Whether you like a thin-crust New York style, Chicago deep-dish or sauce-topped Detroit style, most people have a preferred pizza style and toppings. It is a dish that is popular around the world to the point that several major cities have their own unique take when it comes to pizza.
Despite its mass appeal, many believe that pizza is generally unhealthy, however this has changed over the years.
With the right ingredients, pizza is a great source for energy, muscle growth, and hair and skin maintenance. It may not be a super food, however it is easy to eliminate some of its unhealthy aspects.
The dough
To start off, the crust of the pizza can be a serious deal breaker. Traditional dough doesn’t contain a lot of fiber, making it one of pizza’s weak points when it comes to nutritional value.
An article published by the British Food Journal shares that whole wheat and multi-grain flour are great alternatives to white flour-based doughs.
Multi-grains are not the only alternative as several other grains as well as vegetable-based crusts have grown in popularity in recent years.
Pita and Naan offer a similar texture to dough, without the greasy feel. The ever popular cauliflower crust is not only gluten-free and low-carb, it also helps get in an extra serving of veggies.
The sauce
Tomato sauce is a very traditional part of many pizzas and is packed with several health benefits.
Tomatoes contain an antioxidant known as lycopene, which helps protect cells from free radicals, or unstable molecules. This process allows cells to last longer and can sometimes even help prevent cancer, as well as other diseases such as Alzheimer’s and heart disease.
There are many pizzas that do not use tomato sauce, substituting olive oil, barbeque sauce, mornay and other sauces.
It is common to hear that these can be healthy alternatives, however that is not always the case. Mornay can be heavy due to the heavy cream and cheese used and some barbeque sauces are full of sugar. Olive oil is known to improve heart and bone health, but is meant to be consumed in moderation.
A whole pizza pie already requires around 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to make, and swapping out the tomato sauce for olive oil would add even more. Some oils are high in calories and cholesterol, meaning they can have negative effects when too much is consumed.
Tomato sauce remains the healthiest option when it comes to sauce for pizza.
The cheese
While sauces may come and go, cheese is something you find on almost every pizza. It can even stand alone as the last part of your pie.
Plain cheese pizza has many nutritional benefits, especially when it is topped with mozzarella.
Not only does it melt easily, a 12-inch pizza has enough cheese to provide more than 20 grams of protein from the cheese alone.
“Mozzarella cheese provides mild flavour, visual appeal and characteristic texture when melted on the surface of a pizza,” according to food researchers Dr. Preeti Singh and Dr. G.K. Goyal. “Mozzarella melts smoothly and browns nicely when baked. The melted cheese is very elastic and is very stretchy and stringy, contributing to the sensory appeal and ‘fun factor.’”
Low in sodium and high in calcium, it is the ideal cheese for any pizza, and yet there are still more ways to integrate cheese.
Many pizzas use more than one type of cheese, such as parmesan and ricotta. While not as healthy as mozzarella, they do have their own unique benefits.
Parmesan, for example, is a great low-lactose option and known for improving bone health and blood pressure. Adding parmesan will add 11 grams of protein per ounce, making it a great addition to the mozzarella.
The toppings
Toppings are an important part of any pizza. While some are viewed as essential ingredients to making a good pizza, there are others that garner strong opinions.
Many people associate pizza with meat, however there are a lot of fruits and vegetables that are popular pizza toppings.
Pineapple is one infamous example, however despite people’s opposing opinions of it, there are many nutritional benefits to adding it to your diet.
It has an exclusive enzyme known as bromelin which can help with swelling and breaking down proteins, making it a unique, yet beneficial topping for pizza.
While pineapple on pizza may not be for everyone, there are plenty of other popular fruit and vegetable toppings such as mushrooms, peppers and tomatoes that are all very delicious additions to pizza that also make it healthier.
The addition of proteins, such as meats, can also improve nutritional aspects of your pie as well as make it more filling. Be careful with ones you choose though as many of the most popular meats are not all that healthful for you.
Pepperoni and sausage have limited amounts of protein, while also containing high doses of sodium and saturated fats. They are processed, red meats that do not have a lot of nutritional value.
Unfortunately, according to a study published by the University of Cambridge, roughly one third of the processed meats used on pizzas are cold cuts and cured meats.
Anchovies are packed with selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. Chicken and tilapia are also great options that have more protein and less fats than pepperoni and sausage.
Elliot Fryman is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
