Can Pizza Be Healthy?

Healthy pizza. In the world of cooking and dining, this hard to find treat just may be the Holy Grail of food. Most everyone loves pizza, but if you are dieting or trying to eat healthy, simply one indulgence in a traditional pie could easily ruin your week. So what can a health conscious guy or gal do to cure their pizza fix while still eating healthy? As it turns out, with the substitution of an ingredient here and an ingredient there, our favorite guilty pleasure can be made relatively healthy and still taste good. Check out these options that will keep your homemade pizza healthy and satisfying.

Okay, for healthy pizza, we need to start at the bottom and work our way up. The most important factor in keeping a pie healthy is making a healthy crust, as this area usually accounts for more than half of the pie's fat and calories. To make a healthy crust we have to move away from the traditional white flour based dough.

One option we can use to reduce fat and calories while increasing fiber, protein, potassium and whole grains is to use a whole wheat crust. This type of crust will give your creation a delicious, nutty flavor with a traditional pie consistency. For those of us looking for the closest thing to traditional pizza, this is the way to go.

Another crust option that is even healthier than the whole wheat crust is matzo. This super crispy ingredient can be made into a razor thin crust that can stand up to sauce and all of your favorite toppings while making your pizza much healthier.

If you would like to move into the personal sized pizza realm, there are some great crust alternatives such as English muffins, sandwich thins and even tortillas. You can find all of these options fat free and most of them come with elevated amounts of protein and fiber to make your personal creation the lunch or dinner of champions.

As we move up the pizza, the next element is the sauce. If you love your tomato base sauce no worries here. The stuff is relatively healthy. Just keep in mind that store bought versions may have excessive salt and sugar, so your best bet may be to make it yourself. Other options that you can try are salsa, pesto sauce, pumpkin puree and garlic paste. All of these sauce options can be made healthy and without too much effort.

Another area that we have to be kind of choosy in making our pie is the cheese. If you are not careful, the wrong type of cheese can add dozens of grams of fat and hundreds of calories in no time. Goat cheese and cottage cheese have less fat than traditional mozzarella along with much more protein. Also, gorgonzola can be used at a much lower rate than most types of cheese due to its aroma and full flavor. Finally, if you are a traditionalist, go ahead and use that fresh mozzarella right off of the block. After all, one ounce of the stuff is still just 70 calories.

When it comes to toppings, this is where you can really personalize you pie. Do you like fruit? Load up the pineapples, avocados and grapes. Are vegetable your thing? You can go traditional with mushrooms, green peppers and onions, or you can get creative and try spinach, kale and beets. Finally, there are even some meats that you can include on your creation without destroying its nutritional value. Canadian bacon and chicken sausage, for example, are both relatively low in fat and will zing up your pie perfectly.