Guilty Pleasures

Firstly, I don’t think you will need to learn to love these you probably have formed a loving relationship with them already but let me throw some light on to these regularly consumed food and drinks, some positive and some not so! Remember – healthy eating is for life, the occasional ‘naughty treat’ is allowed!

Beer and red wine

Everyone knows that if you drink too much you run into things, drive into things, say stupid things and get nasty health problems but it has also been shown that if you are over 45 small amounts of alcohol can protect your health by increasing HDL  cholesterol in the blood – these are the good guys. Alcohol can also prevent blood clots in the arteries which help to reduce the risk of developing a heart attack.

Alcohol is good for your heart?

Because of the evidence above, yes this can be true but remember the heart isn’t the only important internal organ; too much alcohol can cause permanent damage to your liver.

Beer Gut Beware!

Alcohol has 7 calories per gram which have no nutritional benefits at all. 2 pints of beer have 364 calories which is equivalent to 1.5 burgers. Most people are aware of the food that they eat and try to be healthy but are unaware of how fattening alcohol can be. To burn off those 364 calories you will need to run for 36 minutes. 2 small glasses of red wine has 318 calories equivalent to 1.1 burgers and would take 32 minutes to run off the calories.

Pig out on Bacon!

Bacon sarnies are as important to the British as a nice cup of tea but 68% of bacons calories come from fat, half of which is saturated fat. Some rashers contain more than half of the recommended daily allowance of salt (6g) but they do contain protein. Try and buy the best cuts of bacon possible to ensure that it’s not full of preservatives. Trim off the fat and grill rather than fry when cooking and you can enjoy the occasional treat.

Fast Food

It would take you 7 hours to burn off a super-sized coke, fries and a greasy burger! You would also eat ½ of your daily allowance of salt and fat in the whole meal!

Erm, I’m trying to think of something nice to say… hold on… Nope! Can’t think of anything!!!!

Chocolate can be good for you, yipppee!

Chocolate contains flavonoids which can help to lower your blood pressure, keep blood flowing freely which helps to prevent heart attacks.

Do – choose dark chocolate, 70% cocoa to get enough flavonoids to make a difference,

Don’t – go for milk chocolate, this is loaded with sugar

Do- mix a mug of real cocoa with skimmed milk for a healthier hot chocolate drink

Do -Enjoy yourself, a little bit of choccie now and again (not every day with a well-worn path to the vending machine; you know who you are!!!!) releases serotonin into the brain, the pleasure of eating chocolate!

Smoking

Really?? You have to ask?!!

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