Make pizza with nutrients and low in calories

A slice of pizzas from your local parlor, smother with cheese and topped with sausage and pepperoni, is a fat and calorie catastrophe. Make it yourself, however, and you could end up with a relatively healthy meal.

First, reduce up on the cheese. Part-skim mozzarella and other lower-fat cheeses are a great source of protein and calcium and frequently have half the fat and a third fewer calories than regular versions.

Add the lower-fat cheese with just a sprinkle of a flavorful, full-fat hard cheese, such as Parmesan or pecorino.

Don't be scared to slather on the tomato sauce. Tomatoes are overloaded with antioxidants, plus they are high in flavor and fat-free. If you like, you can make a white pizza sauce by purée roasted garlic cloves with a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil.

Vegetables are filling, high loaded with nutrients and low in calories, so pile them high on your pizza.