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I'll be the first to admit that I wanted to kick and scream when I saw the sodium content in just one slice of pizza. Pizza Hut's nutrition facts report that 1/8 of a pizza is between 440 (med. cheese) and 920 (lg. stuffed crust pepperoni). A frozen pizza, well...it's truly a wrap with those things. For one slice of my favorite brand of pepperoni pizza, the sodium content comes in at a whopping 910 mg. of sodium (smh...whoa is me). Still, I just wasn't ready to give up the taste of the ooey gooey goodness of melted mozzarella and pepperoni on a buttery crust. Instead of cheating, I researched ways to make my guilty pleasure fit into my new eating plan.
While on a Target field trip, I found a low-sodium pizza crust under their Archer Farms brand. My eyes buldged, almost out of their sockets when I saw 1/3 of the crust was only 85 mg. of sodium. The crust I selected is the fire roasted thin crust. It comes in a resealable package, so I could cut what I needed without being wasteful. In the basket the package plopped!
I waited a week before making and consuming my sinful pleasure (oxymoron alert). I knew I would have to make the pizza on a day where I had a moderate breakfast (cereal and an apple = 248 mg) and water for lunch (10 mg). It was going to be game time after 4 p.m.! I left myself about 900 mg. of room in my body to account for the madness I'd get at home (It's about planning). Before you judge me, please do the math. The goal is for me to consume at or close to 1500 mg. per day.
I measured everything and even counted my pepperoni slices. Each slice is about 35 mg. of sodium (10 slices when I should have stopped at 8, but it looked weird without the other two). The pizza sauce, which I'll learn to make to cut the sodium content down even further after this post, is 250 mg. per 1/4 cup. The cheese is 200 mg. of sodium per 1/4 cup. I was too excited to think. I grabbed my water, served my husband his traditional slices, and served myself two slices of my special treat.
Instead of looking like a lost puppy at the dinner table as I watch my husband eat just about anything without adverse effects, I couldn't wait to sit adjecent to him and indulge in our favorite cheesy delight. We said grace, I popped open my bottled water, and I ATE THE PIZZA! It was soooooo good! Put me in the corner for consuming those little temptations, but I have to get a hall pass for resisting the temptation of the all you can eat Chinese buffet that was served at my office meeting the week prior (I really wanted that egg roll).
After a good, "AAAAH! That was yummy" exclamation, I did some reflecting for the next time I indulge (Oh! There is a next time. I will just be more responsible so I don't starve at lunch time).
Modifications for future pizza making:
1. Make my own sauce. I can get rid of 249 mg. of salt doing so
http://www.lowsodiumcooking.com/free/PizzaSauce.htm (Join me in thanking Angel Fears for this lovely site).
2. Limit my pepperoni slices to 8 for the entire pizza (from 350 to 280)
Hold the salt savings: 315 mg. of sodium and I can eat a moderate lunch (a salad and fruit).
So, campaign folks, I took a calculated plunge for the first time since January 8, 2013. I reflected on my practices, and now I'm off to the next journey to support my health and encourage you to do the same. The moral of the story: If you're going to salt it up, hold it in another area. Plan your salt intake to 1. minimize the guilt and 2. justify the guilty pleasure (smile).
Until next time, let's continue to hold each other and ourselves accountable.
-Y
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