Curry overtakes Marmite as the food Britain both loves and hates

Marmite is the seventh most hated food in Britain and the 74th most loved

Curry is supposedly controversial because of its spicy nature (Paul Winch-Furness)

Curry has replaced Marmite as the food that is most loved and hated by British people.

In a survey of 5,000 British people exploring the nation's favourite foods, the BBC Good Food magazine found curry was named fifth in a list of items in food heaven and fourth in a list of food hell.

Food Heaven Top 10

1. Chicken
2. Pasta
3. Cheese
4. Pizza
5. Curry
6. Chocolate
7. Bread
8. Fish
9. Potatoes
10. Steak

At the top of food heaven is chicken, followed by pasta, cheese, pizza and then curry, which knocked chocolate out of the top five this year.

Marmite, while being the seventh most hated food, was the 74th most loved.

Food heaven is filled with chicken, followed by pasta, cheese, pizza, then curry, which knocked chocolate out of the top five.

Food hell contains liver, fish, Brussels sprouts, curry and mushrooms.

Food Hell Top 10

1. Liver
2. Fish
3. Brussels sprouts
4. Curry
5. Mushrooms
6. Pasta
7. Marmite
8. Tripe
9. Celery
10. Offal

Christine Hayes of BBC Good Food said: “Curry has long been a key part of our national cuisine but as our survey reveals the love is not universal, in fact quite the opposite.

“The spicy nature can put off Brits with more sensitive stomachs and we can exclusively reveal it divides opinion more than Marmite.

“When it comes to our turn to foods when feeling down men grab bacon, while women turn to chicken soup.”