According to the pharmacist, the time of day matters too: “It’s usual to crack open an Easter egg in the evening and enjoy it in front of the TV with the family, but there are increased risks when they are eaten late at night.”

As he explains, eating sugar and carbohydrates late in the day is the worst for your health. It forces the body to produce a big insulin spike and the sugar spike lasts longer.

Blood sugar spikes can cause headaches, dizziness and blurred vision, warns the NHS.

“Eventually the excess sugar is dragged from the bloodstream into the liver where it is processed into fat and then stuffed into your over-full fat cells. Next step? Diabetes,” Phillips warned.

According to the NHS, adults should have no more than 30g of free sugars (any sugar added to food such as chocolate) a day, which equates to roughly seven sugar cubes.

However, a Diabetes UK chart based on 2023 data shows that the average Easter egg contains more than half of the daily limit. A Lindt Gold Bunny Milk Chocolate contains 54g of sugar – almost double the daily limit.

This can cause a cascade of health problems. As the pharmacist explains, a diet high in sugar, carbs and processed foods which spike your blood sugars can lead to permanently raised insulin levels, also known as insulin resistance.

This complication is common in people with metabolic syndrome – a cluster of conditions that increase your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and dementia.

The sugar content is not the only hidden health risk: Easter eggs are also loaded with carbs.