Almost everyone loves pizza for its taste, texture, and versatility, but it comes with a major downside: it’s not very good for us. Is there a way to make pizza healthy? Or at least mitigate some of the negative health aspects?
The Dubious Nature of “Healthy”
The concept of healthy food is notoriously complex. It’s hard to definitively describe any one type of food, or even any one ingredient, as singularly “healthy” or “unhealthy.” Our body is a complex machine that needs an optimal balance of macronutrients, and ample micronutrients, to function properly. The foods we eat typically contain diverse mixtures of macronutrients and micronutrients, making even “unhealthy” foods reasonable in small doses.
Accordingly, it’s arguably unfair to label pizza as an unhealthy food by default. But it does have some unhealthy problems typically associated with it.
For example, pizza is typically high in carbohydrates and fats; while these nutrients are vital for our existence, they can be problematic in high quantities. Additionally, pizza is usually calorie dense, making it easier for us to overeat this indulgence.
To make matters worse, many types of pizzas don’t have fruits or vegetables, making them a somewhat “empty” food in terms of nutrients.
So how can we correct these issues and make pizza healthier?
How to Make Your Pizza Healthier
These are some of the best strategies for making your next pizza healthier:
- Cook at home. When you order a pizza from a restaurant, you have no real way of knowing what ingredients are in it or how it was made. In an effort to make their pizza tastier and more appealing to customers, many pizza shops use poor balances of unhealthy ingredients, and you have little to no control over how those ingredients are used. Because of this, you can instantly make your pizza healthier by cooking it at home. An outdoor pizza oven is probably your best option, but if you can’t afford one or don’t have room for one, you can always make a pizza in your traditional oven.
- Choose a sauce with low sugar. When creating your pizza from scratch, choose a pizza sauce that’s low in sugar. Pizza sauce manufacturers often add significant amounts of sugar to sweeten the flavor; however, it’s arguable whether this truly makes the sauce tastier. In fact, some people specifically prefer sauce that is less sweet – and it’s always a good move to reduce the sugar in your diet.
- Pick a whole grain crust. Similarly, you can enrich the flavor of your pizza while reducing simple carbohydrate concentrations by choosing a whole grain crust over a white crust.
- Keep the crust thin. Thicker crust has lots of advantages, and some people strongly prefer it over thin crust. However, thin crust has fewer calories and fewer carbohydrates, making it a more ideal choice if you’re trying to eat healthier.
- Add lots of veggies. When making your homemade pizza, or when ordering a pizza from a restaurant, add lots of different vegetables. The tomatoes in pizza sauce are there by default, but if you want access to a more diverse assortment of nutrients, consider adding peppers, mushrooms, and even more exotic vegetable choices like broccoli.
- Prioritize lean meat toppings. Pepperoni and sausage are staples for most pizza lovers, but they tend to be fatty, high-calorie meats. You’re better off prioritizing lean meat toppings, like grilled chicken or shrimp.
- Use spices to add flavor. Many mainstream pizza joints use fatty ingredients to make their pizzas more delicious. It’s not hard to see why; human beings are wired to taste fat as delicious. But instead of adding extra butter to the crust, use herbs and spices to add more flavor.
- Consider lighter cheese. Cheese is at the heart of most pizzas, but it can be unhealthy in large quantities. Consider using a lighter cheese, or using a smaller quantity of cheese, to make your pizza fitter.
- Prepare complementary sides. If you want to create healthier meals, consider pairing complementary sides with your pizza. For example, you can serve pizza with salad or raw vegetables with dip.
- Serve smaller portion sizes. Finally, consider serving your pizza in smaller portions; eat one or two small slices instead of three or four big ones. It can give you the full pizza experience while also allowing you to cut back on unnecessary calories.
Human health is a complex topic, as is nutritional science. But it’s easy to argue that broccoli is better for you than pepperoni, and it’s easy to argue that a homemade, thoughtfully made pizza is better for you than a random pizza you bought from a chain – or even a local pizza place.
With these strategies in place, you can make your pizza healthier, more nutritious, and probably more delicious at the same time.
Disclaimer: This content does not necessarily represent the views of IWB.