Pizza Isn’t Quite So Heart Healthy
Some days, I eat so much crap that I wouldn’t be surprised if I dropped dead on the spot. Like today, I had a Sainsbury’s Thin & Crispy pepperoni pizza for lunch. I’d never bothered to look at the nutrition information at the back before but it caught my eye today.
This is a picture of another pizza box that’s still in the fridge. The pepperoni pizza I ate has slightly less calories, fat, and salt than this one but it’s not too far off. I had an entire pizza for lunch plus a topping of green salad (folded up and eaten sort of pita style…yes, I do sound like a greedy pig). That was basically half my daily recommended calorie intake as well as my entire daily allowance of saturated fat and salt. Thankfully, it was also about half my daily recommended allowance of fiber.
Most amusing, the back of the pizza box has a healthy lifestyle reminder:
You may want to keep an eye on your salt intake as too much may increase your blood pressure.
It’s important to watch you calorie intake, as without regular exercise too many may lead to weight gain.
A diet low in fat, particularly saturated fat, could help to maintain a healthy weight and a healthy heart.
To maintain a healthy lifestyle, we recommend aiming for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day, such as brisk walking.
Pizza wasn’t all I ate today that was bad bad bad. Goes to show that living a life in blissful oblivion does absolutely nothing for your health. I’ve got to try harder to look at the nutrition information because it serves as a harsh reminder that some foods just aren’t worth eating, with or without a health reminder!
For pizza fans, all is not lost. Food chemists at the University of Maryland have developed ways of increasing antioxidant levels in pizza dough. Longer baking times, longer fermentation times, and higher temperatures did the trick. Whole wheat pizza dough is also healthier, of course.
How nutritious is your favorite pizza? When was the last time you looked at the nutrition info?
NB: The Cleveland Clinic has some tips on how to enjoy pizza while protecting your heart health.
- Ask for half the cheese.
- Order no cheese.
- Eliminate the meats.
- Order veggies.
- Order a side salad or cooked vegetables.
- Avoid the “extras.”
Tags: pizza, sainsburys, pepperoni pizza, heart, heart disease, diseases, illness, medicine, health
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POSTED IN: Hearty Diet
2 opinions for Pizza Isn’t Quite So Heart Healthy
Kendra James
Mar 31, 2007 at 3:07 pm
While sitting at jury duty this week, the same news cast played over and over. Anyway, it seems that University of Maryland scientists have found a way to fortify whole wheat pizza crust with antioxidants and fiber. My first thought, whole wheat pizza, I’ll pass. My second, I guess that it would be healthier for me, but I don’t know about all that fortification. Kinda takes away from the good ol’ greasy, hot satisfying piece of pie! :)
Kendra James
Mar 31, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Oops, my fault didn’t read through in entirety. Kids had us up at 5 am….:)
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