Why A Nutritionist Believes Pizza Is A Healthier Breakfast Option Than Most Sugary Cereals
Pizza is no longer the shameful breakfast of a hungover Sunday morning—it's for health nuts now too. Whether it's the slice you picked up from the little family business downtown, the Digiorno that's been sitting in your freezer for three months, or leftovers from Tuesday's dinner, there's a big chance that it's better than the cereal you're eating every day.
According to a registered dietician nutritionist, pizza is the more nutritional than the sugar-packed cereals you're buying. So raise your pie high in the sky and be proud of your love for cold leftovers.
Most Cereals Have Almost 20 Grams Of Sugar Per Bowl
In an ideal world, we'd all be eating complete meals for breakfast—protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates. However, most of us don't have time in the morning to make ourselves healthy omelets when we're trying to get to work and drop the kids off at school. So we often reach for quick and easy cereals that have on average 19.8 grams of sugar for every 100 grams. That's just one serving.
Pizza And A Bowl Of Cereal Have The Same Calories
Registered dietician nutritionist, Chelsey Amer, enlightened reporters that we have a bunch of misconceptions about pizza's value as a breakfast food. She told them that pizza and cereal with whole milk contain nearly "the same amount of calories." However, pizza is the better choice, nutrition-wise.
It's Got Way Less Sugar
While pizza isn't super nutritional, compared to cereal that's been coated in sugars and corn syrup, it's the better option. On one slice you've got vegetables, carbohydrates, fats, and protein, while cereal is mostly carbohydrates. Amer told reporters that because pizza "contains more fat and much less sugar than most cold cereals, you will not experience a quick sugar crash."
It'll Keep You Full For Longer
Another big downside to cereal is that after you eat it you feel full, but an hour later your stomach is grumbling and you have to exercise a lot of self-control to make it to lunch. Amer says that's not as much of a problem with pizza because "pizza packs a much larger protein punch, which will keep you full and boost satiety throughout the morning."
It's The Healthier Option Between The Two
Now, don't go converting to a pizza-only diet because the food is still greasy and fattening, but if you have the choice between cereal and pizza, you might be better off reaching for the slice. Still, try and make a healthy breakfast, though.
Keep Reading For Other Surprisingly Healthy Foods
If you've been writing pizza off as a breakfast food for your whole life, you might want to check out what other foods you might be missing out on because you think they're bad for you. Well, keep on reading, because pizza isn't the only nutritional dark horse out there.
Pasta Is Filling And Low In Fat
What most people don't know is that good pasta has two ingredients—flour and eggs. Both of these ingredients are fairly nutritional despite the bad-rap pasta usually gets as a "fattening" food. It's low in salt, sugar, and fat, keeps you full for a long time, and if you eat whole-grain pasta mixed with pesto, olive oil, and vegetables, that's a very healthy meal.
We're Just Nuts About Nutella
Okay, hear me out. It's not the greatest for you since it's literally a dessert spread and filled with a bunch of added sugar. However, if you're in the mood for something sweet that will satisfy your craving, reach for Nutella instead of cookies or cake because it's got a ton of calcium and iron in it.
Here's The Squeeze On Orange Juice
Juice is full of natural sugar, which is why most people pass on it. But if you're choosing between soda or juice, always take the juice. OJ has so much vitamin C and calcium that it's great for building strong bones and collagen.
Popcorn Is Your New Go-To Snack
I'm not talking about your two minutes and 30-second pre-made microwave popcorn packs packed with salt, butter, and artificial flavors. Making your own popcorn takes equally as much time but it's high in fiber, vitamin B, manganese, and magnesium and low on all the harmful additives present in pre-made packages.
Go Nuts Over Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is known as a high-calorie and fat food, but you're getting a lot of nutrition for those calories. As well as being a great source of protein, fiber, and vitamins, the FDA approved the health claims of peanuts and other nuts. Just buy the kind that's all-natural and without the added sugar or salt.
Get A Leg Up On Eggs
Eggs go in and out of style every few years. We're always asking how it affects cholesterol, how many is too many, and whether or not the whites or the yolks are good or not. But, eating 1-3 eggs per week doesn't raise blood pressure in most people, and they're full of A, B, and D vitamins, nutrients, and protein. So get cracking.
