As Easter approaches the annual guilt of gorging on chocolate also looms.
And if you take part in lent, after weeks of giving up your favourite treats, the supermarket shelves are packed with chocolate eggs and everyone’s looking forward to Easter weekend.
But if you’re anything like me, and have the biggest sweet tooth (so much so that once you start, you just can’t stop!), and want to know how you can enjoy easter AND not do too much damage at the same time…
This article is for you.
Do not fear, there are plenty of guilt-free Easter options available that can boost health and offer a feel-good factor too.
So you can eat the odd chocolate egg (and enjoy it too) I’ve put together some tips for you on how to keep your health on track over the sweetest weekend of the year.
Let’s get to it…
When buying Easter eggs there’s so much choice (in fact, probably too much choice!), it’s hard to know what one to buy…
Do you buy the traditional Lindt bunny that everyone loves and enjoys? Do you buy the Thorntons egg that you can get your loved ones name iced on? Or do you go for the classic Cadbury’s milk chocolate, that’s always a winner?
Lets face it, if you’re wanting to keep it on the healthy-er side, when buying Easter eggs I try to buy the best quality dark chocolate I can get.
By choosing dark chocolate the taste is richer, so you’re likely to consume less.
It also has a lot less sugar than your standard milk chocolate egg, and is packed with minerals like potassium and zinc as well as antioxidants which can help reduce your cholesterol.
So instead of tucking into a sugar packed milk chocolate egg with all the extra frills and candy – Green and Blacks do a very nice dark chocolate selection egg, and there’s even one with burnt toffee, for a healthier treat 😉
Next, how about making your own so you know exactly what’s going in it?
This is actually really simple, and you can add in any flavours you like!
Method: Simply grab a bar of good quality dark chocolate and melt over a pan of boiling water with some coconut oil, maple syrup or honey, and some vanilla extract.
Mix well.
Then, using the skin of an avocado, place the mixture inside and place in the fridge for a few hours. Then ease out of the skin for a yummy home made treat!
Another healthy tip – keep the chocolate for dessert (because who doesn’t love dessert, especially when it involves chocolate!)
Tucking into Easter eggs on an empty stomach will spike blood sugar and put you on a hunger and energy level roller coaster ride!
If you have some of your Easter egg for dessert instead, after a balanced meal, you’ll feel a lot more satisfied, and a lot less likely to devour the whole thing!
And lastly, Easter doesn’t have to be all about food like we make it out to be. It’s a nice time to be with family and friends.
Why not cook up a lovely Sunday roast? Paint some hard boiled eggs and hide them in the garden for an Easter egg hunt for the Grandkids and children? Go for a family walk if it’s a sunny day?
You can always put your feet up at the end of a busy Easter Sunday with a bit of chocolate 😉
Chocolate isn’t bad for you, not in moderation.
It’s all about enjoying yourself ,and if you’re spending it with family, making the most of the time you have with them!
So here’s to a happy Easter, and maybe one of the healthiest ones you’ve had yet!
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P.S. Got a bad back that’s getting in the way of life? Or know someone who’s suffering? Here’s free special report with 9 top tips to keep active with less back pain, just go to this website to get your free copy: www.paulgoughphysio.com/back-pain
You might know Paul as an expert Columnist who writes weekly health articles for TWO of the North East's biggest daily Newspapers, The Northern Echo And The Hartlepool Mail, he is a regular Speaker at Industry Seminars around the globe and a Radio Personality, often heard on the BBC. Paul has been an expert guest on dozens of Radio shows and regularly interviewed in newspapers, magazines and trade journals all over the world, including the Guardian.
Paul’s background included working extensively in the Premier League with a Top Professional Football Team, and since quitting his job in Professional Football in 2007, his Physio Practice has become the fastest growing in the UK and biggest in the North East. So successful, that companies like BUPA, ASDA, The Vela Group And Coast & Country, repeatedly retain his Physio company's services to keep healthy their own staff and workforce. Paul Gough Physio Rooms is now a large multi-physio, multi clinic speciality practice in Darlington, Durham, Guisborough and Hartlepool.
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