Nutrition experts reveal that Christmas dinner is not necessarily as unhealthy as people assume and that it can actually be a great source of vitamins and minerals.
According to British Dietetic Association spokeswoman Rachel Cooke, piling up a plate with plenty of vegetables can be "a great way of getting your five a day".
The dietician revealed: "Lots of mums will say to me things like, 'My children won't eat sprouts'. Don't worry - just put the veg on there that they like. It's really not a problem."
The expert insisted that Christmas dinner can be a "pretty balanced meal".
"With potatoes, you can cook them in vegetable oil and use a little bit less rather than cooking them in the goose fat and lard which people tend to use at Christmas.
"And with things like the turkey itself, it's absolutely great if you just take the skin off."
Ms Cooke's main advice centred on the build-up towards Christmas, when she said that the items on typical buffet tables tend to have "mega calories".
Nutrition experts reveal that Christmas dinner is not necessarily as unhealthy as people assume and that it can actually be a great source of vitamins and minerals.
