Pizza for Breakfast? Why It Might Not Be as Bad as You Think
by Autumn Jones
Pizza for breakfast isn't just a quick fix for college students. This classic cuisine serves as a surprisingly nutritious breakfast and can be a great food for fueling your morning!
Better Than What's in the Bowl
Sure, cereal is convenient and tasty, but one glance at the ingredient list might make you rethink your choice. With various forms of sugar typically taking up top spots on these lists, many of your favorite cereals could sabotage your health goals.
According to Healthline, "Starting the day with a high-sugar breakfast cereal will spike your blood sugar and insulin levels." This means the energy boost and feeling of fullness doesn't last long — leading to the urge to snack and eat more sugary treats throughout the day.
Color Outside the Breakfast Lines
While enjoying sweet breakfast treats is fine on occasion, chowing down on a doughnut or muffin means filling up on refined carbs, sugars, and lots of empty calories, as Reader's Digest explains. Although these are typically the top items on a breakfast menu, they aren't effective in giving your body the sustenance it needs to feel great first thing in the morning.
Just because a savory pepperoni pie may not be on your typical brunch menu doesn't mean that pizza for breakfast can't be a thing — and a healthy thing at that! Depending on the toppings, pizza can provide you with servings of veggies, meats, dairy, and grains.
Get Creative
If you like hitting the gym in the morning, pizza is a great choice to eat in the hours before a workout because the options for toppings are endless. You can use that delicious crust, sauce, and cheese as a canvas to create a nutrient-dense meal.
Load up on greens like arugula, broccoli, zucchini, kale, and asparagus to add a punch of vitamins and minerals. Or pump up the protein with a sprinkling of chicken, ham, or sausage. To round out your meal, wash your slice down with a glass of flavored water that's low on sugar but high on taste.
Stay Balanced
In order to keep a healthy diet, be sure to look at the big picture. Foods like pizza are best enjoyed in moderation, so keep an eye on your weekly meals to help you maintain balance.
If you find that you love pizza for breakfast more than you initially thought, choose a few days out of the month to dig in and stick with your other healthy breakfast choices the rest of the time. Who said your morning meal can't feel special?