s milk with some specific herbs that help clean out your intestines. It was really good.” Kerr told Byrdie at the time.
“I felt like my eyes were clearer, and I was thinking more clearly. I just felt more energized,” she recalled.
If you really want to cleanse your system, consider cutting out alcohol and greasy, low-nutrient foods. Science supports it.