Easter and Eggs..

Easter is almost upon us and for months as we walk throughout the supermarket, we have been faced with that endless range of Chocolate Eggs and Easter bunnies staring us down.  Chocolate is high in sugar and low in essential vitamins and minerals. It is a processed sweetened food produced from the seed of the tropical Cacao Tree, and although cacao alone can be good for us, its all those nasty added ingredients such as condensed milk, fat, cocoa and sugar that make the milk chocolate taste delicious, we need to be concerned about. A diet that is high in sugar can lead to chronic diseases and illnesses such as Diabeties, hypertension, (high blood pressure), and obesity. This Easter you need to set yourself some goals. In this blog I'm not saying don't 'treat' yourself, I'm just giving you my opinions and thoughts for this time for year and some simple strategies on how to get through it. Here are some little strategies and tips that I have come up with- You need to remain focused on all of  your good eating habits. Ensure you are meeting your daily requirements of your essential vitamins and minerals all through fresh fruit, vegetables, fish and meats. Limit your intake of Chocolate, yes we all know how delicious one tiny bit of that creamy, textured, smooth chocolate tastes, but admit it - who stop's at one? Instead aim for a smaller egg or square of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants help free your body of free radicals, which cause oxidative damage to cells. It can also contain however some caffine which acts as a mild stimulant, so be weary of this. Dark Chocolate is bitter than regular chocolate and will give you that hit you need in just one little piece , meaning you shouldn't have to go back for more. Exercise regularly during the Easter period, if you have exercised you are more likely to make healthy food choices and decisions. Plan and prepare healthy meals and snacks, this will reduce you from snacking on that little egg or last little bunny ear that's laying around. Lastly, if you really feel like you want to eat an egg, do it. Boil, Fry, or Scramble it. Eating more eggs is a fantastic way to give yourself a health boost. Eating whole eggs are vital, the goodness of the eggs is found in the yolk, this contains half the amount of the eggs calcium and irons and the white contains over half of the eggs protein. One little chicken egg is packed with several vitamins essential to your health: • Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), which helps your body to break down food into energy • Vitamin B12 (cobalamin), vital for producing red blood cells • Vitamin A (retinol), which is great for your eyesight • Vitamin E (tocopherol), which fights off the free radicals that can cause tissue and cellular damage, which may lead to cancer Vitamins A and B2 are also important for growth - so make sure your kids are eating eggs regularly, too. I hope you have enjoyed reading this little post all about Easter and Eating, Finally remember I'm not saying give up on Easter all together, I'm suggesting you be in control, be motivated, be happy and lastly have an enjoyable and safe time with family and friends this Easter. Tarryn x