What happens if you eat pizza everyday?

If you are a pizza enthusiast, chances are you have wondered what would happen if you consumed it regularly. But the simple answer is that no one actually knows for sure about what exactly happens by eating pizza everyday.

Since eating one slice of pizza doesn’t produce any noticeable effect on the body, most experts don’t know how to answer this question with certainty. There are times when people eat large quantities of food in extreme situations, but pizza is not usually among them.

Ok, back to the topic…

What happens if you eat pizza everyday?

Here are some of the possible side effects that may arise if you were to eat pizza everyday:

Obesity

Obesity is one of the greatest risks associated with eating a lot of high-fat, high-calorie foods such as pizza. The USDA considers 420 calories for a slice of cheese pizza as ‘low-fat’. You would definitely be eating more calories than that in each slice and you would need a large amount of physical activity to burn all these fat and sugar. A can of soda or fruit juice on the side wouldn’t be helping either because both have about 100 calories each.

Heart Diseases

Eating a lot of saturated fat from pizza, in particular cheese, can increase the risk of heart diseases. In one study published in 1993, it was found that people who ate a lot of pizza had an increased risk for atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). This risk was more than three times higher than those who ate little or no pizza.

Diabetes and High Blood Pressure

Eating too much fat can contribute to obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. The kind of sugars found in pizza are thought to increase the risk for these diseases. And, they are also present in most other processed foods as well.

Muscle Atrophy and Bone Loss

Consuming a lot of protein foods can help in building muscles. However, the body is able to use only a certain amount of protein at once. The excess will simply be excreted in the form of urea and other waste products. Protein is also a very important nutrient for building bones, but if you eat too much of it, bones may begin to lose calcium which leads to osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis makes your bones very weak and the risk for bone fractures increases as you get older. This disease usually happens due to dieting that stresses the body less than usual or due to various diseases such as osteomalacia (vitamin D deficiency).

Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

Your body can be deprived of many essential vitamins and minerals if you eat nothing but pizza. One slice contains negligible amounts of Vitamin A, C, calcium, iron and most other nutrients. So yes, it would be helpful in meeting your daily calorie needs but not for vitamin and mineral requirements. Experts advise to achieve adequate nutrition, you must eat a balanced diet including dairy products (cheese in pizza), fruits and vegetables.

Stomach Upset and Heartburn

Pizza is not just bad for health but can also upset your stomach because of the processed cheese on it which tends to cause gas and heartburn when consumed frequently such as in pizza. Constant heartburn will probably affect your digestive system and may also cause indigestion.

Increased Risk of Cancer

There are studies that link eating a lot of food processed foods such as pizza, soft drinks, cakes, chocolate and so on to higher risk of cancer. This could be attributed to high levels of fats and calories in these foods that increase the risk of obesity which increases the risk of cancers because fat is not supposed to be stored in our bodies. Some research also suggests that eating a lot of meat increases the risk for colon cancer. Another common factor found in most processed food is high amounts saturated fats. These types of fats are linked to cancer development.

Read: How to make a home made pizza?

Acne and Oily Skin

High fat intake is the primary cause of acne. The fat in pizza will contribute to excessive sebum production which may lead to acne. Excessive amounts of dairy in pizza can also cause acne or worsen an existing case of it. Oily skin will also develop more easily if you have oily hair. And, oily hair are more likely to possess oily skin as well. They work together. One way to prevent this is by washing your face with a mild soap regularly and drinking plenty of water to remove the oils from your body.

Recommended: Can you/How to reheat pizza in an oven?

Bottom Line

After learning about what happens if you eat it everyday, you can prevent the risks associated with eating a lot of processed food such as pizza and try to eat a balanced diet including dairy products (cheese or spread), fruits, vegetables and other good sources of nutrients such as fish, meat and whole grains. Also ensure regular exercise to burn extra calories and build muscle.