Pizza is one of the most consumed junk foods over the world and has had hundreds of thousands of loyal fans, ranging from kids to teenagers to adults.
Why? It’s such an ideal choice for a fast yet tasted snack, served at every fast food restaurants. Both filling your stomach and boosting your energy at the same time, it’s definitely worth eating, right?
However, here is the point: while pizza can be delicious and healthy when made in the right way, most of the pizza you buy as junk food contains a high amount of calories, saturated fat and s124odium that are harmful to your health in the long term.
Keep reading to know how!
Nutrition facts of Pizza
A slice of a pizza chain 14’’ weighing approximately 111g packs 313 calories, 13g of fat (5.7g of saturated fat), 760mg of sodium, 28mg of cholesterol, 36g of carbohydrates (2.6g of dietary fiber and 3.6g of sugar), and 13g of protein, notes the USDA.
The same slice of a homemade pizza contains 240 calories, 5.4g of fat (2.2g of saturated fat), 172mg of sodium, 11mg of cholesterol, 39g of carbohydrates (2g of dietary fiber and 1.5g of sugar) and 8.8g of protein. Both of these kinds of pizza has vitamins and mineral like Vitamin A, Vitamin D, calcium and iron.
Some harmful side effect of Pizza
We cannot deny that pizza’s taste is good enough to satisfy the appetite of customers of different ages. But taking an excessive consumption of pizza in the long run can be bad for your health.
Obesity
Pizza and other fast foods are the first cause of obesity, especially in children aged 11 and under. The reason turn out to be simple: fast food pizza contains too much calories and fat.
Eating just a slice of a Pizza 14’’ and you absorb about 313 calories and 13g of fat that makes up 20% of the fat allowance in a 2,000-calorie diet. Imagining, when you take two or three more, what will happen?
Risk of heart disease
The saturated fat that is high in pizza can increase the risks of high cholesterol level and heart disease. A slice of fast-food pizza contains up to 5.7g of saturated fat, equivalent to 29% of the daily value for fat. Meanwhile, the daily intake recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA) is no more than five to six percent.
Increase blood pressure
Foods that contain a high amount of sodium can increase the level of blood pressure. Pizza is among one of them and provides up to 760mg of sodium per slice. So, be careful with your consumption of this most preferred food.
Type II diabetes
The refined flour used to make pizza crust is made of refined grains, of which the germ and bran have been removed. These grains do not supply much essential fiber, vitamins and minerals as it supposed to do. Eating them can increase the risk of abdominal fat, one of the main causes of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and breast cancer.
How to eat pizza and still get in shape
The answer is nothing than eat less but better pizza. If you are a big fan of pizza, you should make pizza right in your kitchen. A homemade pizza is much healthier than the chain one because you can control the ingredients while cooking.
First, make the pizza crust with flour of whole grain to maintain necessary vitamins and minerals in it. Second, spread the base with low-fat cheese, less sausage and extra vegetables. Finally, choose tomato-based sauce that is low in sodium.
In addition, because pizza is just a snack, you could definitely eat apples, salad from vegetable or fruit and yogurt. These foods are not only good for your health but also fill your stomach.
Eating pizza is not bad itself but how much you eat will matter. In other words, if you eat too much pizza, it will definitely go straight to your waistline due to the high amount of calories, fat and sodium it provides. So, it’s better to watch your intake of it and choose those that are homemade.
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