Pizza Done the Healthy Way

If you are starting to watch your weight but are having a very difficult time giving up some of your favorite foods like pizzas, you are probably not alone, and you really do not need to give it up. Just like many other foods, there are healthy options as you look at making them. As you try to formulate a healthy one, take into consideration your crust, sauce, and the toppings. You will be surprised at how delicious your healthy pizzas will be.

The crust is a very important part of a pizza, but if you are trying to watch your carbohydrate intake and fat intake, it is a mistake to keep eating your favorite buttery, deep dish crust or your cheese stuffed one, or even your average crust made with white flour. The crust in the first two have a lot of fat and carbohydrates, and the latter one will just provide a lot of carbohydrates. An alternative to these less healthy crusts is to ask at a restaurant if they have a whole wheat crust and if they can make it a thin crust. This will still have carbohydrates, but they will be much healthier. Just ordering a thinner crust will help if the restaurant does not have a whole wheat one. If you make pizzas at home, you can try making a thinner crust with whole wheat flour, or you can make personal pizzas using whole wheat flour tortilla shells. Make sure to compare the carbohydrates and calories as you choose what you would like to use, because it will vary between brands.

The sauce is another important part of a pizza that you can make somewhat healthier than it already is. If you go to a restaurant, it probably is not worth worrying too much about the sauce, except you could just ask them to go light on it. If you are at home and make your own sauce, you could just add a little less sugar than normal, and that would cut some calories.

When it comes to your toppings, they can either make or break you. Cheese is major calorie filler, but not many people really want pizza without cheese, so you need to think of what the healthiest option might be. If you enjoy Feta cheese, then it is a good alternative to many of the other cheeses that you might put on a pizza. You could even mix it with a bit of mozzarella. Cheddar cheese is actually higher in calorie than mozzarella, so you would be smart not to add that to the mix or parmesan because it is also higher in calories. Cheese is a wonderful topping, but if you are making or buying healthy pizzas, why not add some healthy toppings like vegetables? Spinach is a healthy option, as are various peppers. Olives are a fairly high calorie food that you might want to stay away from if you want to cut back on calories. Green and black are not quite as high as Kalamata.

You will feel much better about your diet when you make or order a healthier pizza. It may take some getting used to when you begin eating healthy, because those unhealthy ingredients can be addicting. You will soon realize that a healthy taste is a good one too.