The average person can eat as many as 5,240 calories during their blow out on Christmas Day – and a whopping 190g of fat.
But it doesn’t have to be that way – and now scientist have come up with the recipe for a guilt-free Christmas dinner.
Indeed, many of our favourite festive treats – including red wine, Christmas pudding and dark chocolate – provide a range of health benefits, explain academics from King’s College London.
They looked at everything from nuts to Brussels sprouts, and have revealed the foods that can slash your risk of cancer, lower your blood pressure and improve your gut bacteria.
Professor Kevin Whelan, head of department of nutritional sciences, said: ‘Christmas is a time to enjoy yourself and for many that includes indulging in festive treats.
‘You might be surprised to find that lots of foods we typically enjoy sharing with our families at Christmas have actually been shown to have nutritional benefits.’
He says the message is: Christmas can be delicious and healthy if you make the following smart choices.
