Revealed: The mince pies that are best for your waistline this Christmas… and the ones to avoid

It is a Christmas product, packed with sweet fruits and spices and covered in pastry.

But despite being a decadent sweet treat, some mince pies can contain fewer calories than a chocolate bar.

A MailOnline check of more than 50 varieties sold on supermarket shelves shows that Aldi's Frangipane mince pies are the least fattening on the market.

It contains only 177 calories, about the same as two chocolate digestive biscuits.

But for those watching their waistlines, it may be a good idea to check the labeling, as some options sold elsewhere can contain as much as 337 calories per pie.

This website looked at the nutritional value of 54 mince pies available at Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Aldi, Waitrose and Morrisons.

Aldi's caramelized apple crumble mince pies, which are topped with a cinnamon crumb, and the chain's caramel-laden Millionaire's Crumble Mince Pies are also among the least calorific options (178).

However, because they are a sweet snack, they still contain 18 grams of sugar.

Tesco's crumble-topped mince pies, with a cognac filling, are also among the least calorie-dense (181 calories, 16g sugar), as is the supermarket's gluten-free option (189 calories, 16.5g sugar).

Mr Kipling's deep-filled festive cake (192 calories, 9.4g sugar), which contains 30 percent less sugar than comparable products, is also among the lower calorie options.

WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?

• Eat at least 5 portions of varied fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count;
• Basic meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole wheat;
• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole wheat cereal biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread and large baked potato with skin;
• Provide some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks) and choose lower fat and lower sugar options;
• Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish per week, one of which should be oily);
• 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 grams of salt and 20 grams of saturated fat for women and 30 grams for men per day.

Source: NHS Eatwell guide

These each contain fewer calories than a Kit Kat Chunky Duo (330), Mars bar (228) and Twix Xtra (370).

But the most calorific mince pies can contain almost twice as many calories and more than 30 grams of sugar.

Adults are advised not to consume more than 30 grams of free sugars per day – the sugars added to food, as opposed to the natural sugars in fruit, vegetables and milk.

Campaigners argue that the sugar content of mince pies is an 'unnecessary amount of sugar' and that 'low sugar products' should be made available.

The most calorific mince pie (337) is Asda's Extra Special Indulgent Mince Pie, which is made with mince that has been aged for three months and features a butter pastry with orange zest.

For comparison, that's more than one McDonald's Cheeseburger (298 calories), six Chicken McNuggets (261 calories) or medium fries (337 calories).

All Mr Kipling's Butter Mince Pies are infused with cognac and cider. But they come in at 310 calories and 29.5 grams of sugar.

For context, the average woman is advised to consume about 2,000 calories per day to maintain a healthy weight, while for men 2,500 is recommended.

This means that eating six mince pies can theoretically maximize the daily recommended amount.

If you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight over time. Six in ten adults and four in ten children are overweight or obese, figures show.

Being fat can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and stroke, as well as mental health problems.

'Regularly consuming highly processed foods lacking nutrients can jeopardize our health in several ways,' says London-based nutritionist Kim Pearson. In addition to weight gain, they can cause low energy and disrupt sleep, she said.

Health chiefs recommend consuming no more than 30 grams of free sugars per day (the sugars added to food or drinks), as too much can cause tooth decay and weight gain over time. But nutritionists say that ideally we should consume even less.

'The government advises adults not to consume more than 30 grams of added sugars per day. But if we consider how much we need to consume for optimal health, that number should be a lot lower,” Ms Pearson said.

'31 grams of sugar is a huge amount in one mince pie. Especially considering that many people will consume several over the course of the festive period, along with other foods high in sugar content,” she added.

According to dieticians, sticking to simpler cakes without frosting, shortcrust pastry or puff pastry can help limit calorie and sugar intake.

The most slimming mince pies contain just 85 calories, but the worst offenders contain more than 330 calories

'Generally speaking, smaller and simpler mince pies contain fewer calories and less fat,' says dietitian Dr Duane Mellor from Aston University in Birmingham.

“While enjoying a mince pie every now and then over the festive period is a great way to celebrate the holidays with friends and family, they can be offered for a few days longer than just the twelve days of Christmas,” he added.

'This is really put into context when some of these larger and luxurious mince pies from the supermarket can contain more calories than a takeaway cheeseburger or sausage roll.'

Zoe Davies, nutritionist at campaign group Action on Sugar, believes more low-sugar options should be made available in supermarkets.

She said: 'Just like any other time of year, everything can be enjoyed in moderation. However, this should not mean that the food industry takes advantage of this and adds unnecessary amounts of sugar to these products.

'With the wide range of sugars found in these products, it is clear that products with lower sugar content can and should be created to ensure that wherever someone shops, he or she has access to a tasty product with a lower sugar content.'