Pizza : the italian masterpiece of food. The smell from the oven, the gooey cheeses, the unbelievable sauces, the extra toppings, and the crunchy sound as you bite into the triangular shaped mouthful of goodness. We crave it, we eat it, and we LOVE it. But, pizza is not always the healthiest choice – or is it ?!? Many think that pizza may be an unhealthy choice, but it is really about what you put on the pizza that makes it a healthy or unhealthy choice. So, how can we still have this delicious meal and still feel good about our eating habits ? There is a way, and fitness.com will show you the way to eating pizza right.
Here are some easy steps to remember :
1. Easy on the Cheese Please ! This is probably the most unhealthy item we find on pizza, so avoid going overboard. Surprisingly cheese on pizza can be good for you in moderation. Try sticking to a single layer if you are a cheese lover, and avoid having cheese stuffed into every possible location of your pizza wedges. A study done by the Journal Obesity Research showed that women and men that cut down on calories but added dairy selections high in calcium to their diets lost 70% more weight over a period of 24 months than those that dieted.
2. Chose your toppings wisely ! Pepperoni the least healthy meat topping you can get on your pizza, so avoid whenever possible. Even replacing your peperoni with bacon is a healthier choice. Another good alternative to peperoni is turkey peperoni. The best toppings to chose are veggies, so even if you are craving meat, order a veggie pizza and add your favorite meat topping. This is a much healthier solution.
3. Thin whole wheat crusts ! Thinner crusts have lesser calories, and whole wheat crusts are full of fiber. The fiber will fill you up quicker and keep you from eating a whole pizza to yourself. Fiber also keeps your digestive system healthy and can reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke.
4. A lot of Sauce ! Pile on the sauce as much as you like ! Even order extra for dipping ! The healthiest part of regular pizza is the tomato sauce so keep loading it on ! Tomato sauce is a great source of Vitamin C, and can help reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men.
5. Order a side with your pizza. Ordering a side salad with your pizza will force you to eat your veggies, and fill you up before you indulge in delicious gooeyness. A salad with as many colors and vegetables along with a lean dressing will make sure your meal is complete.
6. Making your own pizza ? If you are making a pizza at home try to plan ahead and prepare the dough a day before. Then, the next day put on an apron and crank up that oven ! Your oven will never get as hot as a pizzeria oven, so cranking it to the max will give you the thinnest crunchiest crust on your pizza. Also, use a pizza stone to bake your pizzas in. It is the best way to let the heat get to the dough.
7. Enjoy your healthy pizza !!!!!!!!!
Eating Pizza the Right Way
