National Pizza Day!
February 9th is National Pizza Day, but many don’t need a national day to encourage pizza consumption. About 350 slices of pizza are sold per second in America. Pizza is the second most popular food in America, after burgers.
I am a mom to two active teenage boys. Even as a nutritionist, I can’t get away from occasional pizza nights in my own home. My goal with food is not to eliminate, but to health-ify traditional options.
Pizza tends to be a very calorie dense food item because of the ingredients, preparation method and the portion usually consumed but it is possible to take an American favorite food and make it healthier.
Why is pizza a calorie dense food item?
Crust – Pizza crust is traditionally made from refined flour which is high in carbohydrates. Some pizzas are made with deep dish crust or stuffed crust thereby increasing the calories even more.
Cheese – Cheese is rich in fat and calories, and pizza typically has a lot of it. Some pizza varieties are even “extra cheesy.”
Toppings – People enjoy a variety of toppings on their pizza including veggies which can be a lower calorie topping except these veggies may be cooked in oil adding more calories. Adding processed meats can increase the fat, calories and sodium content of the pizza.
Sauce – Tomato sauce itself is not high in calories, but many commercial sauces include added sugars and oil again increasing the overall calorie density of the pizza.
Portion Sizes: Because pizza tends to be lower in protein and fiber, it generally isn’t super filling and therefore it is an easy food to keep eating. Most people are not satisfied after only one slice and therefore it is the amount of pizza consumed that can really rake up the calorie amount.
How to Health-ify Pizza
- Turn Pizza into a pizza salad – I love the flavors of pizza – the basil, oregano, garlic, tomato sauce and veggies. You could include all these things and put it on a bed of lettuce. While I know many people argue that iceberg lettuce is not as nutritious of a lettuce, I would argue that iceberg lettuce is perfect for a pizza salad. It is crisp, mild, hydrating, making it an excellent base for all the herbs and veggies. Instead of using processed meats like salami or sausage, I will shred chicken breast which is lower in calories to put on my pizza salad.
- Make Pizza from home and use ingredient swaps – There are many great options for a healthier store-bought crust to consider. A cauliflower crust or chickpea crust will likely be gluten free and higher in fiber. A whole-wheat crust will be higher in fiber than the white crust alternative. You can even make your own crust from scratch and include some Greek yogurt to increase the protein. Choose a pizza sauce that is free of added sugars or even make your own pizza sauce using canned tomato paste and tomato sauce. Don’t forget to add basil, oregano, onion and garlic powder. Load your pizza up with all your favorite vegetables like green bell pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes, artichokes, olives, and red onion. Consider using a lower fat cheese and being conservative on the amount of cheese used. Increase the protein by including some shredded chicken, low fat ground turkey or turkey pepperoni.
- If eating pizza from a restaurant, consider ordering it with light cheese or even no cheese. Yes, a pizza with no cheese is still very delicious. Pick a pizza that uses red sauce instead of white sauce, as white sauce will be higher in fat and calories. You can get a thin crust to save calories and carbohydrates. Opt for one that is rich in veggies. While choosing pizza meat is really the only way to put protein on a pizza, I would opt to just pick one meat or even keep it vegetarian. While a vegetarian option would be low in protein, I prefer to limit the processed higher fat, higher sodium meats which are typical options at a pizza joint. I might instead choose to have a protein shake on the side or make some protein pudding for dessert after pizza to make up the protein elsewhere, if needed. There are lots of options and approaches here, just be mindful of how the ingredients stack up in the day.
- Another great option to limit portion size of pizza consumption, and therefore calories, is simply to fill up on a big salad first. One of the reasons that pizza can be so calorie dense is because it is a food that is easy to overconsume. Try to fill up on hydrating veggies first so that you are satiated with less slices of pizza.