Pizza is one of the world’s most popular foods. Topped
with a spicy tomato sauce and cheese, as well as meat toppings, a
slice of pizza could be relatively high in sodium, saturated fat and
calories. Vegetarian pizzas are becoming quite popular. Layered with
non-meat toppings, these pizzas are more likely to be lower in saturated
fat and calories while providing added fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Because of the wide range of toppings with which pizzas are made,
it is not easy to estimate the calories in a pizza. The size of each
slice and the thickness of the toppings will also affect the calorie
value.Despite its high fat, sodium and calorie content, pizza is not
your classic junk food. It offers a large amount of protein, lycopene
and other vital nutrients.
Pizza
can contribute significant amounts of nutrients, but there are some
nutritional drawbacks. A 2004 survey by the National Standards Agency
in the UK found that a single serving of pizza could contain up to
3 grams of salt. This is more than 50 percent of the recommended intake.
The sugar and fat content also make pizza less than desirable to some.
On the other hand, the cheese and meat on a pizza increase the protein
and calcium content, while the tomato sauce adds lycopene, a powerful
cancer-fighting nutrient. Make yours vegetarian and you can get a
host of vitamins and minerals from pizza.
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