Keeping up with the latest celebrity diet is almost as difficult as knowing what this week's must-have handbag is. Whether it's the Zone diet, the Beverly Hills diet, or the GI diet, every week there's a new method to melt away those extra pounds

We took a peek into our favourite celebrities' shopping baskets to see what they're eating (or not eating) to maintain their svelte A-list figures.

Gwyneth Paltrow
It's well documented that our Gwyneth's healthy glow comes from a strict macrobiotic diet. Gwyneth's shopping basket will be bursting with 'yang' foods such as wholegrain cereals, pulses, fruit, seaweed and fermented soy products, but certainly no evils like sugar (horror!) or hot spices (gasp!), as these 'yin' foods can exhaust the body and mind. She does, however, admit to a fondness for expensive wine.

A typical shopping list for this slender star would include miso soup, daikon radish, quinoa, red snapper, tofu and whole wheat pasta. And for dessert? Apple and blueberry kanten (with vegetarian jelly), of course.

Victoria Beckham
LA's newest resident is likely to opt for the Beverly Hills diet. Victoria suits the six-week plan perfectly, which is reported to be great for people who want rapid weight loss. There are no forbidden foods or portion control in this diet; it's all about how you combine different foods - a system called 'conscious-combining'.

Fruit is almost always eaten by itself and never mixed with other foods. On fruit-only days, Posh's shopping basket would be overflowing with fruits readily available in California, such as mangoes, papayas, pineapples and apricots. Then, on other days, her shopping list will be protein-only with steak or lobster topping the bill. Treats in her basket will include cheesecake and ice-cream, and champagne (permitted in unlimited quantities - hurrah!), perfect for those Hollywood parties Posh will be attending.

Britney Spears
What goes up must come down, and Britney's yo-yo diet and ever-morphing figure is concrete proof of this. Rarely does a week go by without paparazzi shots of Ms Spears exiting a drive-thru with a super size helping of burgers and fries. But what's this? A new figure in a matter of weeks?

Britney's weekly shop could one week be dominated by complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, vegetables, pulses and wholegrain breads, and on another day include a jumbo pack of crisps and cookie dough ice-cream (her favourite), washed down by a large bottle of fizzy drink. This type of dieting, from one extreme to another, has a short-term effect but in the long-term can lead to even more weight gain.

Kylie Minogue
A pop princess, no matter how pint-sized, can't model her own range of incy-wincy bikinis without following some sort of diet. Kylie has long been a supporter of the GI Diet but this isn't just a celebrity slimming diet. Its health benefits have also been hailed by medical professions.

Based on the glycemic index, the GI diet is measured through how food affects our blood glucose levels. While Kylie's shopping basket will be brimming with slow-release foods such as porridge, bran, whole wheat pasta and brown rice, it will also contain some surprising items like dark chocolate, salted peanuts, shortbread and sugar-free jam, all in moderation of course.

Nigella Lawson
When your job is being a domestic goddess, sticking to a disciplined diet is no easy feat. That's why The Zone Diet is perfect for TV chef Nigella Lawson. The Zone Diet doesn't cut back on any one food group; rather it recommends that your diet consists of carbohydrates (40 per cent), fat (30 per cent) and proteins (30 per cent).

Nigella's shopping basket would contain protein such as chicken, fish, beef, turkey and tofu, as well as carbohydrates like pasta and polenta. Luckily, she'll still be able to put her domestic goddess skills into practice with treats like cheesecake and muffins. But unlike most of us, Nigella's basket would contain the raw ingredients like sugar, butter and flour. And with her husband's famously blase attitude towards his wife's fare, Nigella would have to reluctantly throw in a box of cereal and processed cheese, just a couple of Mr Saatchi's not-so-decadent favourites.