Depending on ingredient specifics, breakfast pizza can be a smart morning choice or a small-scale nutritional disaster. Processed, fast-food and packaged pizzas, in particular, tend to have more calories, sugar, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium than their homemade counterparts, the HelpGuide website warns. To make the healthiest choice, pay attention to ingredient labels or choose healthy, whole foods to make your own version.
Nutrition Facts
Red Baron breakfast pizza, which includes bacon, egg and cheese on a biscuit dough, clocks in at about 400 calories, 19 grams of fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 970 mg of sodium, 37 g of carbohydrates, 2 g of fiber, 8 g of sugar and 17 g of protein per individual-sized serving, LIVESTRONG's MyPlate website calculates. In contrast, one slice of breakfast pizza from a recipe printed in the October 2002 issue of "Cooking Light" magazine has only about 200 calories, 6.5 g of fat, 15.5 g of protein, 20 g of carbohydrates, 0.5 g of fiber, 13 mg of cholesterol and 770 mg of sodium.
Ingredients
The bulk of the nutritional difference between the two versions of breakfast pizza has to do with their ingredients. Using full-fat cheese and a high-fat meat such as bacon raises the calorie, fat, cholesterol and sodium totals in any recipe. "Cooking Light" keeps them down by calling for egg substitute, low-fat Parmesan cheese, skim milk, non-fat cheddar cheese, low-fat turkey sausage and reduced-fat dough in its breakfast pizza recipe.
Alternatives
Breakfast is a very important meal, so even eating a meal that's relatively high in calories and fat can be better than skipping it altogether. According to the Mayo Clinic, breakfast helps people control their weight, reduces cravings and may curb hunger later in the day. However, there are healthier alternatives to pizza. Oatmeal is one, with only about 100 calories, 2 g fat and 3 g fiber per cup of cooked oats, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's nutrient data laboratory. A smoothie or yogurt parfait made with fresh berries, non-fat Greek yogurt and low-fat, low-sugar granola can also provide a boost of fiber and protein without the saturated fat and sodium of breakfast pizza.
Considerations
If you'd like to try your hand at making homemade breakfast pizza, you can find nutrition facts for it with the aid of an online calorie counter such as the one available at the Calories Per Hour website. Keep track of your ingredients, plug them into the counter, note the totals and divide by the number of servings in the recipe. Finally, keep in mind that it's important to eat a variety of balanced meals throughout the day. If your breakfast pizza is missing any main food groups, such as vegetables, fruits or lean proteins, get them in during other daily meals so you can maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
References
- HelpGuide: Healthy Weight Loss and Dieting - How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off
- LIVESTRONG.com MyPlate: Calories in Red Baron Breakfast Pizza
- MyRecipes: Cooking Light Breakfast Pizza Recipe
- Mayo Clinic: Breakfast: Why Is It So Important to Weight Control?
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Nutrient Data Laboratory
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