Gwyneth Paltrow's ban on pasta, rice and bread isn't as 'foolish' as claimed, says Leicestershire health expert

A health expert says more people should follow in the footsteps of Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow, who has banned her children from eating pasta, bread and rice.

Personal trainer Jeff Lynch spoke out in support of the A-list actress after nutritionists branded her "foolish" in the national press.

Oscar winner Gwyneth, who has starred in hit films including Iron Man, Shakespeare in Love and Sliding Doors, has written about her diet choices in her new low-carb, gluten-free cookbook, It's All Good, which is out next month.

Her comments about banning her children from eating starchy carbs sparked outcry in the national press.

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The Sun nutritionist Amanda Ursell said: "There are situations where children are taken away from parents who don't feed them properly.

"This wouldn't happen to Gwyneth, but it may have if she were a normal person."

Jeff, who works at RWL Gym, in Thurmaston, contacted the Mercury yesterday to say more parents should think as Gwyneth does.

He said: "People are speculating that as a result of her decision her children have been left hungry and malnourished and that a visit from her council is expected. This is rubbish.

"Carbohydrates are an important part of our diet and should be consumed at each meal.

"What shouldn't happen is that a cereal – which has been farmed to be significantly more carbohydrate-dense than it's natural relations, which is refined so all the nutrition is taken away and which is cooked so it's very quickly digested – is a staple part of the diet.

"Carbohydrates should come from vegetables, which come with fibre, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to keep us healthy.

"What has happened is Gwyneth has decided that, due to the results of an allergy test, her children – who are mildly intolerant to gluten – should not be eating bread.

"She also knows that simple carbohydrates such as rice are not as healthy as vegetable carbohydrates and has opted for a more fibrous option."

Mr Lynch said Gwyneth's choice was far from a "faddy elimination diet".

He said: "What she has done is highlight the aspects of a modern diet that our bodies are not designed to cope with and selected a better means of getting the same nutrition.

"Not eating bread and pasta isn't an elimination diet because carbohydrates are also in vegetables.

"With regards to her being a bad mother for depriving her kids of certain foods, how does this dietary choice compare with the parents who allow obese kids to eat fast food and sweets every day?

"I think her decision to go public about her distaste at the modern Western diet is laudable."

Food author Joanna Blythman agreed with Jeff.

Writing for The Guardian, she said: "If the daily diet in the Paltrow household includes protein (fish, meat, eggs, pulses), unprocessed fats (butter, olive oil), plenty of vegetables and some fruit, then it is healthy, nutrient-rich and lacking in nothing.

"If that's what the Paltrow kids eat, she's doing them a favour.

"Children do have slightly different nutritional requirements from adults: they need more fat and protein.

"But filling their plates with empty calories in the form of white pasta, bread and rice is no nutritional kindness."