How To Make Healthy Pizza – Cleveland Clinic

Sometimes nothing hits the spot like a pizza. And we are with you. When it comes to an easy, tasty, affordable, and versatile meal, pizza gets high marks.

But if the pie you love most is topped with 1 inch of cheese and covered crust-to-crust with pepperoni and sausage, you might be thinking about sneaking some better nutrition into your favorite deep dish .

They say the devil is in the details. Stack a high-carb crust with high-sodium toppings and you’re doing your heart a disservice. Choose whole grains, healthy fats, and vitamin-packed toppings, and now let’s talk.

Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, and Fawziah Saleh, RDN, LD, nutritionists in preventive cardiology, share five helpful strategies for making a delicious, heart-healthy pizza at home, along with their tips on how to better order takeout.

“Pizza is a staple in many homes,” notes Zumpano. “It can get a bad rap as ‘unhealthy’ food, but the great thing is that pizza can be easily modified to be better for your heart and still be very satisfying.”

1. Start with a healthy crust

Add a whole grain base to your pizza to increase your intake of healthy fiber. Keep carbs low by choosing (or making) a thin crust. Read the ingredients on store-bought crusts and avoid any with hydrogenated oils.

Try these healthy crust options:

• Thin whole wheat crust.
• spelled flour crust.
• Wholemeal Pita.
• Wholemeal tortilla.
• cauliflower crust.

2. Be smart with sauce

Heart-healthy sauces can be a good source of monounsaturated fats and vitamins. Avoid cream-based sauces like alfredo or white sauce, and steer clear of barbecue sauce, which is high in sugar and sodium.

Tomato sauce

If you’re a traditionalist, opt for a fresh tomato sauce or choose a canned tomato sauce with no added salt. These choices are high in fiber, vitamins C and K, potassium and manganese.

olive oil

A light coating of olive oil is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Adding some crushed garlic can take the flavor up a notch and give you a boost with its antioxidant properties, which help keep your blood vessels flexible to control blood pressure and prevent atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Pesto

Elevate your pizza with pesto, which is also packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Pesto is a mixture of basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, pepper and olive oil. Give it a try and you might say pesto is the best!

Sofrito Sauce

Mix together the heart-healthy ingredients for a delicious sofrito sauce. Lightly sauté onions and garlic in olive oil and add freshly chopped tomatoes or pesto.

3. Get cheesy (in moderation)

All cheeses contain saturated fat and sodium, so handle them carefully. Whenever possible, choose natural cheeses (like feta, fresh mozzarella, or ricotta) or low-fat, low-sodium cheeses.

Try these cheeses to boost calcium and vitamin D:

• Low-fat grated cheese.
• Thin slices of partially skimmed mozzarella.
• Fresh mozzarella.

Alternatively, you can also try pizza without cheese. You can try dairy-free cheese or no cheese at all and top it with nutritional yeast.

4. Stack the vegetables

This is where it gets really fun! Vegetables and fruits contribute more nutrients to your pizza than any other ingredient, and they liven up the flavor and add some color to your cake.

Some favourites:

• Peppers (packed with vitamins C, B1, B2, B6 and folic acid).
• Onions (good for fiber and vitamin C).
• Mushrooms (adds B vitamins and vitamin D).
• Tomatoes (get a dose of fiber, vitamins A, C and K, potassium and manganese).
• Olives (for vitamin E and a serving of healthy fat).
• Leafy greens like spinach, arugula, or kale (boost your absorption of vitamins A, K, and C, potassium, fiber, and calcium).
• Pineapple (perhaps one of the more controversial toppings out there and not for pizza purists, but a good source of vitamin C and manganese for those who want to add a sweet touch to their pizza).

5. Choose lean proteins

Of course, a veggie-stuffed pizza can fill your tummy with vitamin-packed foods. But if you’re looking for some protein, choose wisely. Processed meats like pepperoni, sausage, and ham are high in sodium, saturated fats, and nitrates.

“The best way to increase the nutritional value of your pizza is to avoid processed meats, which are high in calories and unhealthy fats,” says Zumpano.

Try these proteins instead:

• Chicken.
• turkey breast.
• Shrimp.
• Tofu.

Tips for healthy pizza to go

If delivery is on the menu tonight, Zumpano and Saleh recommend these tips to boost the nutritional value of your takeout pizza:

• Order thin crust or whole wheat crust.
• Go heavy on the veggies.
• Ask for light cheese. A good rule of thumb is to charge half the normal amount.
• Consider vegan pizza (no cheese, no meat) and a side of nutritional yeast to sprinkle on top if you like.

“Most pizza places offer a wide variety of crusts and toppings that can help ensure your pizza stays healthy yet delicious,” says Saleh. “Don’t be afraid to ask!”