Let’s face it, everybody loves pizza, and there’s no way to refuse when someone offers you a slice. The only problem is when you’re on a diet, and needs to cut down some calories. Fortunately, there are ways to make your pizza a bit healthier. Here are some tweaks you can do to enjoy your favourite snacks without feeling guilty:
TIP #1: Go for Thin Crust
Instead of the usual deep pan, order thin crust pizzas. This should do the trick of reducing the carbs and calories. There are now several thin crust pizza restaurants in Singapore serving all-natural ingredients and toppings. Do some research or ask your family and friends for some recommendations. For sure, they can refer to some of the best organic pizza parlours in town.
TIP #2: Reduce Some Oil
The problem with most pizza stalls is the use of hard cheese, which makes it oily when baked or cooked. Take note that a tablespoon of oil is equivalent to 40 kilocalories and about 5 grams of fat. You may find this surprising, but blotting pizza grease with a napkin can reduce 35 calories per slice.
TIP #3: Eat it from a Plate
Eating pizza from a plate instead of the box is another simple trick. This makes you think you have eaten more, so you may believe you are full and may not take another slice.
TIP #4: Cut the Slices Smaller, and Eat Slowly
Similar to eating from a plate, cutting pizza to smaller pieces and eating slowly can make you feel full. In a study conducted in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the research team advised their participants to chew their food 40 times, everyone including the obese ate less. As they have concluded, eating slowly can improve the level of gut hormones.
TIP #5: Choose your Toppings
Whether you’re baking pizza at home or eating in a restaurant, you can always be particular with the toppings. Some pizza stalls even have veggie pizza. They often use organic ingredients with no preservatives and additives. As much as possible, stay away from fatty sausages, peperoni and extra cheese. Replace them with healthier toppings such as tomatoes, onions, peppers Parma ham, and other lean meat.
TIP 6: Avoid Stuffed Crust
Yes, everyone is craving for a creamy and cheesy stuffed crust, but this can ruin your diet with one bite. Think about the number of calories and fat content in that crust.
TIP #7: Make Your Sauce
When cooking pizza at home, avoid using canned sauces as these usually have high sugar content. Make your sauce instead by using fresh vegetables. Here’s a simple pizza sauce recipe: First, peel some fresh tomatoes into a bowl, add a pinch of sea salt, then crush by hand or you can use a blender. Simply stir all the ingredients and heat it for about 2 to 3 minutes, and you have your own fresh and healthier pizza sauce.
Are you still craving for pizza? No problem! Just follow the tips above, and there’s nothing to worry about!
