UK’s most calorific pies REVEALED – and worst one has almost triple the saturated fat of a Big Mac

Britain’s most caloric pies revealed – and the worst are NOT what you’d expect…

  • A MailOnline audit revealed the highest-calorie of Britain’s best-loved pies
  • The worst offender is Marks and Spencer’s Chicken and Leek, at 775 calories

There’s nothing more comforting than a plate of pie, mash and gravy.

But like any guilty pleasure in life, that satisfaction comes with a price on your waistline.

A MailOnline audit of British Pie Week has revealed that some of Britain’s best-loved varieties contain more than a third of your daily calorie intake.

The worst offender, at a whopping 775 calories, is sold by Marks and Spencer’s.

Read our table below to discover the most offensive pies on the market

Some of Britain’s best-loved one-serve pies contain more than a third of your daily calorie intake

The chain’s Gastropub chicken and leek pie has more than double the calories of a Greggs sausage roll (329).

It also contains 30 g of saturated fat – almost three times the amount found in a McDonald’s Big Mac.

Vegetarian and vegan pies made up four of the top ten most caloric pies.

MailOnline conducted an audit of pies Britons bought from supermarkets across the country, including Tesco, Asda and M&S.

Several of the unhealthiest pies contain more than a woman’s recommended amount of saturated fat for the entire day.

What should a balanced diet look like?

• Eat at least 5 servings of different fruits and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruit and vegetables count

• Basic meals based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole grains

• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is equivalent to eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole-wheat muesli biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole-wheat bread, and a large baked potato with skin

• Provide dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks) and choose lower-fat, lower-sugar options

• Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish per week, one of which is fatty)

• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume in small quantities

• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water per day

• Adults should have less than 6 g of salt and 20 g of saturated fat for women or 30 g for men per day

Source: NHS Eatwell Guide

NHS guidelines say women should have no more than 20g of saturated fat per day and men no more than 30g.

And a woman’s daily recommended calorie intake is 2,000 calories, while a man’s is 2,500.

After the M&S pie, Charlie Bigham’s Chicken, Ham and Leek (733 calories) is the second highest calorie sold in shops in the UK.

And Pieminister’s Tikka to Ride Chicken Tikka Pie, which has a whopping 725 calories in a single 270g serving, comes in third.

And the worst pies in terms of saturated fat content are the M&S Chicken and Leek (30g), Higgidy’s Free Range Chicken and Ham Hock (23.5g) and Higgidy’s Spinach, Feta and Pine Nuts (23.4g).

This compares to just 3.8 g of saturated fat in a Krispy Kreme ring doughnut, 11 g in a Big Mac and 12 g in a Greggs sausage roll.

Sarah Almond Bushell, a registered dietitian and nutritional therapist at Children’s Nutrition, said, “Saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol levels in the body, which is often referred to as the ‘bad cholesterol’ and is linked to heart disease and stroke.”

Dr. Bushell added: ‘Fat has more calories than any other nutrient, so if we eat too much of it, we eat more calories. And too many calories cause weight gain.’

Melissa Snover, a registered nutritionist and founder of the 3D-printed personalized vitamin brand Nourished, said it depends on a person’s weight whether a high-calorie diet is good or bad for them.

But she said, “In general, a high-calorie diet is one of the basic risks for the development of obesity.”

Ms Snover added: ‘Women are advised not to consume more than 20 grams of saturated fat per day.

‘If you want to lower your cholesterol and risk of heart disease, the NHS recommends cutting back on fat altogether and swapping saturated fats for unsaturated fats.’

Examples of unsaturated fats are oils found in plants or fish, including mackerel, olive oil, nuts, avocados and canola oil.

The fattiest and most caloric pies in the UK
Brandproduct nameCalories (per pie)FatSaturated fatSugarSalty
MRSGastropub Steak & Ale (250g)610 calories33g21.5g6.5g1.7g
Gastropub Chicken & Leek (250g)775 calories51.3g30g6g2.1g
Pie MinisterTikka To Ride Chicken Tikka (270g)725 calories42.2g18.1g5.6g1.8g
Moo & Blue Steak & Stilton (270g)643 calories33.7g16.2g3g2g
Gluten Free Moo Steak & Craft Ale (270g)616 calories31.4g17.3g5.5g2.2g
Free Ranger Chicken, Ham & Leek (270g)613 calories30.5g15.9g1.6g1.6g
Heidi Goat Cheese, Sweet Potato & Spinach (270g)605 calories31.6g14.8g7g1.9g
tescoFinest Chicken Ham Hock & Leek (250g)645 calories35.5g19g4.6g1.2g
Charlie BighamChicken, Ham & Leek (270g)733kcal45.7g22.4g5.1g2.1g
Steak & Ale full pastry (270g)646 calories34.5g16.1g7.1g2g
Roast Chicken & Mushrooms (270g)680 calories40.3g19.2g4.7g2g
stiltedFree Range Chicken & Ham Hock (250g)655 calories39.6g23.5g3.3g1.7g
Spinach, Feta & Pine Nuts (270g)684 calories47.2g23.4g3.1g2.6g
Cauliflower Cheese & Broccoli (250g)682 calories46.8g22.3g3.9g1.7g
Roasted Sweet Potato & Feta (270g)697 calories43.9g19.9g10.1g1.7g
Porcini Mushrooms & Chestnut Mushrooms (250g)674 calories46.7g20.5g6.2g2g
Roasted Chickpea Masala (250g)646 calories38.7g14.5g7.7g1.2g
AsdaExtra Special British Steak & Red Wine (250g)684 calories36g17g4.6g1.3g
MorrisonsShortcrust Minced Beef & Onion (200g)629 calories42.2g17.2g4g0.9g
Clive’s Pure PlantsWhole Wheat Creamy Mushroom Pie (235g)637 calories41.5g19.7g3.1g1.8g
Coronation Chickpea Puff Pastry Cake (235g)647 calories39.4g20.2g8.7g2.6g