Can Easter be HEALTHY?

Not just the season for chocolate-fuelled sugar highs, there's plenty of goodness to be found in our favourite foods this spring

Do you see the Easter weekend as a dietary nightmare? It may not be as bad as you think. Some foods traditionally I eaten at this time are full of nutrients - even chocolate has its health benefits - and as more than 80 million Easter eggs are sold in the UK each year, that's just as well! Here, the experts share the benefits of our favourite Easter foods, so you can enjoy them guilt-free.

Eggs

Soft-boiled eggs for breakfast is an Easter tradition - and one that gives you the best start to the day. It was once thought that eating too many eggs could raise cholesterol levels, but experts now agree that you'd have to eat a lot of them for this to happen.

'Eggs are a great source of iron and zinc, which help with energy and immunity,' says nutritional therapist Rachel Jessey*. 'They also contain selenium and iodine for thyroid health, vitamin A (great for the eyes), vitamin D, and tryptophan, which helps boost mood.'

That's not all. Lola Biggs, dietician from Together Health, says, 'Eggs are a complete source of protein, containing all nine amino acids needed by the body.' Protein is essential for healthy muscles, hair, skin and nails. 'Dippy or poached, they're full of goodness,' she adds. Just avoid fried.

Hot cross buns

They're not the healthiest of treats, thanks to the high sugar and fat content, but if you can't resist a hot cross bun, choose a wholemeal version to boost your fibre intake and use low-fat spread instead of butter. The dried fruit they contain are sugary but contain fibre, and 30g of dried fruit contribute to your five a day. What's more, the cinnamon they're spiced with is an antioxidant.

Baked ham