Save 500 Calories with These Pizza Swaps
Sarah-Jane Bedwell,SELF magazine
Who doesn't love pizza? This comfort food combines different flavors and textures and is always fun to share with pals. Choose the right toppings and you can save 560 calories -- that's enough to have an extra slice!
Instead of topping your pizza with chicken, try mushrooms. They have the same great, meaty texture, but these veggies will save you 80 calories per 3 oz serving and add important nutrients like Vitamin D and potassium.
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Swap out pepperoni for chicken sausage. It has less than half the fat and saves 85 calories per ounce while still adding that same savory flavor to your pizza. If you're making pizza at home, look for the fully cooked kind to save time.
Stick to marinara sauce instead of opting for a cream-based sauce to save 107 calories per 1/2 cup serving. Plus, it only has 3 g of fat per serving while packing tons of flavor versus the 18 g of fat per serving in the white sauce.
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Switch from adding extra cheese to extra peppers, onions and spinach instead. Add a 1/4 cup serving of each of these veggie toppings and save 56 calories over adding a 1/4 cup serving of cheese!
Trade out spicy Italian sausage for 1 oz black olives and 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes. You'll save 53 calories and still get salty, savory flavors from the olives (and good fat!). Red pepper flakes bring spicy heat to the party!
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Skip the garlic butter dip for your crust and try light Italian dressing instead. You'll add lots of flavor while saving 129 calories and 15 g fat per 1 oz serving.
Ditch barbecue-style sauces and use pineapple chunks instead. You'll save 50 calories per serving but still get a sweet, tangy flavor. Bonus: the tropical treat adds filling fiber.
So next time you order a pizza, try out some of these swaps. I think you will love the flavors and feel good about the calories they save! Bring on that extra slice!
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