Can Pizza be had on a diet: Yes, here’s why not

Pizza is one of the most popular junk foods all over the globe. It is considered one of the most harmful and hazardous foods. The popular pizza served all over the globe usually has high sodium, saturated fats, white sugar & different types of preservatives. Frequent consumption poses a high risk for cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes and in some cases cancer.

Dieting is often misunderstood as restrictive eating which includes removing a particular food group or an ingredient. But what if you know that you can have your favourite dishes such as pizza while you are on a diet plan?

 Let’s see how you can incorporate it into your diet plan.

1. Add some veggies to your pizza: Vegetables make the pizza healthier. One can use a variety of vegetables from bell peppers to tomato and root & tubers such as sliced sweet potato. Other veggie options include mushrooms & cauliflower. As per Harvard Health Publishing & USDA, mushrooms are a good source of Vitamin B3 i.e. Niacin. Niacin helps to keep the nervous system functioning well. Cauliflower has bountiful bioactive compounds which have an anti-carcinogenic effect. Also, the antioxidants present in cauliflower protect one from diseases.

2. Choose a Thin-Crust Pizza to Cut Down on Calories: A thin-crust pizza means eating low-calorie and less white flour. Thin-crust pizza will not allow a blood sugar spike thus maintaining insulin levels. This type of pizza is also low in sodium & saturated fats. One should opt for a thin crust without stuffing as it will just add on to fats & calories. Whole wheat crust pizza can be a healthy alternative to the regular pizza crust.
3. Limit the usage of cheese to maintain fat balance: For most pizza lovers, pizza without cheese is like cake without a topping. It needs to be known that although cheese is a good source of protein & calcium, it also carries saturated fat along with it. In the process of adding cheese, one needs to be mindful of the portion. Healthier cheese options that can be included are part-skim mozzarella and part-skim ricotta cheese.
4. Add a healthy side dish to complete your meal: It’s essential to have a side dish to have a balanced and variety in the meal. One can have a pizza with celery, cucumber, and chilli with yoghurt dip. Lemon coriander soup, celery & broccoli salad can serve as a colourful & delicious side dish.
5. Other pizza

• For non-vegetarians, pizzas can also be made using a chicken breast as a base, instead of a carbohydrate-based pizza. 
• For vegetarians, Oats pizza, Bhakri or millet pizza, Whole wheat pizza can be prepared instead of the usual white flour pizza.

6. Prepare sauce at home

 Pizza sauces sourced from outside are usually high in sodium and other preservatives. Making a homemade sauce will instantly improve the quality of the pizza recipe. Instead of using red schezwan sauce, try pesto made with pine nuts(they can be substituted by almonds or walnuts), which help in reducing LDL(bad cholesterol) or a tomato-based red sauce filled with antioxidant lycopene(good for eyes). 

 By following the above-mentioned healthy replacement options for pizza you would not only retain the nutritive value of food but also enhance the taste. Remember to eat slowly to enjoy every bit of food, and relish it with your family & friends.