Is Pizza Junk Food? The Surprising Truth

Why is Pizza Considered Junk Food?

When people say pizza is bad for you, what do they usually blame?
The cheese.

They’ll say things like:
“Cheese is full of fat!”
“It clogs your arteries!”
“That’s why pizza makes you fat.”

But here’s the surprise: cheese isn’t the real problem—in fact, it’s the best part.

Let’s break it down.

The Three Main Ingredients in a Classic Pizza

Forget your favourite toppings for a minute—whether you’re into pineapple or pepperoni doesn’t matter here. Strip it back to a basic margherita pizza and you’ve got:

1. The Base – usually made from white flour dough.

2. The Tomato Sauce – often a processed passata or puree with added sugar and refined salt.

3. The Cheese – generally mozzarella.

If you made this at home, it could be fairly simple: flour, yeast, water, tomato puree or fresh tomatoes, herbs, and mozzarella. Sounds harmless, right?

But there’s one ingredient doing most of the damage—and it’s not the cheese.

The Real Problem: The Dough

The pizza base is essentially refined flour, which is a carbohydrate. Once you eat it, your body breaks it down into sugar very quickly.

In fact, whether you're eating a handful of Haribo or a slice of bread, your body doesn't know the difference.

This triggers a spike in your blood sugar, which your body works hard to bring back down. It does this by releasing insulin, a hormone made by your pancreas that clears sugar from your blood and shuttles it into your cells for energy—or stores it as fat.

The Danger of Combining Carbs with Fat

Now here’s where it gets more dangerous.

Cheese is a high-fat food. So when you eat fat (like cheese) together with carbs (like pizza dough), your body enters what's known as the Randle Cycle.

The Randle Cycle is what happens when carbohydrates and fats enter the bloodstream together. Your cells become overwhelmed and struggle to use either fuel properly, leading to metabolic dysfunction.

Over time, this creates a traffic jam in your cells—and contributes to weight gain, fatigue, and ultimately, insulin resistance.

Insulin Resistance and Why It Matters

If you regularly eat high-carb meals (with or without fat) your body keeps releasing insulin to manage the sugar load. Eventually, your cells stop responding to insulin efficiently. This is called insulin resistance.

It’s like your cells are saying, “We’ve had enough sugar, thanks.”

So the sugar stays in your bloodstream, and your pancreas tries harder—pumping out even more insulin. Over time, this leads to:

• Constant fatigue

• Mood swings

• Blood sugar crashes after meals

• Brain fog

• Stubborn weight gain

• Skin breakouts or rashes

• Cravings

• Eventually: Type 2 Diabetes

So Is Pizza Bad for You?

Not inherently. But conventional pizza, with its high-carb, refined wheat flour base and high-fat toppings, is a metabolic nightmare.

It’s not the cheese that’s harming you. In fact, mozzarella offers protein and bioavailable nutrients.
The real issue is the bread base—and how it spikes your insulin.

A Better Option: Keto Pizza

Good news! You can still enjoy pizza without the blood sugar rollercoaster.

Try making a keto-friendly pizza with a base made from low-carb ingredients. The most popular option is called Fathead Pizza—a delicious crust made from mozzarella and almond flour that keeps you in ketosis.

Keto Fathead Pizza Recipe

Ingredients (Base):

• 170g shredded mozzarella cheese

• 2 tbsp cream cheese

• 1 egg (optional - I've heard it's better without!)

• 60g almond flour

• Pinch of salt

• Optional: ½ tsp garlic powder or oregano for extra flavour

Method:

1. Melt the cheeses
   Melt the cheeses gently in a saucepan, stiring slowly until smooth.

2. Mix in the dry ingredients
   Add almond flour, salt, and any optional spices. Mix thoroughly.

3. Add the egg (or a bit of water if not using an egg)
   Stir in the egg and combine into a dough. If it’s sticky, you can chill it briefly or dust with more almond flour.

4. Roll it out
   Place between two sheets of baking parchment and roll out into your preferred shape and thickness.

5. Pre-bake
   Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 8–10 minutes, or until lightly golden.

6. Add toppings
   Spread with sugar-free tomato sauce, mozzarella, and any low-carb toppings you like.

7. Bake again
   Return to the oven for 5–8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

8. Cool slightly, slice, and enjoy!

From Sugar Burner to Fat Burner: Why Keto Works

By cutting out the refined carbs, your body stops relying on sugar for fuel. Instead, it begins producing ketones—a clean, stable energy source made from fat.

This metabolic switch has many benefits:

• Steady energy

• Fewer cravings

• Reduced inflammation

• Easier fat loss

• Sharper mental clarity

Final Thoughts

Pizza isn't evil—but conventional pizza isn't your friend if you're trying to protect your metabolic health. Understanding how carbs and fats interact in the body can help you make more informed choices.

Next time you crave pizza?
Make it keto—and enjoy every bite.

Interested in learning more about the keto way of eating? Join us in the Facebook group!