Forget the festive diet

Turkey skin should be ditched for the healthy option

Everybody thinks they eat too much over Christmas and by New Year resolve to tighten the belt and forget about selection boxes for another 12 months.

But according to the British Dietetic Association (BDA), adults can eat healthily over Christmas and avoid the need to pound the treadmill.

The BDA estimates on average the adult gains 5lbs during the festive break, but opting for some fruit after tucking into the turkey is the sensible option.

Luci Daniels, BDA chairman, said the most important thing hungry revellers should remember is the need to have balanced meals and eat regularly.

Christmas pudding: Provides iron and fibre

She said: "Enjoy the culinary pleasures of the festive season.

"Relax, enjoy and try to balance out the food with a few lovely long walks."

Instead of vowing to stay away from chocolate, peanuts and crisps, people should eat five portions of fruit a day and step up the physical exercise, she added.

Top festive eating tips:

• take the skin off the turkey before eating

• limit the glasses of bucks fizz to two per day

• for dessert plump for custard instead of brandy butter

• satsumas which provide excellent stocking fillers also offer half of our daily needs for vitamin C

• Christmas pudding dried fruit provides potassium, iron and fibre

• Brussel sprouts (nine per portion) provide half of our daily needs for folic acid and vitamin C

• a glass of champagne contains 95 calories, a glass of wine 85, a gin and tonic 95, and a pint of beer 180.

And for those who wish to avoid turkey at all costs there is always the option of smoked salmon.

A portion provides only 80 calories and is a good source of protein. Enjoy!