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The #1 Eating Habit Gwyneth Paltrow Swears By to Look and Feel Great at 50

The Goop founder, who turns 50 on September 27th, is focusing on lowering inflammation and entering her 50s as healthy as possible.

Gwyneth Paltrow—one of the leading names in the wellness world—is turning 50 on September 27th and looks as youthful as ever, thanks in part to her daily health practices. (Granted, some are a bit unconventional and potentially dangerous). In fact, Brad Pitt just announced that his detailed skincare routine is all thanks to Paltrow, his ex-fiancé and dear friend.

With health and wellness in mind, in 2008, the actor and entrepreneur started Goop, a lifestyle brand that provides people with everything from articles, to podcasts, to television series, to both online and physical shops where you can buy many of the products the team purports to support your health. This empire has helped many people pursue their own health journey, but Paltrow has also experienced heavy amounts of pushback for things like making her products inaccessible to the average person's income, as well as potentially promoting harmful dieting.

Regardless of the pushback she's received about her and her company, Paltrow seems to be entering into her 50s with an appreciation for aging and caring for her body as best as she can.

In a recent Goop article about her 50th birthday coming up, Paltrow says, "it's important to have some grace around the aging of your body, to be forgiving," she says. "Okay, well, maybe my skin or my muscle won't bounce back here the way it used to, and that's okay. You have to recalibrate."

With this added appreciation of her aging body, she notes that she's grateful for the health choices she's made throughout the previous decades. "I actually feel great turning 50," she says in Goop. "I feel really lucky that I have my health (touch wood) and strength in my body. I feel like many of the decisions I made in my late 20s, my 30s, and my 40s are paying dividends now."

Because the star looks and feels amazing at 50, it's no surprise that Paltrow's fans would be wondering about which "decisions" the star is glad she made in the years approaching this milestone birthday.

One of the eating habits that Paltrow has consistently stuck with as of late, and the one that she has used to help lower inflammation in her body, is eating clean (for the most part). 

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Gwyneth Paltrow at dinner table
Getty Images

Another aspect of aging that Paltrow noted in the Goop piece is how much it's motivated her to care for specific aspects of her health.

"I notice that the older I get, the more drawn I am toward monitoring my health, doing blood work, and collecting data about inflammation levels, blood sugar levels, sleep, vitamins, etc.," she says. "Your body rebounds a little less quickly from overindulging — staying healthy takes a little more intentionality."

Paltrow notes that a clean diet is what has helped her focus on these health aspects in a closer way. She says in Goop, "I maintain a very clean diet. Last year, I cut down on alcohol and focused on lowering inflammation. What's turned out to be best for me is [the] paleo [diet], so I'm grain-free, sugar-free, eating lots of vegetables and clean protein. Lots of fish, lots of olive oil."

The important thing to note here is that Paltrow's diet is what works for her, something she even admits in the article. This way of eating, especially since paleo is fairly strict, is not for everyone. If you're curious about implementing some of these habits into your own daily life, you may want to talk with your doctor or a dietitian first.

Some of Paltrow's eating habits also seem to resemble the practices of people in the Blue Zones, which are regions of the world with the highest concentrations of centenarians. These regions focus on healthy fat sources, fruits and veggies, low consumption of meat and added sugar, and whole grains.

Paltrow is familiar with these Blue Zones and mentions that she tries to borrow their habits whenever she can. "We're [she and her husband] always getting some exercise in, even if it's just a nice long walk, trying to follow the patterns people do in the Blue Zones: spend time with people we love and keep nurturing our own relationship."

With these inflammation-fighting eating habits, it's no wonder Paltrow is entering her 50s looking as healthy and happy as ever!

Samantha Boesch
Samantha was born and raised in Orlando, Florida and now works as a writer in Brooklyn, NY. Read more about Samantha