Almost 85 per cent of men and women see December 25th as a license to eat non-stop from the moment they wake up to the moment they fall asleep, according to new research.
And a survey of 1,500 Brits carried out by Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce found we consume a staggering 5,551 calories during Christmas Day on average.
Government recommendations say our daily calorie intake should be 1940 calories per day for women and 2550 for men.
This means Brits consume nearly THREE times the amount of calories they should.
In order to burn off all those calories, you would have to run a marathon – TWICE!
Half of those questioned said they will keep on eating even when they are full and one in four people claimed the festive grub is their favourite part of the day.
Jamie Robinson, spokesperson for Ocean Spray UK, said: ““We all know that Christmas is a great time to enjoy good food with family and friends.
“To have a happy and healthy Christmas by all means indulge yourself but try not to over-indulge- you'll feel a lot better for it!”.”
Experts say the excess calorie consumption could mean Brits are damaging their health by piling on the pounds.
Although research by the British Heart Foundation and the University of Glasgow suggests a long walk before a fat-laden Christmas dinner could help.
But two-thirds of people surveyed admit they do no exercise at all on December 25.
And a shameless 71 per cent say they refuse to limit what they eat throughout the day.
Respondents also listed other items they like to indulge in, pushing their calorie intake even higher. These included beer, brandy, truffles, pate, pork pie, whisky, Turkish delight, sugared almonds, cheese straws and Christmas cake.
Christmas Day Calories
Morning:
Scrambled eggs 100
Black pudding 80
Baked beans 75
Two pieces of bacon 64 x 2 = 128
wo slices of toast 88 x 2 = 176
Two sausages 73 x 2 = 146
Cup of tea/coffee 30
Glass of champagne 89
Glass of orange juice 88
Five chocolates 5 x 36 = 180
Handful of crisps 100
Handful of nuts 240
Satsuma 25
Chocolate money 5 x 36 = 180
Total = 1637
Afternoon:
Prawn cocktail 350
Three slices of turkey 45 x 3 = 135
Three roast potatoes 3 x 43 = 129
Five brussel sprouts 84
Two parsnips 19 x 2 = 38
Four carrots 20
Stuffing 231
Swede 50
Gravey 17
Cranberry sauce 45
Bread sauce 42
Two sausages wrapped in bacon 215
Christmas pudding with brandy butter 423
Mince pie 185
Cup of coffee 20
Two biscuits 200
Two glasses of white wine 87 x 2 = 174
A glass of sherry 68
Cheese and biscuits 394
Total = 2820
Rest of the day:
Chocolates 5 x 36 = 180
Mince pie 185
Fruit 60
Cream liquor 129
Cold meats 45 x 2 = 90
Turkey sandwich 450
Total =1094
Overall total = 5551
ENDS
For more information, contact Joanna at Joanna@swns.com/ 0117 9066 528.
