Sweets and slutty outfits.  That’s what Halloween is all about – we know it.  And it’s fantastic for that exact reason.

Whilst it’s impossible to ignore the huge focus on sweet treats, there are several ways you can avoid over-indulging and keep yourself on track over this Halloween weekend.  Firstly, I urge you to use your pumpkin for more than just carving and putting outside – cook with it and eat it!  It’s actually super good for you! Who knew?

Here’s why*:

• Vitamins, minerals & vital antioxidants – it’s full of them!
• 100g contains just under 250% of your RDA of vitamin A!! Great for healthy skin and good visual sight as well as some studies suggesting a link to protecting against lung cancers
• One of its antioxidants, beta-carotene, is thought to play a role in cancer prevention according to the National Cancer Institute*
• A good source of B-complex group vitamins (good for your metabolism and for reducing fatigue)
• Rich in copper, calcium and phosphorus
• Contains almost 1.5 times the potassium of a banana – making it a great post-workout snack for restoring electrolytes and muscle repair*
• 100g = just 26 calories
• No saturated fats or cholesterol – recommended by dieticians to control cholesterol and encourage weight loss
• Rich in dietary fibre
• One of its antioxidants, Zea-xanthin, has UV filtering actions in the retina of your eyes which can help protect the elderly from loss of central vision (‘age-related macular disease’ (ARMD))

Pumpkin seeds are also an amazing source of dietary fibre, protein, minerals, vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids which have been linked to good heart health.  100g of pumpkin seeds = 559 calories, 30g protein, 110% RDA iron, 71% RDA zinc, 17% RDA selenium and more.

Basically, there’s not a fat lot that’s bad for you about pumpkin… So get cooking!  There’s loads of recipes out there; you may have seen on the Instagram a few things I’ve whipped up recently such as pumpkin curry and pumpkin pasta.  I’m even planning on making pumpkin tacos so keep an eye out for that one!

On the sweet side, just remember to keep everything in moderation.  There’s tons of healthier alternatives floating around online or on Instagram, but here’s a few to get you started from everyday health – the dark chocolate apples have to be my favourite!

Finally, let’s not also forget that for many of us, it’s a wicked night out (literally – wa-hey!).  However, booze is of course full of calories; so how can we keep this healthy?  Simple.

It’s a little known fact that a vodka soda actually contains fewer calories than a banana… Or if you’re not a vodka fan you can go wild on the gin & tonics without worrying about the carbs – because there aren’t any!  What a dream.

So there you have it, my little hacks for staying healthy this Halloween.  Now don that slutty outfit and go enjoy yourself!

Diolch i chi a hwyl am nawr,

Charles xx

*Sources: nutrition and you  |  the huffington post