Health Benefits
The Ingredients of a Perfect Pizza and Their Health Benefits
Pizzas have long been held as the healthiest fast-food available on the run. Not only is it easy to make and quick to pick up but it offers many more health benefits than other forms of fast-food. A pizza can be a nutritional and tasty meal that includes all food groups and delivers all the vitamins and minerals your body should get in one meal. But the pizza is only as healthy as you choose to make it.
Dough
Typically the pizza dough is made from flour, water, yeast, olive oil, and salt nothing unhealthy there. It’s a matter of fact, pizza dough has been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants. Some recipes include honey in the mix that only adds to the health benefits. You can also choose to make it with wholegrain flour or other types of flour that would add fiber as well.
Sauce
The sauce is typically a tomato based sauce which we know now has lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Lycopene has a high resistance to heat and the health effects do not get cooked away, in fact tomato sauce has been found to be higher in lycopene than fresh tomatoes. Lycopene has been shown to fight off the effects of certain types of cancer including colon, prostate, mouth, stomach, esophageal, and lung cancer.
Toppings
Toppings can add flavor to your pizza but also increase the health benefits of you pizza manifold. Meat toppings can add protein and vitamin E but if you are worried about added cholesterol you can choose chicken or only vegetables toppings. Onions contain chromium, vitamin C, and fiber. Onions increase blood-clot dissolving activity, reduce the risks of diabetes, and kill bacteria that cause infection. Bell peppers are a good source of vitamin C, thiamine, vitamin B6, beta carotene, and folic acid. Bell peppers are also packed with phytochemicals bursting with antioxidant activity. Olives are packed with vitamin E and contain ingredients that help ward off heart disease and lower your cholesterol. Garlic contains powerful antioxidants and can lower your bad cholesterol (LDL) but raise the good cholesterol (HDL). Garlic also helps boost the immune system to fight off infections and tumors, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of blood clots that can lead to most heart attacks and strokes. This wonder topping also reduce the risk of certain cancers, most toably, stomach cancers and kills infection causing viruses and bacteria. Mushrooms are rich in potassium, riboflavin, niacin, and selenium. Basil is tasty aromatic herb that not only adds flavor but contains the flavonoids orientin and vicenin. These flavonoids help to protect cells structures and chromosomes from the damage of radiation and oxygen. Spinach contains choline and inositol. These substances help prevent atherosclerosis (thickening and hardening of arteries). Spinach is loaded with carotenoids and flavonoids that aid in fighting cancer. This leafy vegetable has anti-aging properties and contains Vitamins C, A, and K and helps to stabilize blood sugar among diabetics. Cheese is loaded with essential nutrients such as protein, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin A, riboflavin, and vitamin B12.
Other popular toppings you can put on your pizza include:
-Sausage
-Meatballs
-Tomatoes
-Ham
-Pineapple
-Anchovies
-Broccoli
-Jalapenos
