Drink water, say nutrition experts in survival guide to Christmas

DRINKING water, eating bananas and cutting out sugary “health” drinks could help festive revellers swerve a Christmas hangover and avoid the bulge.

Birmingham City University experts have come up with a foolproof “survival guide” aimed at reducing the impact of one too many mince pies and overindulging on the sherry.

Senior lecturer Dr Matthew Cole and four students from his sports and exercise nutrition course came up with simple rules to tackle a perennial problem at this time of year.

After nutritional analysis, they found that toxins from alcohol, extra sugars from so-called healthy drinks, and physical inactivity, were among key issues. The group then drew up a shortlist to help people ride out the Christmas period feeling “a bit fresher” and dodge the festive bloat. The top five tips were: Drink more water – H2O flushes toxins from over-indulgence, rehydrates and boosts the immune system;

Cut sugary “health” drinks – Many so-called health drinks are anything but, and are often a hidden cause of too much sugar making;

Exercise – inactivity over Christmas is a major cause of weight gain and a reduction in bone and muscle health. Exercise reduces toxins and boosts mood;

Increase vitamin intake – eating foods rich in potassium (like bananas), magnesium, iron and zinc will keep you going on the dancefloor. Dried fruit and green vegetables will help.

Balance your eating – eating a mix of macro-nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins and fats, and micro-nutrients like vitamins and antioxidants.