Hot cross buns: LiveLighter warns Victorians against bun-derestimating the energy content in Easter treats

18/04/2019

With supermarket shelves brimming with hot cross buns as early as January, LiveLighter is reminding Victorians to make sure an Easter ‘treat’ doesn’t become an everyday habit.

LiveLighter’s analysis reveals just how much extra energy you’d consumer by replacing a healthy breakfast with two hot cross buns each day, from the beginning of January until the Easter long weekend.

LiveLighter’s Campaign Manager and Dietitian Alice Bastable said that with hot cross buns arriving earlier each year it’s making resisting temptation harder.

“It feels like Easter treats arrive earlier every year. The mince pies have barely been cleared away and already hot cross buns are filling supermarket shelves.”

Replacing a balanced breakfast of cereal and fruit[1] with two hot cross buns[2] every day would equate to an extra 130,790 kilojoules – that’s an extra 15 days’ worth of energy[3].

LiveLighter also calculated how much extra sugar and saturated fat you’d consume with this doughy diet. This adds up to an extra 150 teaspoons of sugar and 1210g of saturated fat in your diet.

You’d have to do 93 hours of extra walking to burn that off – or around 280 Easter egg hunts[4]!

Even if you only ate one of these treats every other day that’s still an extra 64,900 kilojoules[5].

“People may not realise just how much sugar and saturated fat is in one hot cross bun. Though you may want to indulge in these doughy delights over the Easter period, with 110 days between 1 January and Easter this year, all that additional fat and sugar quickly adds up,” Ms Bastable said.

She urged people to think twice before adding hot cross buns to their weekly shop and save these sweets for an Easter treat.   

“One buttered hot cross bun² contains more than four teaspoons of sugar and 6g of saturated fat. That’s six times more saturated fat than a fun sized Mars Bar and almost twice as much sugar, and almost four times more energy. Even more sugar and fat if people choose the flavoured varieties.”

“You wouldn’t eat three fun sized Mars Bars for breakfast, so we’re hoping that if people understand just how much energy is in these buns it will make it easier to stick to healthier habits,” Ms Bastable said.

Looking for an indulgent yet healthy snack to curb that craving for a hot cross bun? Why not substitute these for home-made healthier alternatives.

• LiveLighter’s apple pudding with cinnamon custard is a great way to get in an Easter treat, without all the added fat and sugar.
• LiveLighter’s currant carrot loaf will hit the spot and help you hit your two and five.
• Not sure what your’e craving? LiveLighter’s choose your own adventure muffins are packed full of goodness and allow creativity and flexibility.

LiveLighter’s analysis of hot cross buns

	Traditional hot cross bun (90g) with 1 teaspoon of butter (5g)	Chocolate Hot cross bun (80g) with 1 teaspoon of butter (5g)	Apple and cinnamon hot cross buns (90g) with 1 teaspoon of butter (5g)	Fun sized mars bar (18g)
Energy (kj)	1180	1250	1290	324
Fat (g)	10	12.6	9.9	3
Saturated Fat (g)	6g	7.5	6.4	1
Carbohydrates	39.1	38.4	47	13
Total Sugars  (g)	16.7	16g	16.2	10
Total Sugars (teaspoons)	4.2	4	4.1	2.5

[1] LiveLighter calculated a healthy breakfast of cereal and fruit as two weetbix with ½ cup reduced fat milk and one medium banana.

[2] Analysis based on Coles traditional fruit hot cross buns with one teaspoon of butter.

[3] Energy based on an average 8,700kjs a day for an Australian adult.

[4] Based on 20 minutes of walking per Easter Egg hunt.

[5] Based on Coles traditional fruit hot cross buns with one teaspoon of butter.