by Kimberley Heit

Created on: July 15, 2008   Last Updated: December 28, 2008

This is like asking whether red wine or chocolate is good for you? The answer is both yes and no. A lot of it comes down to the choices you make in regards to quality and quantity. If you eat fast food or frozen pizza three times a week then the answer is probably no. However, if you make your own pizza from scratch and include lots of nutritious toppings, then yes it can be a healthy choice.

In analyzing this issue let's take a look at the components of pizza and the options in more detail:

THE BASE OR CRUST:

There are numerous different styles of pizza bases like; thin, thick, pan or deep dish. Generally speaking a thin base will be a much healthier choice, but it really depends on the ingredients. A lot of pizza bases are made with vegetable oil and vegetable oil typically contains MSG. The thicker the base, the higher the oil content. A traditional Italian pizza base is usually a simple mix of flour, water, salt and olive oil. Unless you are wheat intolerant this is one of the healthiest base options. If the base uses whole wheat flour all the better.

THE SAUCE:

The majority of pizzas feature a tomato based sauce which is generally quite good for you. A chunky natural tomato base sauce will be the healthiest choice. Watch out for prepared sauces which have too many additives or a high salt or sugar content.

TOPPINGS:

What you have on your pizza can affect its nutritional content quite a bit. Cheese is usually a major component. Cheese provides calcium, but consuming too much is not good for you. Watch out when it comes to meats many hams and pepperonis are treated with nitrates which can affect allergy sufferers like asthmatics. Also many pizzas feature cheap cuts of meat. The healthiest pizzas are loaded with vegetables and just a small amount of cheese.

FAST FOOD PIZZAS:

Pizzas from popular fast food outlets like Pizza Hut are very high in salt and although lower then some other fast food choices, are generally still quite high in fat. This style of pizza should only be consumed on special occasions, not regularly.

FROZEN PIZZAS:

Beware of frozen pizzas they use genetically modified ingredients and additives to keep them preserved. In addition most use cheap, fatty meat cuts which aren't any good for you. It is best to leave these to emergencies only, not consume them on a regular basis.

FRESH PRE-MADE PIZZAS:

Unlike frozen pizzas which are sealed in a box you can get a closer look at ready made fresh pizzas. This will allow you to assess them more readily from physical perspective. Remember that there base is probably still made with vegetable oil.

HOMEMADE PIZZAS:

If you make your own pizza you have total control over what you put on it. Use a healthy base like a whole wheat pita bread and add lots of vegetables and just a little cheese.

PIZZA FROM TRADIONAL ITALIAN OUTLETS:

As stated traditional Italian pizzas are made with olive oil over vegetable oil and are made from scratch. At some Italian restaurants they even make the pizza in front of you so you can see exactly what goes into it. Again choose a flavor with lots of vegetables.

So yes pizza can be healthy just bear in mind some of the above advice when you next grab a slice!

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