If you lead a busy life and don’t have time to cook frequently, you can rely on easy-to-make recipes or prepared meals—including frozen varieties. And while we certainly don’t blame you for choosing options that can save you a bit of time, it’s important to remember that highly processed foods can be bad for your health, including your heart. In fact, there’s one frozen meal that experts say you should avoid as much as possible if you want to keep your heart healthy: Frozen pizza.
To learn more about the health risks of frozen foods like pizza, we spoke to a registered dietitian and nutritionist. Krutika Nanavati from Clinicspots. She told us that the processed ingredients in this convenient meal can put you at risk for heart disease and other health problems. Read on for all her insights and tips!
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Frozen pizza
There’s no denying that frozen pizzas are delicious and convenient. At the end of a long day, sometimes nothing sounds better than a few slices of cheese on a pizza that takes virtually no effort to prepare. Unfortunately, though, all that convenience comes at a cost; It turns out that consuming this processed food could put your health at risk over time.
As Nanavati points out, “Most frozen pizzas are loaded with unhealthy ingredients, like processed meats, high-fat cheeses, and sugary sauces.” All of these processed ingredients are bad enough on their own due to the fact that they contain huge amounts of fat and calories and offer virtually no nutritional value. And when you put them all together, you quite frankly have a recipe for disaster when it comes to your heart health. “While the occasional slice of pizza won’t kill you, eating frozen pizzas on a regular basis can increase your risk of developing heart disease or other cardiovascular problems,” Nanavati warns.
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Some frozen pizzas can be even worse than others. Nanavati tells us that “topping it off with processed meats and full-fat cheese can make it even worse.” Processed meats like sausage and pepperoni, in particular, can take a serious toll on your heart health. Nanavati explains that these ingredients are “often high in saturated fat and sodium, both of which can be harmful to your health if you consume too much,” noting that “eating processed meats can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases”. so it’s best to avoid them as much as possible.” And that includes avoiding them on your pizza!
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In general, no processed frozen food is going to be a good idea for your health, so it’s usually best to skip the frozen aisle at the grocery store (unless, of course, you’re buying frozen fruits and vegetables, which Nanavati says.” they can be just as nutritious as fresh.) If you really have a craving for pizza, it’s probably worth the effort to make it yourself with fresh ingredients and lots of nutritious veggies rather than toss a frozen one in the oven, although it may take a little longer. than the alternative, your body (and probably your taste buds) will thank you in the end!
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