Mmm… pizza. It’s many people’s favorite meal, and for obvious reasons. With that crusty dough, hot, melted cheese topped with a variety of appropriate pizza toppings, who couldn’t resist? But at nearly 300 whopping calories a slice, enjoying one piece, or two, or three may come at a hefty price.
There are ways to have your pizza and eat it too, so to speak. Check out these six ways to put the healthy in pizza. Your waistline will thank you.
Whole Grain Crust
Whole grain crust cuts down on calories and processed nutrient-depleted wheat. Eating whole grain crust means you’re enjoying pizza full of fiber, iron, and various vitamins such as Vitamin B. Better yet,choose thin crust instead of the standard thick crust we all enjoy so much.
Choose Lean Meat
It may seem tough at first, but choosing leaner meats such as turkey, turkey sausage, turkey pepperoni will go a long way in cutting down the fat content of your pizza. Lean ham is another healthy alternative when you want to slim down your pizza. This means a less calories per slice for you, and maybe even room for an extra slice.
Go Veggie
If you’re really serious about going healthy with your pizza and flatbread, do a total swap of meat for vegetables. Pile on enough veggies and you won’t even notice the fat filled meat is gone. Spinach, peppers, onions, olives, mushrooms, etc. are full of flavor that you may find pleasantly surprising.
Light Cheese
Blessed cheese is such an integral part of pizza right? Well yes, yes it is. We aren’t saying you have to get rid of the cheese. Instead, try using a lighter version will give you the same satisfaction at a lighter price in calories and fat. Also consider trying lighter cheeses than mozzarella, such as provolone or low-fat parmesan. If you’re dining out, just ask your server to go light on the cheese.
Watch your Portions
No doubt we live in a country that loves its huge portions, and pizza is no exception. Most of us order large or extra large pizzas banking on the expectation that we’ll enjoy leftovers for the next day or two. But, if you want to enjoy pizza in a healthier way, try ordering smaller. If you’re used to eating four slices, try two this time. Eat it more slowly and be mindful of the experience instead of chomping it down like most of us do. Consider eating it with a side salad to supply some healthy filler food.
Towel Off Your Slice
Have you ever noticed someone blotting down their pizza with paper napkins in the next booth over? Yeah, it may seem strange, but they’re actually making that slice a lot healthier by removing a layer of liquid fat laying around on the pizza surface.
Sure, it’s better to eat healthier pizza in the first place by following all of the suggestions above. But, sometimes you just find yourself with a carton of pizza before you and no dinner alternatives. So get your napkins out and blot away.
Everytime I think of flatbread pizza or discovering new places to eat near me, Urban8 food courts pop up on my mind. I highly suggest you to check out their new food court in The Colony Texas.
