The frozen food aisle can be so tempting, especially once you reach the myriad of appetizers. Unfortunately, all those cheesy, breaded, and deviously delectable options can cause serious consequences to your health. While we should all make efforts to avoid frozen foods as much as possible for our overall wellbeing, they can be especially detrimental if you’re trying to shed a few pounds. In fact, there’s one type of frozen appetizer in particular that health experts say you should steer clear of because they wreak havoc on your metabolism.
To learn more about the worst appetizer that will set you back in your weight loss goals, we spoke to Onyx Adegbola, MD Ph.D., physician-scientist and lifestyle medicine physician, founder of Casa de Sante. She told us that pizza rolls are at the top of her list.
Frozen Pizza Rolls
When it comes to the worst frozen appetizers for your overall health—especially if you're trying to lose weight—Adegbola says frozen pizza rolls take the cake. Unfortunately for those of us who love cheese and carbs, it's no secret that an excess of these types of foods can cause serious damage to our bodies. And when you throw in all the processed ingredients and preservatives this popular appetizer packs in, it only makes matters worse.
"These things are loaded with unhealthy ingredients and processed meats that will screw up your metabolism in no time," Adegbola warns. This is true of just about any frozen appetizer, but pizza rolls are an especially bad culprit. "Frozen pizza rolls are high in calories and fat, which can lead to weight gain. They are also often processed and refined, which can make them difficult for the body to digest," she says. In fact, if you're really craving pizza, it's probably best to stick with a fresh slice. However, Adegbola has some other options in mind, too.
Healthy Alternatives
Luckily, according to Adegbola, there's no shortage of healthy alternatives to this processed snack. You may just have to get crafty; but what you lose in convenience, you gain in the peace of mind that you're not loading your body up with empty calories and refined ingredients.
"You could make a rollup with whole wheat tortillas, pizza sauce, and mozzarella cheese," Adegbola suggests. "Or, you could make a mini pizza on a whole wheat English muffin or pita pocket." And if you're really feeling adventurous, she says you could even make a "healthier version of an Italian calzone" by stuffing a whole wheat wrap with ground beef or turkey, veggies, and low-fat cheese." Yum! That doesn't sound bad at all.
At the end of the day, your diet is personal—and it's only inevitable that you'll want to indulge on some greasy, carby appetizers every now and then. However, if you want to maintain a fast metabolism and watch your weight, it's best to cut back on the pizza rolls as much as possible.
