THOMASVILLE — Americans have a love affair with pizza. Meat lovers, veggie lovers, Marguerite, barbecue — the varieties are unending.  The possibilities are incredible and the portability makes pizza one of the top choices for every type of party imaginable. It is a favorite with kids and adults alike. It can fit into any event and any celebration on any day of the week. But can pizza fit into a healthy diet that limits fat, saturated fat, sodium and excess calories? The answer could be possibly, sometimes, yes, not a chance, no way or absolutely not, depending on your slice of pizza. Any given slice could contain 150, or even 600 calories.  How healthy is your pie?  Look at how your pizza is built to determine its health status.

 Every pizza begins with flour, usually white flour, which provides a source of B vitamins. If making your own pizza at home, you could boost nutrients and fiber in the crust by adding some whole wheat flour to the mix. Ordering out? You may still find the occasional whole wheat crust option, but you can save an average of 30-120 calories by simply opting for a thin-crust pie. If you are a die-hard thick crust pizza lover, then hand tossed will save calories compared to pan pizza crust. It is most prudent, when thinking of health, to avoid the crust add-ons featured at many chain restaurants. Anything folded in, extras added or dipping sauces on the side will increase total fat and saturated fat, plus increase calories.

 The next scrumptious and important component of pizza is the cheese. The cheese provides a significant amount of protein and calcium. Plus, it is just plain tasty. However, too much of a good thing brings its own consequences, so avoid adding extra cheese as a topping.  Moderation is key and if you want to cut some fat and calories then you could consider ordering “half cheese.” That means asking them to use half as much cheese as they normally do. Some pizza places already add less cheese than others, so go to your favorite take-out joints web pages and compare their cheese pizza calories. By comparing their nutritional profile you can be more informed about your pizza choices.  

 Where the rubber really meets the road though, as far as pizza health goes, is how you top it off.  Popular meat toppings like sausage, hamburger and pepperoni are typically high-calorie choices that contain cholesterol-raising saturated fat.  Furthermore, sausage and pepperoni are highly processed which should be limited due to their link to colon cancer.  It is always a safe bet to avoid any pizza with “meat lover” in the title. Compared to an all vegetable pizza, each slice of a meat-lovers special contains an additional 100 to 150 calories per slice.

 Instead, top your pizza with ingredients that maximize nutrition. Be creative with toppings like broccoli, pineapple and artichoke hearts, and keep it tasty and interesting with bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and onions. Vegetables will give your pizza a flavor boost, but will not provide enough vegetables to make up a whole serving. So to ensure you get your vegetable quota for the day, pair your pizza with a side salad. The accompanying salad will serve duel purposes by giving you more of a vegetable serving and may also help you cut calories by filling you up enough so that you don’t give in to the urge for an extra slice of pizza. 

By watching the type of pizza crust, the amount of cheese, and the toppings will get you closer to a healthier pizza. But the size of your slice is also important. Those extra few “harmless” slices could end up adding gobs of calories even if you’ve made the necessary healthy adjustments. Not all slices are created equal. A slice from a small or medium size pizza will provide less calories than a slice from a large pizza because the slices are smaller. So take those bigger slices and cut them in half again. No matter the size of the slice, we tend to finish eating our pizza slice even if we are full. It is also helpful to remember the old saying, out of sight, out of mind.  Take out the pieces you want and put the rest away.  Pizza is one of those meals that can be adjusted to provide variety and is easy to make healthier.  Be adventurous with your toppings, make healthy alterations and enjoy a slice of pizza pie!

 

Crumpacker is a registered dietitian at for Archbold Memorial Hospital. Contact her with  your nutrition questions at rd@gonutritious.com.