| In the past it was commonly believed that pizza was | | | | toppings that can also enhance your health. Onions are |
| not really a healthy food. Part of the reason for this is | | | | rich in chromium, vitamin C, and fiber. They help to |
| that it was put in the same group as other fast foods, | | | | lower your blood sugar, cholesterol as well as blood |
| such as hamburgers and fries. This is a major | | | | pressure. Black olives are another great addition to |
| misconception, as pizza can actually be a highly | | | | pizza. Olives contain ingredients that help ward off |
| nutritional meal. | | | | heart disease and lower your cholesterol. The red |
| One of the main ingredients of pizza is the tomato, | | | | pepper is a great pizza topping. They are sweet and |
| which contains lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. | | | | tasty as well as full of Vitamin C, A, and B6. |
| Lycopene is known to help fight many different types | | | | Another health benefit of pizza is the dough. In |
| of cancer. Studies have shown that people who eat | | | | actuality, pizza dough is another ingredient of pizza that |
| pizza at least once a week were much less likely to | | | | is high in antioxidants, and through certain baking |
| develop colon and mouth cancer as well as stomach | | | | techniques the antioxidants in the dough can actually |
| and lung cancer. It is known to be especially helpful in | | | | be increased. |
| fighting prostate cancer. Studies have shown that | | | | Adding even more health benefits to pizza is simple. A |
| eating pizza can lower your chance of developing | | | | vegetable pizza with just a little cheese is a very |
| esophageal cancer by nearly 59%. | | | | healthy food. You get the great taste and health |
| It is the tomato that is the main cancer-fighting | | | | benefits of pizza without all the extra fat and |
| ingredient of pizza. Incredibly, studies have also shown | | | | cholesterol normally associated with meats and |
| that processed tomatoes such as those found in pizza | | | | cheese. If you are a meat fanatic and just can't handle |
| or spaghetti sauce are actually higher in lycopene than | | | | your pizza without meat, you can always add some |
| fresh tomatoes. The reason for this is that during the | | | | grilled chicken to your vegetable pizza. Chicken offers |
| process of cooking and processing the tomatoes, the | | | | many health benefits that other meats don't, and it |
| water content evaporates leaving a higher | | | | tastes great. |
| concentration of the antioxidant. | | | | With the many health benefits of pizza, it can no longer |
| Tomato sauce is extremely healthy, and for this | | | | be viewed in the same light as other fast foods. |
| reason so is pizza, but there are additional pizza | | | | |