Can diabetics eat pizza? Despite being unhealthy, pizzas are everyone’s favorite cheat meal. However, for people with diabetes, pizzas may not be the best bet. Although it does not contain sugar, other factors increase the risk. This article addresses some topics concerning pizzas’ effects on your blood sugar and how it jeopardizes your health.
Is pizza good for individuals with diabetes?
It is essential to identify the safest type of pizza since not all pizzas are baked with safe ingredients. Additionally, limiting their intake of this dish is a requirement to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Here’s why:
- Rich source of refined carbohydrates – Most restaurants use white flour to make the pizza base. This ingredient is high in refined carbs, which have increased effects on blood sugar levels. These carbs that come from refined grains are lacking in essential nutrients, such as fiber and protein. Frequent pizza consumption with highly refined carbohydrates increases the risk for type 2 diabetes along with several other diseases.
- Too much sodium – Pizzas have a high sodium level. Individuals with type 2 diabetes should avoid eating pizza frequently as its significant amount of sodium can worsen their condition by causing high blood pressure (hypertension).
- An abundance of saturated fat – Any food high in saturated fat may lead to insulin resistance and increase blood sugar levels. Aside from making it difficult for insulin to balance the amount of blood sugar in the body, it affects blood glucose control and management. Pizzas are a rich source of saturated fat, which is why people with diabetes should only take this dish in moderation after considering all risk factors.
Is it still possible to eat pizza despite having varying blood sugar levels?
So, can diabetics eat pizza? There are different types of pizzas that people with diabetes can enjoy. However, it is recommended for them to choose only nutrient-dense pizzas to manage their condition still. What are the ingredients that they can add to their pizza toppings?
- Fiber-rich foods: veggies like peppers, artichokes, tomatoes, and zucchini
- Protein-rich: roasted chicken and mozzarella
- Healthy fats: nuts and olives
As mentioned, a regular pizza is filled with white flour. To ensure that blood sugar levels are still in control, people with diabetes should opt to use almond flour for their crust. Making your crust from almond flour or cauliflower is safer as it contains lower carbohydrate content than refined flour.
What ingredients to avoid on your pizza slices?
- Processed meats
- Fried vegetables or chicken
- Extra cheese topping
- Sweetened pineapple chunks
- Extra-thick crusts
- Alfredo sauce or any other creamy dressings
What are some of the diabetes-friendly recipes for pizza?
Gourmet Pizza – It has a thin crust with ingredients like cauliflower, healthy meat, bell pepper, mushrooms, olives, and sundried tomatoes.
Zucchini Pizza – This type of pizza is made of almond flour, eggs, and zucchini. Its toppings include red onion, jalapeño, mozzarella cheese, bell peppers, and tomatoes.
Cauliflower Pizza – This specialty is enjoyable with shredded chicken on top. You can also add some spinach and mozzarella.
Takeaway
One of the challenges when dealing with diabetes is limiting carbohydrate consumption or switching to a lower carb and healthy diet. The usual carb used in preparing a pizza base is not fit for diabetics. Therefore, identifying a more nutritious option is vital. Choose thin-crust pizza based, preferably made of other ingredients such as almond flour or cauliflower flour. Choose toppings that are low on GI index and high on fiber.
