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OVERINDULGE AT THE weekend? You might want to look away now.
New research has found that the average 12-inch pizza can contain more than the total recommended daily calorie intake for one day, according to a survey by SafeFood.
The high calorie count is particularly troublesome as more than 40 per cent of the population now eats pizza at least once a week, with over half of people choosing a 12 inch pizza and 1 in 5 choosing a ‘large’ pizza.
The research looked at 240 pizza from 60 different outlets and found that just 1 in 10 takeaway pizza outlets had a healthy option of some kind on the menu.
It also found that takeaway pizzas have higher calories, salt and fat compared to shop-bought pizzas.
Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan of SafeFood, which is responsible for promoting food safety in Ireland, urged consumers to choose thinner bases, more vegetables, less processed meats and lower fat cheese on their pizzas.
“It’s concerning that we don’t realise the high level of calories, salt and saturated fat that we’re consuming in the pizza – and that’s before you begin to consider the side orders like chips, wedges and garlic bread that we are frequently tempted to buy to accompany a pizza,” said Dr Foley-Nolan.
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Didn’t do the teenage mutant ninja turtles any harm !
Ha!
Not to worry. The Diet Coke counters that.
Uh oh. Had pizza yesterday and the day before and I’m going to Italy this week :P
The pizza in Italy is crap so you’ll be alright.
Can’t imagine where in Italy you have had pizza that merited that comment. Maybe off a street vendor? Incidentally one of the biggest selling and most heavily advertised pizza brands sold in supermarkets is the very unItalian Dr Oetker. It is made, mass produced, in Lancashire, I believe.
I don’t give a rat’s arse!! It’s one of the few pleasures remaining that our overlords haven’t passed minim pricing on, or levied in some idiotic way.
Unless they bring in a calorie tax ( and who knows what they’re capable of) I’m gonna stuff myself just to spite the b**tards!
I’m sure they are shaking in their boots at the thoughts of you over-feeding yourself. They don’t seem to be too scared of James O Reilly, Pat Rabbitte and they look like pizza lovers to me!!! ;)
Careful now.
Denmark has already brought in a fat and sugar tax (I kid you not)..
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/111216/fat-tax-denmark-fat-tax-strikes-again
Wont be long before the rest of the EU follow suit.
If i was the governments PR people i’d advise them to send the overweight people to hospital. They’d be on a trolley that long they’d lose all the weight! Lower obesity rates without spending a penny!
Isn’t it a vegetable though?
Just in the US, apparently:
http://www.thejournal.ie/us-congress-rules-that-pizza-is-a-vegetable-282033-Nov2011/
Only in America. In this part of the world, we understand that bread is not a vegetable.
Still having one later with my kids as its a Monday thing.
All I can think about now is Pizza.
That lovely, greesy base thick. The dough weighing a wet ton.
The heart stopping cheese.
The BBQ (I’d prefer BBQ sauce over tom) sauce dripping over the edges.
Can of coke on the side to wash it all down, and a few sides (Garlic Bread, Onion Rings, Cookies) to sort it all out.
No regrets.
No regrets at all.
What is the calorie count for homemade pizza? Is the pizza the problem or how it made.
Depends on what toppings you use.
A 12 inch deep pan goodfellas pizza typically has about 2,000 calories regardless of toppings. They disguise this by giving you the calorie count per quarter pizza (As if you’d only be eating a quarter of it). Typically 500 calories per quarter on the ones I’ve seen. Crazy!!!
If you make pizza at home you can have it very tasty with 1/3 of the calories. Buy a bread machine, make your own though and then measure oil and mozzarella you use as topping. I am Italian, I know how a good pizza tastes and believe me you can make a great one at home! I just had 1 yesterday.
And get a slab of granite to fit your oven, makes a lovely crisp base
Why is this new research? They print this stuff on the box.
Here’s a suggestion don’t eat a whole 12 inch pizza on your own! Eat half or if you’re alone eat a smaller one, hey presto less calories, less fat people
i’d love to – but then they ambush me with the large pizza and chicken tenders and wedges and coke deal!! oh and garlic bread!!
if all i was eating was the large pizza i’d be delighted!
Or just don’t have it every day and keep it as an occasional treat. Homemade pizzas are great but can only be arsed making them a few times a year so it really is only ever a treat
America eats 100 acres of pizza per day / 350 pizza slices per second.
It’s a big place,the people need to be big to fill it,they even have big cars to accommodate the largeness ;P
@conor no it’s a fruit according to are American chum across the water .
