Lazy evening, busy day or dinner with friends: even fans of home cooking sometimes opt for quick, frozen meals to make life easier. Nothing wrong with that. But a dish that we often keep in the freezer may be more harmful than we think: frozen pizza.
Frozen pizza, the enemy of your health?
This reminder comes from several dietitians interviewed by the American media Parade. According to them, regular consumption of frozen pizzas is not recommended for cardiovascular health. The reason: their composition, often rich in saturated fats, sodium, refined carbohydrates and ultra-processed ingredients. A mixture that can promote the increase of cholesterol, blood pressure, weight and blood sugar. In short, a cocktail that is not very heart-friendly.
Experts also highlight another major problem: the consumption context. A whole pizza is often eaten alone, when in reality it is several cumulative servings of cheese, dough and fat. Result: we consume much more than we imagine, without necessarily realizing it.
But should we demonize the simple margarita?
Too much salt, a real problem for the heart
For Pauline Pied, dietitian-nutritionist, the message needs to be nuanced.
“They are American products, so not exactly the same as in France. But when we look at the frozen pizzas that we find here, we realize that they remain very high in salt”she explains.
For example, a frozen four-cheese pizza can contain around 3.5 g of salt for a whole pizza, while the World Health Organization recommends not exceeding 5 g of salt per day. In other words, a single meal can already cover more than half of the recommended daily intake.
However, excess salt promotes an increase in blood pressure, particularly in people who are already hypertensive or have the beginnings of cardiovascular disease. In the long term, too much blood pressure weakens the walls of blood vessels, which can increase the risk of stroke.
Fats and cholesterol: a slippery slope
Another downside: the high fat content, often saturated, of industrial pizzas. Large quantities of cheese, cold meats, thick pastas… These elements bring a lot of cholesterol.
“In the long term, excess can promote atherosclerosis,”
recalls Pauline Pied. This accumulation of fatty plaques in the blood vessels increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Here again, this danger mainly concerns people who already have land at risk.
Should we ban frozen pizza?
Good news: Eating a frozen pizza won’t cause a stroke overnight. The real problem lies in the regularity of consumption. In people already prone to hypertension or cardiovascular disorders, consuming it too often can increase long-term risks.
Our expert’s solution? Bet as much as possible on homemade pizzas, which are easier to balance, or adopt a few simple reflexes:
- Only eat half the pizza;
- Complete the plate with a good portion of vegetables;
- Reserve these products for occasional use, not daily use.
As is often the case in nutrition, it’s all a question of frequency and balance. Frozen pizza can remain a convenience… but not a pillar of the diet.