Healthy pizza offers promise of nutritionally good junk food - Eat Out Magazine

Pizza - nutritionally balanced junk food favourite

3rd July 2012, 10:31am

The pizzas have been created by Donnie Maclean, the businessman behind the company Eat Balanced, and Professor Mike Lean of Glasgow University's human nutrition department.

The pizzas won the Best New Idea Award at the recent Food & Drink Expo trade show.

Lucy Jones of the British Dietetic Association, the dietitian from the popular TV programme Food Hospital, said: "For most of us, eating foods in the right balance is key to good health. Our busy lifestyles mean this is a struggle for many.

"The guys at Eat Balanced have really cleverly provided a balanced meal in a convenient package."

Prof Lean has said the idea was born out of frustration.

"If you go along to a supermarket or a restaurant and buy a meal, then somebody should have thought about it nutritionally."

He said his university department had studied ready meals produced by the top five supermarkets in Scotland and found them "hopelessly unbalanced" nutritionally.

"T hey contain as much salt as you should have in a whole day or more. They contain as much saturated fat as you should have in a whole day or more. The nutrients we need every day are absent from these meals."

In partnership with Maclean they have developed ways to boost the vitamin and mineral content of the pizzas as well as cutting back on salt, sugar and fat.

For example, the use of seaweed cuts sodium levels, but ensures iodine and vitamin B12 levels are enhanced. And red pepper is mixed in with the tomato base for extra vitamin C.

"The way the guidelines are set out, you have 20% of your nutrients and calories from your breakfast, 30% from your lunch, 30% from your dinner, and an extra 20% for snacks," said Maclean.

"We focused on pizza being a lunch or a dinner option. Each pizza gives a complete meal, with all the nutrients in it, for 30% of your day."

Words David Foad 0 comments

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