Easy and always a success: a flat base of dough topped with tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella in the oven and… that’s all! To change it a little bit, you can add one or two ingredients more, be it vegetables, meat or even fruit, and once again… that’s all! Traditional and homemade pizza, limited to flour, baking powder, water, olive oil, fresh cheese and tomato, is in fact a simple and fairly healthy option. Like everything else in food, the secret lies in the selection of ingredients and balance is the key for a delicious end dish . Note that: Pizza, as we know it today, has its origins in Naples, Italy, in the 19 th century. It became popular among the poorest, precisely because it required little more than a handful of flour and it was enough to feed a lot of mouths. Some see a first formula of pizza in the flat breads of flour and water topped with herbs, made by the Egyptians six thousand years ago. In Greek civilization, doughs with wheat flour, rice or chickpeas were also made and baked over hot surfaces. In 2017, UNESCO recognized the Neapolitan pizza and the art of those who make it – the pizzaiolos , who prepare the dough and the filling to perfection, spinning it in the air – as world intangible cultural heritage Tips: Opt for making your own pizza, rather than resorting to preserved or frozen versions. If you study the recipes closely, you will see that it is not that much work. Besides, you can guarantee to choose the right ingredients and avoid the problems with some frozen or fast-food pizzas, that are highly caloric, containing sugar, salt, fats, colorants and preservatives. Use fresh ingredients and whole flours. In tomato season (June to October), take the opportunity to make tomato sauce, that you can use all year long (you can freeze, for instance), in pizzas as in other dishes. Establish previously a limit for the slices and portions of pizza that you are going to eat. And remember to accompany the meal with vegetables or a salad. If you have kids, making pizza is a fantastic activity with guaranteed success. Now, try the recipes from our nutritionists Alexandra Lima , Maria Inês Cardoso , and Marta Magalhães . Source: Healthline, “ Is Pizza Healthy? Nutrition Tips for Pizza Lovers ” Meet the nutrition clinical team from Hospital da Luz network.
