Gwyneth Paltrow denies Goop is based on 'pseudoscience'

The company recently agreed to pay a settlement of £112,514 over unfounded claims

Gwyneth Paltrow has denied that her controversial lifestyle brand Goop is based on “pseudoscience.”

The actress and CEO of the controversial brand rejected the claim in an interview with the BBC, in which she defended her company and said: “We disagree with that wholeheartedly.”

Rather, she explained: “We really believe that there are healing modalities that have existed thousands of years, and they challenge maybe a very conventional western doctor that might not believe necessarily in the healing powers of essential oils or any variety of acupuncture, things that have been tried and tested for hundreds of years.”

“We find that they are very helpful to people and there is an incredible power in the human body to heal itself.”

The 46-year-old also said Goop’s goal is to “empower women” - a goal she suggested is often met with resistance.

“So I think any time you are trying to move the needles and you’re trying to empower women, you find resistance and we just think that’s part of what we do and we’re proud to do it,” she concluded.

Goop has previously faced scrutiny and legal action for false unscientific claims related to items sold on its website.

Recently, a group of district attorneys from California filed a lawsuit against the company for claims the jade and rose quartz vaginal eggs could provide women with a “spiritual detox” and that an essential oil blend could “prevent depression.”

In September, the company agreed to pay a $145,000 (£112,000) settlement for the false claims - however, Paltrow told the BBC it did so because “we just wanted to settle it and put it behind us” and the company never had to admit to any “wrongdoing.”

In the past, the brand’s coffee enema kit and assertions regarding the benefits of vagina steaming have also been met with controversy.

As for the company’s future, Paltrow said in the interview that Goop has a “whole regulatory team in place now and a science and research team,” and as a startup, you have to “learn on the job.”