Pizza: The Ultimate Healthy Fast Food

In fact, pizza is a favorite for many adults too. And with a little bit of knowledge, you can make quick and easy pizza at home that both tastes fantastic and is packed with nutrition and good for the entire family. Use frozen pizza dough or a pizza crust that's ready for your own great toppings to speed the preparation time.

For a Nutrition-Packed Pizza

• Olive oil spread lightly on pizza crust adds terrific flavor, and its monounsaturated fatty acids help protect against heart disease. The key is a light touch with any fat to keep the calories under control.
• The pigment that gives tomatoes their bright red color is called lycopene. It's also an important phytochemical that helps protect against prostate cancer.
• Tomatoes are also an excellent source of vitamin C to enhance the immune system and speed healing, as well as vitamin A that protects our eyes and our immune system. And you thought tomatoes just tasted great.

Toppings for Taste and Health

• Use part-skim mozzarella cheese instead of the whole-milk variety to cut down on cholesterol and saturated fat.
• Use whole-wheat crust whenever possible for added fiber.
• Toss as many fresh veggies as you like on your pizza for crunch, flavor and essential vitamins and minerals.
• Replace high-fat pepperoni and sausage with lower-fat Canadian bacon or stir-fried chicken.

• Sprinkle sesame seeds on a prepared crust or mix them into dough you make yourself for added fiber and omega-3 fatty acids to help protect against heart disease.
• Add fruit to your pizza topping: pineapple, melon, or papaya wedges taste fantastic.
• Go cheeseless and sprinkle the pizza dough with an assortment of fresh herbs and garlic.
• Let each family member make their own pizza by using individual pizza dough rounds and a variety of toppings.

Remember that no matter how you slice it, it's still easy to overeat pizza. Limit yourself to one or two slices, and round out the meal with a fresh tossed salad and fruit sorbet for dessert.