Pizza is a world-popular dish of Neapolitan origin, made with an oven-baked, flat, generally round bread that is often covered with tomatoes or a tomato-based sauce and cheese. Other toppings are added according to region, culture, or personal preference.

In America alone, 3 billion pizzas are sold each year. It’s this delicious, I know, but there’s one more thing I know about pizza – it’s the calories it carries. However, choosing a healthier pizza will cut down the fat exchange significantly; so read this article and make healthier pizza choices.

1. Pizza Your Way

The best way to enjoy a healthy pizza is to make it yourself, since you can better control the ingredients. To start:

* Check with your local grocery store for whole wheat crust; often the deli or prepared foods department will sell balls of whole wheat pizza dough that save you the trouble of making your own crust. A pre-made whole wheat crust is a quick and healthy option, too.
* Add lots of healthy toppings: roasted chicken, black beans, salsa, spinach, broccoli, corn, etc.
* Make cheese the finishing touch - a light dusting of reduced fat cheese adds just enough flavor and keeps the fat manageable.

2. Takeout Pizza Makeover

You can still salvage a reasonably healthy pizza if you’re ordering takeout. Start by choosing a thin crust veggie pizza. The difference between a thin crust veggie and a deep dish veggie can be about 100 calories and 5 grams of fat.

To add a little more nutritious punch, order extra veggies on top or add your own when the pizza arrives at your door. Adding your own veggies makes great use of that leftover produce you’re pretending isn’t still in your fridge. Chop up that half bell pepper or a stray handful of spinach while you wait. When your order arrives, top it, stick it under the broiler for a few minutes, and you’ve got a personalized healthy pizza.

3. Pizza Parlor Plan

If you find yourself in a pizzeria, devise a plan before you dive into the menu.

* Your first line of defense: order a salad as an appetizer. A healthy dose of satisfying fiber will take the edge off your hunger so you won’t be tempted to fill up only on pizza.
* Another strategy: resist the temptation to order side items to go with your pizza. Just one cheese breadstick can add about 200 calories and 10 grams of fat to your meal. And of course, most people don’t stop at just one.
* Also, since pizza is usually a shared food, attempt a compromise if you can’t get your thin crust veggie. If you don’t want just veggies, toppings like Canadian bacon or ham are lower fat choices than pepperoni.