Pizzas are made up of four main ingredients which are the crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings. They are no doubt delicious and satisfying. It is a go-to food not only for kids, but also teenagers, young adults, and even our grandparents. It is rewarding as we eat and we crave them. But are they also healthy? – Maybe, maybe not.
Most pizzas specifically from fast-food chains, frozen pizzas, and ready to buy pizzas are loaded with carbohydrates, high sodium, and fats. Though we need sodium, fats, and carbohydrates for our body, consuming them in excess can put our health in danger.
If you are someone who takes good care of his health, or someone who is experiencing bad health and does not want to get sick again, you might be wondering if there is anything healthy in pizza. What are the bad carbs and good carbs? How do they affect your body?
The Bad
Carbs
Foods that contain high amounts of fibre are good carbohydrates. The starches it contains require more time to break down to glucose that fuels us throughout the day.
On the other hand, the bad carbs come from sugar and refined carbohydrates. The flour used in pizzas is refined which means that the bran that contains vitamin B and fibre, and the germ containing vitamin B, proteins, and healthy fats are removed from the grain.
Not having them in your diet not only makes it less nutritious but also dangerous to your health. These bad carbs cause fluctuations in blood sugar from its rapid digestion which can lead to type 2 diabetes, obesity, inflammation, and many more.
Sodium
Now, let’s not forget about the sodium content. It is recommended to take no more than 2,300mg of sodium a day. But most of the foods we eat these days are processed. We easily surpass the daily limits of sodium. One food that contains a lot of it is our favourite – the pizza.
We can’t deny that it is loaded with delicious cheese and sweet crispy dough. But keep in mind that it also has tons of salt. The toppings include processed and salty preserved foods like sausage, hotdog, ham, bacon, pineapple, pepperoni, and other canned goods.
Fats
On top of that, it also contains fats – saturated and trans fats. Trans fats and artificially saturated fats coupled with the excess of sodium negatively impacts our health. It leads to changes in metabolism, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, obesity, and loads of other complications.
The Good
The good news is that you are not limited to buying pizza from outside. You can also make it at home which gives you more options to choose your own ingredients. Whole wheat flour is also readily available in the market which is a better option for making pizza crusts.
It still contains all the essential nutrients. You can also have fresh vegetables, herbs, and crops for your toppings. Ingredients like peppers, mushroom, basil, coriander, oregano, onion, pumpkin, and nuts can make your pizza healthier and colourful.
Bottom Line
Making a pizza healthy is no difficult feat. You can choose low-fat cheeses like mozzarella, cottage cheese or reduced-fat cheeses. Have some chicken, anchovies, lobster and maybe throw in a little bit of tuna for a healthier pizza. Remember that as long as it is in moderation, there is a bigger chance that you can keep yourself healthy. If you intend to make pizza at home, check here for a conveyor pizza oven for sale used.
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