I love pizza, so anytime I can get three mediums for just $5 each, I get excited. I was kind of excited for the Domino’s 5-5-5 deal just because it’s fairly cheap, but the Pizza Hut Pizza Mia deal really had me excited. (Although not quite as excited as I was when a local pizza place for doing 3 large pizzas for $5 each!)

Pizza Hut’s commercials claimed “sauce from vine-riped tomatoes” and “whole milk mozzarella cheese with a hint of cheddar.” What really stands out in my mind though is that the Pizza Mias looked really good!

(Plus when you consider that most fruits/vegetables are picked before they ripen so that they don’t bruise during shipping, the promise of “vine-ripened tomatoes” really is something special.)

It just looked so good I had to have it. So I ordered some…

And then I got a brilliant idea - I would write about it on my website! So at the last minute, before getting the pizza, I looked it up on the internet to see if anyone else was writing about it.

I was a bit surprised to see conflicting reviews online already. Turns out the Pizza Mia has been out for a while, and despite the heralded sauce and mozzarella, some people say they are terrible pizzas!

What did I think?

I thought it was some of the best pizza I’ve ever had. Really. The first thing I noticed was the amazing aroma, which I later learned was due to the robust sauce and soft cheese packed with flavor. The sauce tasted like a real tomato sauce and it had a nice oregano flavor.

The crust is nice and chewy; it’s definitely not a thin crust but it’s not as thick as their pan pizza. The best part? No grease! At all! It was nice and dry and crispy on the outside but still soft and chewy inside. (Normally I avoid Pizza Hut because the pan pizza is dripping with grease…)

The Pizza Mia is not loaded with mounds of cheese, either, so it’s healthier all around. I actually like my pizza with less cheese so this was great. It’s probably best enjoyed without any toppings, although I enjoyed one with onions, which added to the spicy flavor (and by spicy I mean ’spices’ like oregano, not ’spicy’ like hot buffalo wings.)

[Note: Some other website reviews said the pizza sucks and the crust is like cardboard. Their local Pizza Hut staff must be sub-par, because my pizza was put together nicely.]

My final verdict is…

If you like a good, authentic pizza, the Pizza Mia is awesome. It’s more like something from a ‘mom and pop’ pizzeria than a national chain. It also appears much healthier than a typical pan pizza, so I’d recommend it for anyone who would rather not have their arteries clogged from one meal.

If you want a thick greasy crust loaded with cheese and other toppings, though, this isn’t for you.

Don’t get me wrong, the best pizza still comes straight out of Italy, but this was great for a national chain restaurant. And let’s face it, can you afford to fly to Italy every so often just to get a slice of pizza?

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Pizza could very well be the country’s favorite food, but believe it or not, it can be one of the healthiest foods out there. Your typical Meat Lovers Pizza from Pizza Hut isn’t what I’m talking about, though. While you might not find something like this in your typical pizza joint, a whole-wheat crust with a little cheese and a lot of veggies is great for your health.

If you start off with a not-too-greasy hand-tossed or thin crust with a nice layer of fresh tomato sauce and a thin covering of mozzarella, you can build a great meal. A typical white crust isn’t exactly healthy, but it will supply you with much-needed carbs (if you were just out riding for a few hours, that is.) The tomato sauce is full of lycopene and the cheese provides protein and calcium. Just order your pizza with “lite cheese,” which means about half the normal amount. Your taste buds won’t notice, but your heart and arteries will!

Then move on to the toppings, where you want to avoid greasy red meat. There really are many other options out there! Here’s a list of nutritious pizza toppings and why they are good for you:

Onions

Onions offer a rich, strong flavor, so they add taste and health benefits to your pizza. The health benefits include lower blood sugar, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and reduced risk of colon cancer thanks to the chromium, vitamin C, and fiber.

Black Olives

Olives are full of healthy unsaturated fats that fight heart disease and lower cholesterol. You’ll also be getting some good things known as polyphenols and flavanoids. The fat will also help you absorb the nutrients from your other toppings.

Red Peppers

These are similar to green peppers, but with a stronger, sweeter flavor. These are a bit harder to find, but worth looking for since they are chock full of Vitamin C, A, and B6, along with antioxidants like beta-carotene. Whether your peppers are red, yellow, orange, or green, be sure they’re on your pizza!

Garlic

I don’t see many pizza places offering chopped garlic as a topping, but there’s no harm in asking. If you’re cooking your own pizza, I recommend making a paste out of chopped garlic and olive oil. You can spread that on the crust before you load it down with everything else. Lots of health benefits from garlic, plus the heart-healthy fats you get from olives.

Spinach

Spinach is Popeye’s topping of choice for a reason. Not only is it loaded with antioxidants, but it’s full of iron, lutein, and zeaxanthin. The iron will build your blood (no EPO necessary) and the lutein and zeaxanthin will protect your eyes from macular degeneration.

Pineapple

One of the few fruits that works on pizza. It contains Vitamin C and an enzyme called bromelain. Bromelain will aid digestion, a good thing if you eat as much pizza as I do, and it even acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, easing your aching muscles. If you were just out hammering for 5 hours, pour on the pineapple!

Mushrooms

While being neither fruit nor vegetable (mushrooms are actually a fungus,) they add great flavor and great nutrients. They are packed with selenium and riboflavin (and other B vitamins,) along with other nutrients that could ward off cancer.

Tomatoes

Sliced tomatoes make great toppings, especially on a white or pesto pizza. Even if you already have tomato sauce on there, adding tomatoes just increases the healthiness.

Broccoli

Another green vegetable that you can get on your pizza. This one is full of Vitamins C, A, and K, along with quite a bit of folate and dietary fiber. Broccoli offers significant anti-cancer effects, and when paired with tomatoes or tomato sauce, the veggies can boost each other’s effects for even better cancer fighting.

Chicken

For all you meat lovers that can’t resist, get some nice white meat chicken on your pie. It’s full of protein, but not full of saturated fat and sodium like pepperoni. Chicken also has some good stuff like zinc and selenium (to boost your immune system) and essential B vitamins. My personal preference is to find a barbecue chicken pizza, but you can also get chicken as a general topping or find a Hawaiian Chicken Pizza.

There you have it, a lot of good pizza toppings to keep your pie healthy.

Photo credit: Kitay