Travel enthusiasts heading away this summer may want to turn away now with research revealing just how many calories we consume when eating international cuisine in some of our favourite destinations.
Calorie counting and hitting up the gym may be the norm for Britons before they attempt to escape the ‘beast from the east’ – part 12, as data reveals that the goal weight to lose before a get-away is 13lbs.
Conducted by Bolsover Cruise Club, the research looked into the nutritional value of traditional cuisine in over 30 locations, with a specific focus on the calories, fat, and sugar figures.
Cuba ranked number one for the highest calorie dish, closely followed by the big smoke, where Fish & Chips came out as one of the unhealthiest dishes around the globe, when it comes to calories.
Holiday Health
On the other end of the spectrum, those not wanting their hard work to go to waste when they step into the sunshine may want to head to the likes of Holland, Hungary, and Switzerland where the average calorie intake per dish was much lower.
Gym-goers and health enthusiasts may want to try the following locations if looking to keep their calorie intake low:
- Germany - Sauerbraten
- Scotland - Haggis
- Poland - Bigos
- France - Pot au feu
- Denmark - Frikadeller
The average salt content per dish was also considered as part of the study, after it was revealed that a Chinese dish could skew someone’s diet, however, it’s clear that Chinese food isn’t the only salted dish to look out for, with the top five worst locations for salt content revealed as:
- Germany – Sauerbraten
- Thailand – Pad Thai
- England – Fish & Chips
- Greece – Moussaka
- Russia- Beef Stroganoff
Britons are certainly keen when it comes to getting into shape, with research also revealing a quarter of holiday goers start their holiday diets 6 months before heading away.
Further findings show:
- 42% start 2-3 months before
- 25% said 5-6 months before
- 21% leave it till 1 month before
- 12% start just 2 weeks before a holiday
Michael Wilson at ‘Bolsover Cruise Club’ said: “With the current craze around health and fitness it was interesting to find out exactly how much people aim to lose before jetting abroad and how many people are now choosing to opt for more fitness-based holidays.
The research also highlights how many of our favourite international dishes can be deceiving, with high calorie and salt intake across many meals that are perceived as healthy.
Whilst fitness may take priority in daily lives, it’s also important to emphasize how ,on holiday, we should all have a break and indulge!”
