Celebrate National Cheese Pizza Day

Can you guess my favorite food? Hint: it’s not avocados, chia seeds, oatmeal or kefir. It’s PIZZA!!! There is really nothing better, in my opinion than a nice hot, crisp, and cheesy slice of pizza. This Wednesday, September 5th is National Cheese Pizza day so I will definitely be celebrating with my favorite food.

This may come as a surprise to many of you. As a nutritionist, I promote eating real food and healthy food. But many of my clients will tell you that I promote a balanced way of eating. I’m certainly not saying pizza should be an everyday food but having a slice of pizza every now and then won’t kill you or screw up your healthy lifestyle!

Our bodies recognize food for what it’s made of. When you eat a slice of pizza, your body recognizes the fat, protein, and energy content. Although many pizzas fall on the high end of fats, there is still an amount of protein that comes from your slice. Mozzarella cheese is, in fact, a source of protein, so while it’s not as good for you as a piece of chicken breast, there is still some nutritional value to it. The crust also provides you with a carb source. Your body will recognize this as a means of energy. So while pizza may not be the best choice always, it’s important to understand that it still is food that is able to be used by your body.

If you’re like me and really have that craving for pizza more often than not, I recommend finding some healthier ways of eating it. Try adding pizza toppings on a Portobello mushroom cap. You can also find cauliflower crusts at most grocery stores.

Feel free to top your pizza with whatever you like. Here you can also opt for a part skim mozzarella. If you really like the whole milk mozzarella, do a mix of the two and you won’t even notice the difference! Topping your pizza with your favorite roasted veggies also adds nutritious value and flavor to your pizza.

Hopefully these tips are helpful for all my fellow pizza lovers out there! But make sure you go out and celebrate National Cheese Pizza Day with your favorite slice!