Why does pizza cause cravings? A nutritionist named the main reasons

Why does pizza cause cravings? A nutritionist named the main reasons

Even a seemingly harmless slice of this dish can upset the water and salt balance in the body.

Pizza is one of the most popular dishes in the world, which not only arouses appetite, but also thirst. Its appeal lies in the combination of various ingredients such as cheese, tomato sauce, meat, vegetables and spices that create a unique flavor and aroma. However, along with that, it also contains a lot of salt.

Toitumisnõustaja ja toitumisnõustaja

“The high amount of sodium in its composition contributes to water retention in the body, which leads to dehydration and swelling. This becomes noticeable the next day or just a few hours after consuming the dish.”

The fact is that many types of pizza contain meat ingredients such as pepperoni or sausage. This also includes cheese, bacon, and chicken fillets, which are characterized by a high salt content. In addition to sodium, these foods have proteins and fats, which require a lot of fluid for the body to break down.

Additional ingredients such as olives, pickled mushrooms, pickles, anchovies also contribute to dehydration. On their own, in small amounts, they are healthy, but combining them can harm the body.

Dough makes the situation worse. Extra wheat flour in its broken down form is pure glucose, i.e. sugar. Carbohydrates in large quantities lead to a spike in insulin in the blood, which also provokes thirst. The body tries to stabilize the situation and the ratio of salts and fluids by purging the blood, while burdening the kidneys.

Insulin is a hormone of protein nature, which is produced in the pancreas. It is responsible for the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins in many tissues of the body. Its main role in the human body is to deliver to the cells the energy we get from food.

Therefore, it is very important not to forget to drink enough water after pizza to make it easier for the body to cope with such a volume of salt.

In general, thirst after pizza is a normal phenomenon associated with the high salt content of the dish. However, it is better to choose less fatty options on yeast-free dough with fewer carbohydrates.

Useful pizza can be prepared at home. Recipes can be found at the link below.