While a single serving slice of pizza has 452 calories, all of the salads on the list have over 500 calories, and some have double and even triple that amount. Many contain more sodium than cheese pizza as well.
Depending on the type of crust, the amount of cheese and the toppings used, pizza can rank anywhere from nutritionally decent to a diet disaster. Even healthy pizzas deliver a good amount of sodium from tomato sauce and cheese, so if you are watching your salt intake, you should eat with caution.
If you have plenty of fresh vegetables in the salad, then you are getting healthy, disease-fighting nutrients. Be mindful of the extra items you add to your vegetable salads, which may be high in saturated fat, sodium, or sugar. You want to include some fat in your salad.
"Eating salads on a daily basis as part of an overall healthy lifestyle may support gradual weight loss over time," says Karnatz. "This is because leafy greens are low in calories and high in volume and fiber, which will keep you satisfied for longer," she adds.
Salads made with a variety of fruits and vegetables make the perfect healthy lunch or dinner. That's because they're filled with tons of nutrients that benefit your body, like fiber, vitamin E, and vitamin C. These nutrients can work to lower your blood sugar, regulate cholesterol levels, and help you lose weight.
Eating pizza once a week can be part of a healthy overall diet if done in moderation. Pizza, when eaten in moderation, can be a good source of protein, calcium, and other important vitamins and minerals.
If you're relatively healthy, indulging in a slice of pepperoni pizza every once in a while will not (repeat: will NOT) kill you. It won't even affect your weight. In the short term, your weight will only increase by the actual weight of the pizza, according to Angelone.
But since pizza is still a source of saturated fat (about five grams) and chock-full of sodium, limit it to once a week and load up on those veggies.
If you have two slices, it's not going to derail your progress, but swapping out one slice for a salad or other veggies could help stay satisfied longer — and save you extra fat and calories.
A general rule of thumb is that adults will eat around 3 slices of pizza and children will eat around 2 slices when purchasing a standard pie. Increase that estimate to 4 slices per adult and 3 slices per child when ordering smaller sized pies or thin crust options.
Although low in total calories, a burger is higher in fat content than pizza slices. Regular intake of food rich in fats can lead to obesity increasing risk of lifestyle diseases such as heart conditions, diabetes and hypertension.
Pizza is a complete food and part of the Mediterranean diet. It contains carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and fats, and the calorie intake of an average portion is about 300 grams. The classic margherita with tomato and mozzarella is about 815 calories.
The bottom line is: If you live a mostly healthy lifestyle, one slice of pizza won't change that, and you'll only gain the weight of the pizza you consumed. However, if you have health issues — including heart disease, or high blood pressure — it's obviously best not to overindulge.
A traditional piece of pizza is not nutrient dense, so it takes more slices to fill you up, which adds up in calories and sugar which can contribute to weight gain, says Zeitlin. With no fiber or protein, you have nothing to really fill you up and keep you full.
Americans eat an average of 46 slices of pizza per person each year, according to MayoClinic.com. While pizza can be healthy if you make it the right way, most of the pizza you buy counts as junk food because of the high amount of refined carbohydrates, fat and sodium it contains.
Some models are born with faster metabolisms, which means they convert food into energy at a faster pace. Other models work out often enough to make up for all of the junk food they are eating. No matter what her secret may be, Bella claims she eats grilled cheese sandwiches and French fries every single day.
Serotonin is produced from carbs
You'll be shocked to know that the carb-fest that is pizza actually fills you with serotonin. This is partially because when you're craving pizza and that craving is satisfied, your brain produces serotonin. This is also because carbs are used heavily to make serotonin.
That depends on your overall diet and activity level. If you're eating a balanced diet and getting plenty of exercise, then a slice or two of pizza occasionally won't do any harm. But if you're eating pizza every day, or if you're eating more than three slices at a time, then you might want to cut back.
Salads are loaded with fibres, and when you add a good amount of fibre in your daily meal plan, it can definitely target your belly fat and help it move away faster.
You're not eating enough calories.
When you eat almost entirely nutrient-dense foods, (especially if you eat salad a lot, or lots of fruits and veggies and not a lot of protein) the calorie intake doesn't add up quickly.
Spinach and other leafy green vegetables like kale, lettuce, etc. are great for burning belly fat and are very nutritious as well. There have been some studies done on the subject of the fat burning capabilities of spinach and the very healthy veggie has come out a winner in this category.