London - It may not come as a surprise that a diet of sausages and ribs could leave you, well, a little porky.
But you probably didn’t realise that people eat up to three times more at a braai than in a normal meal.
A survey found we consume as many as 1 800 calories at a braai , while a typical meal at home has 500 to 700 calories.
The five top British barbecue foods were burgers in buns, sausages, salad, potato salad and coleslaw, the study found.
A plate with one portion of each has around 900 calories.
After that, 61 percent of us go back for a second helping, bringing the total to 1 800 calories, the study found.
Washing this down with the average two glasses of wine, or two-and-a-half pints of beer, would add a further 340 calories.
The recommended daily amounts are 2 000 calories for women and 2 500 for men.
The researchers estimate most of us will attend five barbecues this year, meaning we will each eat 9 000 calories of barbecue food.
The study of 2 000 UK adults by AXA PPP healthcare found 59 percent did not see healthy eating as a priority at barbecues, while 34 percent often overindulged when dining al fresco.
Dr Gary Bolger, of AXA, said it can be hard to keep track of what you eat at a barbecue – but you can keep calories down with lean meats and low-fat dressings. - Daily Mail