Pizzas – Nutritional value

Pizzas contribute with significant quantities of PROTEINS for the consumers feeding and nutrition. Based on the Anvisa Normative Instruction IN no. 75, from October 8th, 2020, 100.0% of products can be considered as SOURCE of proteins and 67.9% as having a HIGH CONTENT of proteins, per portion of 100 g.

23,2% of the samples can be classified as SOURCE of FIBERS. In comparison with other foreign products, it is observed that pizzas can present higher fiber content as whole grains and a higher quantity of vegetables are used, as it proved by the national vegan pizzas that have 3.5 g in average.

Generally, pizzas are not products with low ENERGY VALUE due to the nature of its ingredients. For example, doughs represent about 50% of the average frozen pizza composition, and its main ingredient, wheat flour, contains approximately 80% of carbohydrates. Even so, the quantities of calories vary significantly among the analyzed and, following the market trends, products have been developed with reduced energy value, with ingredients reformulation and fats reduction.

Generally, pizzas, industrialized or not, are usually products rich in CARBOHYDRATES, considering that dough represents 50% of the average composition, approximately, and its main ingredient, wheat flour, contains approximately 80% of carbohydrates However, according to the type, the quantities vary significantly among the products. Among the alternatives to reduce carbohydrates present in the pizza, there are thinner doughs, plant-based dough and smaller portions.

Generally, pizzas are not low products in terms of saturated fats, considering that it is an intrinsic characteristic of raw materials used. For example, mozzarella has a relative quantity of saturated fats of, approximately, 60% of the total lipids content. However, the quantities of SATURATED FATS in pizzas vary significantly according to the ingredients present in their formulation. Among the alternatives to reduce the saturated fat, there are the toppings with more vegetables, less fatty meat and cheese or its replacement for similar products in which it is possible to control the fatty acids profile used in order to present a relative quantity of saturated fat up to 20% of the total lipids content.

Even though some products contain quantities above the VDR of 0.2 g, the most of the analyzed pizzas had a statement of exemption of trans fat. The quantity of TRANS FAT in pizzas vary a lot according to the ingredients present in its formulation, considering that it is an intrinsic characteristic of raw materials used. The variation in quantities of trans fat found in different products is largely related to the quantity of mozzarella cheese used, as this type of raw material usually have contents of trans fat above 1% intrinsic to the fat present in cow milk.

The quantity of SODIUM in pizzas varies significantly according to the ingredients present in its formulation, but, in average, they are not products with high sodium content. According to the Anvisa Normative Instruction IN no. 75, from October 8th, in its Annex XV that defines the limits for the statement on the front nutritional label, they shall state as “HIGH CONTENT OF SODIUM” food that contain more than 600 mg/100 g or more, that shall lead the manufacturers that have products above the limit to adequate to it. The products above the limit shall follow the market trend, which is to reduce the sodium content.