But seriously if you want good pizza go to a restaurant where you have a decent range of healthy pizza on offer.
I use to go to a Italian restaurant in Store st till it closed, pizza was best in Dublin . But remour has it , it’s opening up again next month so yipee!!
Bit of shameless promotion here, but ‘The Steps of Rome’ on Chatham Row do the best pizzas that I’ve tasted in Dublin. Authentic thin-crust Italian style with a range of healthy and some less healthy toppings. I must try that place on Store St. when it re-opens. Must stop thinking about food….
Maybe we should grow acres of pizza if it’s that popular!
J.C’s in Swords, make the pizzas up in front of you, savage!!
Who’s eating 12 inch pizzas to themselves??? A 9 inch pizza should be enough for 1 person.
All the fatties thumbing you down! Haha!
guess my jeans will thank me for having a girlfriend who cant eat wheat! limits pizza intake (kinda want one now though….)
I’m going having Pizza for dinner – it’s your fault The Journal!
Sorry! *evil laugh*
I’m always a bit puzzled when I hear a story about how bad pizza is, wouldn’t a grilled cheese sandwich for example be in the same category? Or is it really the dough that makes all the difference?
I know there can be some terrible stuff out there but I’ve also had lovely crispy base pizza with minimal amount of cheese, bit of parma ham and lovely rocket and there’s no way it would of been anywhere near 2000 cal but I suppose this article is more about the typical take-away/supermarket stuff.
properly made pizza can be a perfectly healthy, well balanced meal. It completely depends on whats in the tomato sauce, the toppings and how much full fat mozzarella cheese is used.
Di fontaine in temple bar was the most tasteful pizzabar I knew.It was a great little place to grab a New York style pizza or just a slice.They changed it to a fish shop around a year ago Arrrggh.
It’s open on Parliament Street, across from Porterhouse. Still delish.
It’s either 5 or 6 bob for a slice and a can
#latelunch
Great thanks for the info Aidan.
Great to hear the food is still top notch.Grab a slice during the week can’t wait.
rays at central banks tastey too!
To be fair, anyone who thought freezer isle and fast food pizzas were good for you needs a slap into reality. If its not water thin with quality toppings from an italian restaurant and served to you with a fork and steak knife then it’s rubbish. But damn tasty rubbish. Everything in moderation people. One a month is loads.
Who the heck eats a whole 12 inch pizza themselves? Those are for 2 to 3 people, with some leftover for brekkie.
What?? 12 inch pizza is often prescribed to me on a Sunday evening when I am feeling the ill effects of the night before and it works a treat. There wouldn’t be a crumb of a 12″ pizza left when I’d be done. 12 inch pizza is for one!!!! Hands off ;)
suuuure. yes absolutely… mm.
I’d easily demolish a 12″ pizza. Most men would. I attempted a 16″ on occasion. Coke helps thanks to burps making room and you can double the slices over to help :P
I suppose it is the kind of dough used in making the pizza. Make sure the ingredients are not to much salt etc. Some pizza parlours might be using Dough with a lot of salt in it.
More likely to be cheese. Salt has zero calories sure. Poor old salt getting a hard rep.
Difontaines is now on the street the front lounge is so don’t dispair!!! :)
WOO-HOO brilliant news thanks for heads up John,I think a stroll down Parliament street is on the cards this week.. :)
There was another difontaines over on the Northside down the quays in the front of a bar called voodoo, the band Fun loving criminals own it, and the bar, last I knew.
What about a big mac
A snack box
Dave’s wood-fired pizza in speakeasy, where old shebeen chic used to be. Super-thin and crispy sourdough base and really fresh ingredients. Think he does the lunchtime markets as well. He has a fresh chilli and chorizo one that’s off the chain
Pizza is a vegetable in the US! Healthy option right there!
Quick question for you Journal, where did you get the picture from? And who cooks pizza in what looks like a frying pan on a gas hob?
Fatties
I’m amazed by this. Like Merle says above, surely a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich is like pizza. Add some onions, no calories, and you have, what I would think is a healthy bit of food. As a matter of fact, I am going to try a homemade one tonight. I have the yeast, so I will make a 12″ base and put some tomato paste, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and chedder cheese, as i don’t like mozzerella. A bit of broccoli for vitamins, no meat. They must be putting some shit in it for it to warrant 2,000 calories. Jays, I oft in my foolish youth ate two of the buggers at one sitting, no problem. Come to think of it, loads of grease come off them, alright, it must be the cheese. Gee….
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