Fries—Well, Homemade Ones
We're not talking about the fast-food shoestring ones filled with salt and oil — we're talking about the homemade and oven-baked ones. Potatoes are often misunderstood, but at their core, they're fairly fine. Potatoes are rich in potassium, vitamin C, and fiber, and are considered a heart-healthy food. So if you bake your fries instead of frying them and use light amounts of salt and oil, you're not eating too poorly.
Get Jonesing For Health And A Cup Of Coffee
Even though we feel our stomach lining dissolving and our heart beating out of our chest when we drink five cups, a moderate amount of coffee per day isn't actually bad for you. Studies have shown that coffee may have health benefits like protecting against Parkinson's, type two diabetes, and even increase cognitive function. Just don't overdo it by adding a bunch of cream and sugar.
Don't Give The Cold Shoulder To Frozen Vegetables
A lot of people give frozen foods a bad rap, but in reality, frozen vegetables might be as good as their fresh counterparts. That's because companies freeze their vegetables within hours of picking them so you won't lose any nutrients from them being frozen. However, how you cook them matters since boiling vegetables can remove up to 75% of the nutrients.
Brie Happy, Brie Healthy
Even though most people associate it with having a high-fat content because of its frequency as a melted or baked dip, Brie is actually a relatively low-fat cheese. Compared to cheddar or other hard cheeses, brie has more water content and therefore a lower fat content. For most cheeses, the softer they are, the lower the fat content and the higher the water.
AvocaDo The Right Thing For Your Digestive System
Avocadoes, while they're pretty trendy right now, are actually healthier than their popularity might lead you to doubt. This fruit doesn't have any cholesterol, is low in saturated fat, and is high in fiber.
Mushrooms Are Fungus
Mushrooms are fun because of how nutritional they are despite critics always calling them gross. Don't overlook this fungus because they're the only vegetable source of vitamin D (the sunlight one), and contain high amounts of protein and fiber. So get your mush on.
Dark Chocolate Reduces Blood Pressure And The Chances Of You Being In A Bad Mood While Eating It
Don't go buying a hundred pounds of dark chocolate and saying that you're doing a health kick—we're talking about small amounts of dark chocolate. Eating dark chocolate with 70% cacao can help reduce high blood pressure and boost insulin sensitivity (which lowers your risk of diabetes).
Spice Up Your Life
Some people think that spices are bad for blood pressure and raise body temperature—which just isn't true. Some studies have shown that cultures that eat a lot of spicy food have a lower risk of heart attack and stroke because chili peppers potentially fight inflammation. Turmeric and cinnamon are also rumored to have cancer-fighting properties.
Pistachios Are So Good You Won't Be Able To Pronounce Them
Just like peanuts, pistachios are a superfood of nuts. They have over 30 vitamins in them, they're low in calories and fat, and are packed with two antioxidants (lutein and zeaxanthin) that fight off macular degeneration. I'm not sure about you, but that's some science I'm nuts about.
Cauliflower Is The Substitute You Want On Your Team
Let's be honest, cauliflower isn't the most eye-catching vegetable. It's extraordinarily flavorless and plain, but it's a great substitute for carb sides on your plate. Cauliflower can replace rice, potatoes, and pasta in dishes if prepared right and is a food full of vitamin A, C, and folic acid.
Let's Get Corny
While we know to avoid corn syrup in foods, we shouldn't be avoiding the vegetable itself. The vegetable is high in starch and sugar, however, it's a whole grain, high in antioxidants, and can promote eye health. Just don't eat it in excess.
You Won't Have A Long Face When Eating Horseradish
Even though it's consumed as a condiment and condiments are usually filled with sugars and salt, horseradish really isn't bad for you. It's a root vegetable and is rumored to fight off cancer, infections, salmonella and E Coli bacteria, and brain disease.
Alcohol Has Its Own Good And Bad Sides
We know that binge drinking and alcoholism wreak havoc on our health, but moderate drinking may not as be as bad as we thought. One to two drinks a day may reduce your risk of stroke, developing heart disease, and developing diabetes. Be careful not to overdo it though, because alcohol is high-calorie and even moderate use doesn't come without its downsides.
