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We all wish we could eat pizza at every meal, but overconsuming pizza can lead to diseases like heart disease and high blood pressure because of its high fat and sodium content.
Pizza is not only delicious but can also be a healthy meal choice when thought is put into its preparation. Though many frozen and fast-food varieties tend to be high in calories, fat, sodium and other unhealthy ingredients, pizza can be made healthier.
While pizza can be healthy if you make it the right way, most of the pizza you buy counts as junk food because of the high amount of refined carbohydrates, fat and sodium it contains.
In order to identify the unhealthiest pizza slices, we compiled a list of the most caloric slices from some of the most popular pizza chains. The pizza slices with the most calories, in most cases, also have the highest total fat, saturated fat, and sodium contents as well.
What are the antioxidants in pizza?
Antioxidants. Pizza usually has a layer of tomato sauce. Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants such as lycopene, folate, beta-carotene, potassium, vitamin C, flavonoids, and vitamin E . Tomato juice, sauce, and paste have higher amounts of lycopene than raw or uncooked tomatoes.
5. Vitamins and Minerals. Pizza may contain vitamins and minerals such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, phosphorus, calcium, and selenium depending on the toppings you choose.
One pizza slice contains 34 grams of carbs of which four grams are sugar, and two grams is fiber. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, carbohydrates should form 45 to 65% of your total daily calorie intake. However, to stay healthy, you should choose the right carbs.
Pizza contains 12 grams of proteins per slice. The cheese used in pizza is considered a complete source of protein. It contains all the essential amino acids needed for building muscles and repairing tissues. A cup of shredded mozzarella cheese contains 25 grams of proteins.
Fats. The total fat content in a slice of pizza is 10 gram s, which includes four grams of saturated fats. It also contains 22 milligrams of cholesterol. The cholesterol content will vary with the toppings, cheese, and sauces used. 3.
A slice of regular crust pizza with cheese contains 272 calories. It contains high levels of sodium, about 551 milligrams. The calorie and nutrient content will vary depending on the base, the amount of cheese used, and toppings. Let’s take a look at some nutrients that may be present in a pizza. 1.
A slice of pizza provides 23% of sodium, but the same serving of pepperoni pizza provides 33% of the recommended daily intake. 3. High Glycemic Index. The refined flour used to make the pizza base has a high glycemic index due to the absence of fiber.
Why do I feel like eating pizza?
Due to its taste, you will feel like eating more and more pizzas in your life and in the long term, that very habit increases the risk of obesity, high BP, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risks.
The cheese used on the pizza may raise the risk of heart issues and cholesterol issues. And if you go for a non-vegetarian pizza, the fat content in it increases.
Firstly, what is pizza made up of? Well, refined flour. We all know why refined flour is bad. All the minerals, vitamins and fibre content in it is lost during the refining process. Also, refined flour may increase belly fat.
What macronutrients do you not need to eat?
What you probably didn’t know is that the only macronutrient you don’t have to eat is carbs. There’s no essential building block in carbohydrates that the body can’t make. That’s right — while some cells in your body require glucose to function properly, you don’t need to supply that by eating carbs.
The “original” crust of a large Papa John’s pizza has: 34 grams of carbs (including 3 grams of sugar) 5 grams of protein. 2.5 grams of fat. The ingredients of the crust include unbleached enriched wheat flour, water, sugar, soybean oil, salt and yeast.
The problem is that high heat and chemicals destroy the delicate molecular structures of the fatty acids in those oils , making them inflammatory. Additionally, most vegetable and seed oils contain a lot of omega-6 and not enough omega-3 to counter the effects of the inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids.
The human body needs fat to function. And because the body can’t make its own fat, you have to obtain it through food. Fat is made up of fatty acids, and many of them are essential.
Much like pizza from restaurants, homemade pizza can be healthier or healthy, depending on the ingredients you pick. If you choose to stick with healthy oils and organic vegetables, then your homemade pizza is definitely a step in the right direction.
As you can see, the pizza consists of almost 70% of the one macronutrient (carbohydrates) that the body doesn’t need. Excess carb intake is one of the two major contributing factors (besides chronic inflammation) to most metabolic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, cancer, stroke, Alzheimer’s and heart disease.
Based on everything we’ve learned about the ingredients of a standard pizza from one of America’s major pizza chains, it’s safe to conclude that pizza isn’t particularly healthy. In fact, eating pizza results in a massive insulin spike that shifts your pancreas and insulin production into overdrive.
How to make pizza healthier?
Here are some other easy ways to make pizza healthier: 1 Pile on veggies: Top homemade or takeout pizza with cooked or fresh vegetables to boost the fiber, vitamin, mineral and antioxidant content of your meal. 2 Avoid processed meats: Swap processed meats like pepperoni and bacon for a healthier source of protein like grilled chicken. 3 Go for whole-grain: Opt for whole-grain crusts to increase fiber content. 4 Choose sauce with no added sugar: Choose brands that contain no added sugar to keep sugar content to a minimum. 5 Avoid higher-calorie options: Order thin crust over deep-dish or stuffed crust options to keep your overall calorie and carb intake under control. 6 Cut smaller slices: When cutting yourself a slice of pizza, consider portion control and avoid super-sized servings. 7 Try different recipes: Try out veggie and grain-based recipes that use ingredients like portabella mushrooms, cauliflower and quinoa to create nutritious crusts.
Whether you’re consuming a freshly made pizza or a pre-made slice, practicing portion control is an excellent way to prevent excess calorie intake. When ordering takeout pizza, serve yourself a portion and make a point to eat from a plate, not out of the box.
In fact, one serving (1/4 pizza) of Red Baron Barbecue Chicken pizza contains a whopping 21 grams (4 teaspoons) of sugar ( 8 ). ). What’s more, choosing stuffed crust or deep-dish pizzas will increase the carb and overall calorie content of your slice.
Pile on veggies: Top homemade or takeout pizza with cooked or fresh vegetables to boost the fiber, vitamin, mineral and antioxidant content of your meal. Avoid processed meats: Swap processed meats like pepperoni and bacon for a healthier source of protein like grilled chicken.
Traditional style pizza is a relatively simple food, made with flour, yeast, water, salt, oil, tomato sauce and fresh cheese. Pizza made from scratch using these limited ingredients can be quite healthy.
Though the nutrition content of pizzeria pizza is not always listed, some pizzeria chains do make nutrition information available to consumers. Freshly made pizzas often contain healthier ingredients than the more processed ones sold in convenience stores and fast-food restaurants.
Practice Portion Control. Overeating any food — whether a healthy choice or not — can contribute to weight gain. That’s why practicing portion control is critical for overall health. It’s especially important when enjoying foods that can be easily overeaten, such as ice cream, bread, cake and pizza.
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