On those groggy (read: hungover) mornings, there’s nothing you want more than that leftover slice of pizza, and it turns out that a greasy, cheesy breakfast might be the best option.
One nutritionist has uncovered some fantastic news that will slice out the unnecessary guilt when you shove that pizza into your mouth.
“You may be surprised to find out that an average slice of pizza and a bowl of cereal with whole milk contain nearly the same amount of calories,” Chelsey Amer says, according to Vice’s Munchies. “However, pizza packs a much larger protein punch, which will keep you full and boost satiety throughout the morning.”
While the news is indeed music to many people’s ears, it’s not too surprising when you think about the numerous desserts disguised as breakfasts that lurk in our cupboards. Those sugary clumps, flakes, and loops filled with food dyes and chemicals spike your sugar levels and leave you with an intense comedown, whereas the fat and protein in pizza will keep your belly full and sustain you for much longer.
Unfortunately, this information doesn’t exactly make pizza the equivalent of a “healthy” breakfast, but it’s better than most breakfast cereals which have as much sugar as a candy bar. If you’re thinking you can now eat a candy bar instead of cereal for breakfast, you may have missed the point.
And for those cereal die-hards, fear not! Amer suggests looking for whole grain cereals with less than five grams of added sugar and at least five grams of fiber. She also suggests pairing cereal with a source of protein like Greek yogurt, nuts, milk, and some fruit for added vitamins and minerals.