Is pizza healthy for you? Surprisingly, yes. We’re not saying you can lose 50 pounds on a pizza diet, but there are certainly worse foods you can eat—and definitely worse tasting foods, too. The sad truth about pizza is that it’s often lumped in with unhealthy fast foods like hamburgers and fries, which leads most people to think it should be avoided at best and consumed in moderation at worst. But the reality is that pizza, especially a deep-dish pizza that’s loaded with vegetables and other healthy toppings, is actually a highly nutritious meal for people with all sorts of food preferences and dietary restrictions. You can even get gluten-free pizza in San Jose if you are gluten sensitive.

Whether you need to convince yourself or someone in your life that pizza would be a great option for dinner tonight, these surprising health benefits of pizza will help.

Pizza is Packed Full of Antioxidants

A good sauce is at the heart of any good deep-dish pizza, and the main ingredient in pizza sauce is tomatoes. These sweet and delicious red delights are chocked full of antioxidants that promote good health. The pizza baking process, particularly the slower bake of a Chicago-style pizza, brings out even more of the antioxidants found in the tomatoes.

All of the Major Food Groups are Present

You can get most of your major food groups covered in a single slice of pizza. In fact, if you concede the point that tomatoes are technically fruits, then all of the major food groups are present and accounted for in a deep-dish pizza. You can’t say that about most other meals, certainly not very many that you can eat with your hand.

Pizza May Help Fight Cancer

Perhaps most surprising thing about pizza are the studies linking pizza consumption with a reduced risk of cancer. Three studies by the Institutio di Ricerche Farmacologiche in Milan conducted between 2001 and 2004 found that eating pizza at least once a week may prevent or help reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer , including mouth and colon cancer. Don’t you feel good about your decision to order pizza online now?

Whoever said pizza isn’t good for you obviously hasn’t heard about the health benefits of dairy. Studies have shown that incorporating at least three services of dairy in your diet on a daily basis can reduce your risk for diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic illnesses and conditions. This short clip talks more about the health benefits of dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt and why diary is part of any healthy diet.

You know what food has lots of cheese? Pizza! This is especially true of Chicago-style deep-dish pizzas, which are layered with thick slices of creamy mozzarella and topped with shredded parmesan. If you want to get more diary into your diet but can’t stand a glass of milk or a cup of yogurt, visit a pizzeria in San Jose that serves up delicious deep-dish pizzas and get your daily recommended amount of dairy.

Celiac disease is a condition that affects people who are gluten intolerant, or gluten sensitive. Gluten is a type of protein found in grains such as wheat, barley, and rye. Kids and adults who have celiac disease may become nauseous after consuming gluten, and can also experience weakened bones and stunted growth over time. Watch this video to learn more about celiac disease and how to tell if your child is gluten intolerant.

If your child does have celiac disease, it means you’ll need to be more careful about the foods he or she consumes. Fortunately, there are plenty of delicious gluten-free options so your child doesn’t have to feel deprived of his or her favorite foods. Pizza Chicago in San Jose serves up some of the best gluten-free deep-dish pizzas in San Jose . You can dine in, carry out, or have a delicious gluten-free Chicago pizza delivered right to your door.

Tomatoes make for a terrific source of various essential nutrients and antioxidants. They are rich in vitamin C and vitamin K, and they are also a source of copper, potassium, manganese, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin E. If you maintain a diet that is gluten-free in San Jose , you should make sure to eat plenty of vitamin and nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables daily.

Watch this video to find out more about how valuable tomatoes are in maintaining good health. You will learn some important nutritional facts about tomatoes, as well as what their top 10 most significant health benefits are.

There are few more beloved foods than Chicago pizza in San Jose , but what should you do if the gluten in your pizza is causing you to have health problems? The first step is to determine if it is indeed your deep-dish pizza or other gluten meals that are at fault. Watch this video clip if you are wondering if gluten could be causing your health issues.

Individuals who are unable to properly process gluten may suffer from celiac disease. These people typically modify their diet to exclude gluten and avoid discomfort, but you should always talk to your doctor before you decide to make such a change. The Celiac Disease Foundation has also published a symptom checklist that can help you get an idea of whether or not you do suffer from celiac disease; keep in mind, however, that certain symptoms may overlap with other unrelated conditions.

Chicago pizza in San Jose is often associated with fun, parties, and oftentimes overindulgence. If you make the right choices, however, deep-dish pizza does not have to be a guilty pleasure or a “cheat food.” There are actually several ways in which you can make pizza into a healthier alternative that still tastes great. Continue reading if you would like to find out how pizza fits into your healthy eating regime.

Choose the Right Kind of Cheese

Pizza is by no means inherently unhealthy. Thanks to modern customization options, however, this dish does have the potential to be a delicious nutritional boost or an indulgent calorie nightmare. The important thing to remember is that the decision is up to you. If you are thinking about having pizza for dinner but would like to keep it as healthy as possible, start by considering the type of cheese on your pie. Many types of pizza make use of one, two, or even three different types of cheese in addition to several toppings. Consider sticking to one type of cheese, and make it mozzarella; this type of cheese contains less fat than other kinds. You can also consider pizza with no cheese at all to reduce sodium levels.

Be Careful with Your Toppings

It seems like you can get virtually anything on your pizza these days. If you want to keep t he calories low and the nutritional value high, it is important to choose these toppings carefully. While meat toppings like pepperoni, bacon, and sausage are loaded with calories and fat, vegetable toppings are much less caloric. Consider vegetables like peppers, broccoli, and tomatoes for their high levels of fiber as well as vitamins A and C.

Don’t Stuff the Crust

Between the cheese and the wide array of toppings that are available, you may have forgotten about the crust. Steer clear of crusts that are filled with cheese if you want your meal to constitute a positive nutritional experience. It is a good idea to go for a different type of crust, like whole-grain, which tastes similar and adds fiber and nutrients.

Diners searching for healthy or gluten-free options in Palo Alto don’t always think of visiting a pizzeria. But if you make smart topping choices and exercise moderation by limiting how many slices you eat, pizza can fit into a healthy diet. A slice of Chicago-style pizza loaded with veggies is also packed with vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients. Some of the potential health benefits of eating pizza include:

Packing All Food Groups into One Meal

The FDA recommends a balanced diet for adults that includes foods from every major food group every day. The food groups are: fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy. One slice of pizza has foods from every single group! The tomatoes in the sauce are fruits, and you can also select popular fruit toppings such as pineapple. Fresh veggie topping options include bell peppers, zucchini, onions, and spinach. Meats such as sausage, ham, and pepperoni provide protein, or you can order mushrooms if you’re a vegetarian. And of course, the delicious cheese rounds out the food groups with dairy.

Consuming Essential Nutrients

On a more basic level, every meal you eat should ideally contain protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Protein, found in both the cheese and meat toppings of a pizza, aids in muscle development. Fat, despite its bad reputation, is essential because your body needs it to absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K. Like protein, fat can be found in the meat and cheese on your pizza. Carbohydrates, such as those in the pizza crust, fuel your body during heavy exertions and exercise. Even gluten-free diners need carbohydrates, which are still found in the crust of gluten-free pizza.

Getting Essential Vitamins and Minerals

For proper bone health, you need to consume a certain quantity of calcium. The cheese on a slice of pizza has more than enough to meet your daily requirements. The tomatoes in the pizza sauce also contain many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin E. Other toppings, especially vegetables, will provide even more nutrient density.