Yes, Pizza Can Be Healthy!

Here’s how + a recipe for easy French Bread Pizza

I am never not craving pizza. Melted cheese on a crispy crust slathered with savory tomato sauce gets a yes from me pretty much anytime. I often joke that one of the reasons I had a kid was to have an excuse to eat pizza more often. (Not that I really need an excuse.)

Growing up in New York City, pizza is woven into the fabric of my life. It was the first meal I could go out for as a kid without an adult. I remember feeling so independent walking with my little sister several blocks to the pizza place for lunch (where she’d threaten not to eat if I didn’t fold her slice exactly in half for her).

And I remember standing on my tippy toes, at about five years old, to peer over the counter as they expertly made the pies at John’s of Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village. My mom tells me I’ve been going there since before I was born, so my taste buds were primed early on. It’s still as good as ever. Here’s a pic from a recent visit with my husband Thom:

Is pizza good for you?

Clearly I am not alone in my pizza love. A recent USDA report says it ranks as one of the top most-craved food. On any given day, 11% of the US population eats pizza.

Pizza is obviously delicious, convenient and economical. But is it good for you? Well, that depends, but, overall, its nutritional benefits might surprise you.

A basic slice of cheese pizza ranges from about 280 calories for a small wedge from a fast-casual chain, to around 500 calories for a typical New York slice. It is a good source of protein and calcium, thanks to the cheese, and it is rich in vitamin A and the antioxidant lycopene, thanks to the tomato sauce. The crust provides B-vitamins and some minerals such as iron. On the downside, a small (280 calorie) cheese slice typically supplies about 25% of the recommended daily limit for both saturated fat and sodium. Add pepperoni, sausage or extra cheese to that and/or eat 3-4 slices at a time (which is what most people do according to the USDA report), and things can veer pretty quickly out of the healthy zone.

How to have a healthier pizza experience