The ultimate festive health quiz

Are you a festive cracker, or a complete turkey when it comes to holiday season health knowledge? Take our quiz to discover if you’re a shining star at the top of the tree, or if your goose is well and truly cooked. Look out for bonus points as some questions have more than one correct answer – and some answers are worth double points. By Jane Symons

1 Which of the presents brought by the three wise men has a health benefit?

a) Gold b) Myrrh c) Frankincense 2 Which of these festive foods is the best way to maintain your energy levels?

a) Turkey

b) Pigs in blankets c) Dates

d) After dinner mints 3 They will appear in almost every home at some time on Christmas day, but which of these foods has the most vitamin C?

a) Satsumas and mandarins b) Peas c) Brussels sprouts d) Parsnips 4 What’s the healthiest pudding to choose on the big day?

a) Traditional Christmas pudding b) Chocolate roulade c) Meringue topped with fresh berries 5 We feel sleepy after eating turkey because it contains tryptophan. True or false? 6 What afterlunch activity will boost the family’s health and wellbeing?

a) Taking the kids to the park to try out their new bikes b) Charades

c) Playing Super Mario and other video games 7 What’s a healthy film for all the family?

a) A gripping action movie like Die Hard

b) A comedy classic like Love Actually

c) An uplifting classic like It’s a Wonderful Life 8 Which of these tipples is most likely to leave you with a hangover?

a) Champagne b) Beer c) Brandy 9 If you’re not already as stuffed as the turkey, what’s healthy to snack on after Christmas dinner?

a) Nuts b) Stem ginger c) Cheese d) Mints 10 What’s the best painkiller for a hangover?

a) Ibuprofen b) Paracetamol c) Aspirin 11 What’s the healthiest way to spend Christmas Eve?

A) Watch the children’s nativity play

B) Singing Christmas carols C) Catching up with pals in the pub 12 What’s the best way to help children get to sleep on Christmas Eve? a) Ban sugar for the day b) Sprinkle a few drops of lavender oil on their pillow or into a diffuser c) Get them running, or doing something active, for at least half an hour just before bedtime 13 If the stress of cooking, entertaining guests and keeping a wayward relation in line is getting to you, which of these drinks might help reduce your blood pressure?

a) Orange juice b) Tea c) Coffee d) Champagne 14 If Santa snacked on the carrots you left for his reindeer, would it improve his eyesight?

Yes or no? 15 How much exercise would it take to burn off all the calories we consume over an average Christmas Day?

a) One hour of boxing using a punchbag

b) 2.5 hours of fast cycling c) Three hours doing push-ups d) Two hours of circuit training e) One hour swimming (freestyle) f) Four-hour post-lunch ramble g) B, C and F combined

h) All of the above

The answers: 1

Add 1 point for each. Scientists still aren’t sure how they worked, but gold injections were used to control rheumatoid arthritis until the development of newer therapies with fewer side effects. Myrrh improves insulin response and reduces inflammation. And frankincense, which is also known as boswellia, has antiinflammatory properties which help relieve IBS, bronchitis and sinusitis.

2

Add 2 points if you answered

C, add 1 point for either A or

B. A shot of sugar from After Dinner mints will provide a brief burst of energy, but for sustained staying power we need iron — and official dietary data shows that 54% of girls and 27% of women are not getting enough. Red meat is a good source, so the pork sausages in the “pigs” will provide 1.1mg per 100g and the same amount of turkey has 0.65mg. But 100g dates will deliver twice that amount — 1.3mg of iron — plus a short-term sugar lift.

3

Vitamin C supports the immune system so it is particularly important when you are spending time with people. Score 1 point each for either citrus fruit or peas as both have some vitamin C — 26.7mg per 100g and 14.2mg respectively. But give yourself 2 points if you answered C as sprouts have the most, with 62mg per 100g. Deduct a point if you answered D, there’s no vitamin C in

parsnips.

4

Add 1 point if you answered A as Christmas pudding is packed with healthy ingredients. Raisins and sultanas are high in iron, fibre and potassium, which lower blood pressure. Currants are bursting with vitamin C and citrus peel has cholesterollowering chemicals called polymethoxylated flavones. It’s true that dark chocolate and berries are antioxidants, but the small quantities in these puddings are outweighed by their high sugar content.

