Who doesn’t love a slice of pizza? With the average slice of pepperoni pizza having close to 300 calories, we asked Gold’s Gym Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Kritikaa Agnani, to share her tips on how to make a healthy pizza.
5 Tips To Making A Healthy Pizza
1. Load up on veggies
Experiment with different kinds of vegetable combinations like broccoli and mushrooms, spinach and cauliflower, or bell peppers. The more, the better! The extra veggies will provide fiber and antioxidants – your body will be thanking you later.
2. Go light on the cheese (or none at all)
We all know that cheese is the best part of a pizza but can also make it quite calorific and high in saturated fat. Research shows that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats has a positive effect on our health- so try opting for a vegan cheese like Go Veggie – Mexican Style Shreds – which has only half a gram of saturated fat & 6 grams unsaturated, compared with regular shredded cheese which provides a whopping 5 grams of saturated fat per serving.
If you want to be super adventurous, try no cheese and load up on toppings such as vegetables or seasoning. Nutritional Yeast has a similar texture and flavor to Parmesan cheese and can put a healthy spin on your pizza!
3. Add lean meats or meatless options to your pizza
Try to avoid processed meats such as pepperoni & sausage which are known to cause colorectal cancer. Instead, opt for grilled chicken or a meatless Chorizo Seitan from Upton’s Naturals – a nutritious and filling high protein option!
4. Think outside of the crust
Whenever possible, use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour for your pizza dough for more fiber and B vitamins. Alternatively, you can make an egg-free, grain-free, and dairy-free crust with riced cauliflower, flax seeds, and almond flour to make it a healthy pizza.
5. Spice it up
Experiment with adding different herbs and spices like oregano, thyme, and chili flakes. For a nutty flavor and some omega 3’s, add hemp seeds as a topping.
While you’re feeling good, check out some more helpful nutrition posts:
Health Eats: Recipes for Dinner
Good Mood Food
Healthy Eats: Fajita Chickpea Taco Recipe
Your Guide to Healthy Dining Out
For Better Health, Eat Slow
