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Pizza sort of sounds like a cheat day food, but at its essence it can actually be a totally healthy meal option. It just depends on what you use to make it. Think about it, even a salad can be a fattening meal, we just have to make good choices. Here are some easy ways to give your pizza health makeover.

First off, there are a lot of options when it comes to dough. Instead of a normal pizza dough you might want to switch to a whole wheat version to get some added fiber and give it a better glycemic rating so it doesn’t raise your blood sugar too much. Even better, switch to a cauliflower crust which will increase the fiber even more while cutting out a ton of carbs. Plus, it’s extremely tasty. (Trust us.) Whole wheat tortillas can also be a good option when you’re in the mood for a very thin crust pizza.

When it comes to pizza sauce, a lot of the store bought varieties tend to be pretty high in sugar so you might want to think about making your own. You can also skip the sauce entirely to really cut some excess calories and just layer on some tomatoes instead. Salsa, pesto , and hummus are also great options to spread on in lieu of the traditional sauce, as are refried beans, mashed black beans, or even a puree of carrots.

For cheeses, sometimes you might want to switch to a part skim ricotta cheese which will give a real creamy vibe without adding a lot of fat. Parmesan sprinkled on pizza is another way to get plenty of cheese flavor punch without overdoing it with shredded cheese.

When it comes to toppings lean protein and veggies should be king. Pretty any type of vegetable is going to be delicious when roasted on a hot pizza, so think outside of the box and don’t be afraid to really pile them on. Vegetables are pretty much all low in calories and high in fiber which means they are going to fill you up. Do keep it mind that wet veggies can make for a soggy pizza though, so do what you can to dry them out before you put them on the pizza. You can also try toasting the crust before you put the toppings on to cook the pizza which can help.

Skip the pepperoni and sausage and instead go for turkey versions to cut fat, or even throw on bite sized pieces of chicken breast. Eggs are also possible on pizza. Don’t forget seafood like lean shrimp or even crumbled salmon either. Even things like walnuts can be used as a protein boost on a pizza. You can also go meat free and use hearty roasted sweet potatoes or grilled tofu.

The options are pretty much endless with pizza since it’s a build from scratch operation, so pretty much any health options can work their way into a pizza recipe as well.

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