Is Pizza Healthy?

For some reason this question has popped into my head now and then.  I can remember asking my Mother many times whether or not it was healthy, but I don’t think I ever really got a clear answer. The people over at helium seem to think it is.

I could be wrong but I think the general consensus is that pizza is a fast food and generally not good for you?  Maybe that is what the consensus is, I really don’t know for sure.

Definitely I would say though that if I had to choose between a cheeseburger and french fries and pizza, that pizza would win hands down as the healthier option.

Of course everything is relative and probably the factors that go into making a pizza will determine how healthy or unhealthy it really is in the final analysis.

I mean pizza is basically just bread and sauce and cheese.  So there you are getting your dairy group, grains, and veggies in the form of the sauce. Tomato sauce is pretty healthy and has an anti cancer nutrient in it called lycopene which acts as an antioxidant. If you eat whole grain crust you will get some fiber and the flour itself has many B vitamins.  The cheese would be a good source of calcium.

But the magic of pizza is of course in the toppings, so the ones you choose will make it more or less healthy.

But to keep fat and calories low go with the following toppings:

• Artichoke hearts
• Bell peppers
• Broccoli or cauliflower
• Canadian bacon or lean ham
• Mushroom, tomato or zucchini slices
• Spinach and onion
• Pineapple slices.

So I think the verdict is that yes pizza is a healthy food option to have once in a while as long as the portion sizes are kept in check and the toppings are carefully chosen. Simple enough eh?