Photo: ROMAN ODINTSOV / Pexels
Pizza has all the elements to be delicious and irresistible, but it can also be inconvenient for your heart health. May increase blood pressure and raise blood cholesterol levels . While that doesn’t mean you should deprive yourself of it, you can still enjoy pizza by following some tips to make it healthier.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), pizza is among the most popular foods that add high levels of sodium to your diet ,. Excess salt intake can increase blood pressure, overload the heart and blood vessels.
Cheese is one of the rich sources of Saturated fats. Processed meat is also high in saturated fat and cholesterol. The AHA notes that eating foods that contain saturated fats raises the level of cholesterol in the blood.
High cholesterol contributes to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease , such as heart disease and stroke. A heart attack or stroke may occur.
How to enjoy pizza and keep your heart healthy
1. Reduce processed meat toppings
Replace processed meats with vegetables. Vegetables are a source of fiber, which can help reduce blood cholesterol levels.
You can cover with a wide variety of vegetables such as mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini and eggplant. Mushrooms can increase the umami flavor of your pizza.
If you want to add meat to your pizza, choose healthier protein options than pepperoni, such as chicken breast, turkey, seafood, or lean red meat.
2. Opt for medium pizzas instead of large ones
If you buy pizza in choose medium pizza. There is a big difference in calories, fat and sodium between a large and a medium slice.
3. Avoid extra cheese
Avoid “extra” or “double” cheese, if you opt for these versions they will increase calories, fat and sodium . Avoid stuffed crust pizza. A slice of filled crust pizza can contain up to 13 grams of fat and 35 mg of cholesterol, while a slice of regular crust pizza contains 10 grams of fat and 18 mg cholesterol.
4. Try a thin base and try changing the ingredients
Choose thin crust pizza, thin base. In some pizzerias there are vegetable bases, the cauliflower ones are the most popular.
5. Opt for traditional Italian-style pizza
Some Italian style pizzas. Pizza marinara, pizza margrita and pizza funghi tend to be lower in calories and saturated fat than other options.
6. Make your own pizza
- Preparing your pizza at home is a way to have control of the ingredients and obtain a more healthy, nutritious, delicious and economical dish than the one you can find in large pizza chains or supermarket freezers.
7. Moderate the use of dressings
Avoid Cover your healthy pizza with toppings loaded with sodium, sugar and fat.
Taking care of the type of pizza and the choice of ingredients you can enjoy the pizza while you try to keep your cholesterol levels under control.