5

False (score 1 point). Turkey does contain tryptophan, a sleep-inducing sedative — but not even a double serving of turkey will provide enough to make you drowsy. Many foods are much higher in tryptophan, soya for instance has twice the amount found in turkey. The post-lunch slump comes from the sheer volume of food we consume, and the busy run-up to the day.

6

Score 1 point for each picked. Activity is always beneficial — but only if the kids have helmets — 90% of cycling accidents involving children occur during the day with problems peaking between 3pm and 6pm. Charades are used in language classes to improve listening, speaking

‘‘ Studies have found no evidence that sugar makes children hyperactive

and reading skills. Studies show they also help people with borderline dementia. And a study published in Molecular Psychiatry found gaming increases grey matter in parts of the brain responsible for navigation, planning, working memory and motor skills.

7 Add 1 point for each if you answered B or C, but deduct a point if you answered A. Researchers at the University of Maryland, US, who monitored volunteers as they watched different films found stressful scenes were associated with impaired arterial blood flow, while comedies triggered changes which lowered the risk of cardiac problems. The mental health charity Rethink says the positive message of It’s A Wonderful Life could help save a life. flavour and colour — pump up the pain. Dutch researchers found brandy, which is high in congeners — is twice as likely to leave you feeling grottier than Santa’s grotto than drinks like beer and champagne. Hangovers from high-congener drinks are also more severe.

9 Score 1 point each for A,B and C. Nuts lower cholesterol and regular consumption reduces the risk of heart disease by 37% and diabetes by 45%. Ginger is anti-inflammatory, high in antioxidants and it’s an effective stomach settler. Cheese is great for teeth, not simply because it is a good source of calcium, but also because it reduces the acidity of dental plaque. Mint aids digestion, but mint confectionary is primarily sugar and won’t have enough real mint to provide any gastric benefits.

10 Add 2 points if you answered A, 1 point for C and deduct 1 point if you said B.

Paracetamol should never be used for a hangover as it can damage the liver, and this risk rises if it is processing alcohol — as could be the case on the morning after. Aspirin won’t harm your liver, but it might irritate your stomach, and although there is also a risk of irritation with ibuprofen, it is less likely because ibuprofen is absorbed far more quickly.

11 Add 1 point for B. Singing has a host of health benefits including improvement in breathing, posture and muscle tension. It could even boost your immune system by reducing harmful stress hormones. Deduct 1 point if you said A or C. Some scientists say spending too much time sitting is as dangerous as smoking, while crowds increase the risk of catching colds.

12 Add 1 point for B, a number of studies have shown lavender combats insomnia and improves sleep quality. Deduct a point if you answered A or C. Studies have found no evidence that sugar makes children hyperactive, but parents are more likely to say their children are over-excited if they have had sugar — even when they haven’t actually had any. A study in Sports Medicine found it takes longer to fall asleep, and sleep quality is poorer, if you do high-intensity exercise less than an hour before bedtime.

13 Add 1 point each for A and B. Orange juice is rich in hersperidin which relaxes blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. Because hesperidin is found mainly in the pith and peel, commercially processed juice has higher levels than freshly squeezed juice. Drinking three cups of tea a day leads to significant falls in blood pressure. Deduct a point if you answered C or D. The caffeine in coffee can raise your blood pressure, although this is most likely if you don’t drink it regularly. Even moderate alcohol consumption raises the risk of high blood pressure.

14 Add 1 point for No. It’s true that the vitamin A in carrots is good for eye health and prevents night blindness. But so long as there are no issues affecting absorption, such as Crohn’s disease or bariatric surgery, most people get enough in their diet to prevent problems. The idea that carrots improve eyesight comes from Second World War propaganda claiming that eating lots of them – and not a secret new radar – were the reason Allied pilots shot down so many German planes.

15 The British Nutrition Foundation says we scoff around 6,000 calories on the big day, almost threetimes the average daily intake. Add a point for H. Doing ALL these activities will help you burn almost 6,000 calories.