Many wonder if eating pizza in the evening makes you gain weight since it is a rather high-calorie food. But is there a correlation between weight gain and pizza as the main course for dinner? Let us find out below.
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Does Eating Pizza In The Evening Really Make You Gain Weight?
The number of calories consumed after eating a pizza for dinner depends on the topping you choose (although even a simple margarita can be very heavy). In this case, it is good to remember that it is not a single food that makes an individual gain or lose weight, but rather, this process derives from the quantity of calories ingested. Pizza also follows this reasoning since a calorie is counted as a calorie – regardless of the food it comes from.
Therefore, when we ask ourselves whether pizza makes us fat, we don’t take into account the average amount of calories we have ingested in a day (or in a week). For example, if you want to consume 500 calories in a day and a pizza has 200, then you will still have 300 calories available before reaching your needs without affecting the food plan you have established.
When you want to lose weight, the crucial aspect is to ensure that your calorie intake is less than your total consumption: if you respect this principle, pizza does not contribute to weight gain. Returning to the main question, no, eating pizza for dinner does not make you gain weight. If the considerations made previously are respected, this food can be consumed at any time of the day without consequences.
For example, if you choose to eat pizza in the evening, you can compensate the next morning with a light, protein-rich breakfast. It must always be underlined that the myth that carbohydrates eaten in the evening cause weight gain is unfounded. What really matters is the ratio between calories ingested and calories burned: the caloric content of food remains the same regardless of the time of day in which it is consumed.
Also Read: Here Are 7 Bad Habits That Make You Fat
What Is The Pizza With The Fewest Calories?
If you want to eat pizza without having too much of an impact on your daily calorie intake, it’s a good idea to choose a lighter option. Since the total calories of a pizza are influenced by the toppings and not by the dough, you can opt for the following:
- Pizza with vegetables;
- Margherita pizza;
- Seafaring.
Here is the calorie content of the most common pizzas:
- Ortolana: 260 kcal per 100 g, 780 kcal for a small pizza (300 g), 1560 kcal for a large pizza (600 g);
- Capricciosa: 320 kcal per 100 g, 960 kcal for a small pizza (300 g), 1929 kcal for a large pizza (600 g);
- Margherita: 270 kcal per 100 g, 810 kcal for a small pizza (300 g), 1620 kcal for a large pizza (600 g);
- Four cheeses: 330 kcal per 100 g, 990 kcal for a small pizza (300 g), 1980 kcal for a large pizza (600 g);
- Four seasons: 285 kcal per 100 g, 855 kcal for a small pizza (300 g), 1710 kcal for a large pizza (600 g);
- Ham: 275 kcal per 100 g, 825 kcal for a small pizza (300 g), 1650 kcal for a large pizza (600 g).
Tips To Follow Before And During A Pizza Dinner
When you decide to eat pizza in the evening, to avoid having too much of an impact on your calorie intake, for lunch, you can prefer white meat with a side of vegetables or salad – instead of carbohydrates. We do not recommend:
- Pasta
- Rice
- Bread
You must also pay attention to snacks, avoiding taking caloric foods before dinner, such as:
- Pretzels
- French fries
- Bruschettas
During the meal, then, you should refrain from drinking excessively carbonated drinks and, if you really cannot do without them, prefer light ones or those without added sugars (perhaps only drinking half a can). Finally, post-pizza desserts should also be avoided.
What Happens If You Eat Pizza Every Night?
Pizza consumed every evening can lead to some consequences to keep in mind: being a rather caloric food – some variants can even reach 1200 calories – you could experience weight gain. Furthermore, pizza does not provide a sufficient amount of fiber but, on the contrary, contains many refined grains, which can cause:
- Abdominal distension
- Intestinal problems
- Swelling
Fortunately, it is always possible to choose not only the seasoning but also the type of dough: from this point of view, it is better to opt for healthy dough made with whole grains or renowned flours. From the point of view of pathologies, overindulging in pizza towards a diet unbalanced in one direction, combined with a sedentary lifestyle and a genetic predisposition, can favor cardiac or oncological problems. To avoid these side effects, therefore, it is a good idea:
- Consume five segments of leafy foods daily;
- Prefer oily fish and white meat;
- Moderate the use of alcohol;
- Drink a lot of water;
- Avoid smoking;
- Do at least an hour of physical activity three times a week, preferably outdoors.
By following these practices, you could balance pizza consumption with a healthy lifestyle and prevent any negative consequences.
Also Read: Successful Weight Loss With Low-Fat Food
