Building a healthy pizza packed with antioxidants

When it comes to food, pizza reigns supreme among many families. With the right toppings, building a satisfying and nutritional pizza that's brimming with flavour and antioxidants is easy. Skip the pepperoni and extra cheese, and instead fill a pizza up with veggies and fruit that are packed with vitamins and minerals.

A single cup of green peppers provides 2.5 grams of fibre, which aids in digestion and lowers your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Ample amounts of vitamins C and E strengthens the body's immunity, as well.

Also high in vitamin C, onions contain dietary fibre, folic acid, iron, calcium and quercetin, a flavonoid which helps to stabilize blood pressure and maintain cardiovascular health.

Mushrooms' high selenium levels help to protect cells from free radical damage, and the presence of the antioxidant ergothioneine helps keep skin looking youthful.

With anti-inflammatory properties and hydroxytyrosol (a phytonutrient believed to prevent cancer and bone loss), olives are an ideal and savoury pizza topping.

Pineapple is filled with vitamin C and bromelain, which is an anti-inflammatory compound that has been linked to cancer prevention.

A one cup serving of spinach yields more than 3,600 IU of beta-carotene, a carotenoid that is linked to heart health, anti-aging and cancer prevention. Its impressive levels of vitamin K, magnesium, iron, folate and calcium make it one of the best pizza toppings for a healthy body, and its rich colour can make any pie look more appetizing.

With 300 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C, plenty of vitamin A and high levels of beta-carotene, the red pepper is the all-star of the pepper family.

Broccoli contains more vitamin C than an orange and more calcium than a full glass of milk. With loads of additional phytonutrients like sulforaphane, broccoli is also considered a cancer-fighting food.

Zucchini is an excellent source of manganese and vitamins C and A. Its extra antioxidant punch of carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin keep eyes healthy and help to prevent macular degeneration.

These peppers are high in dietary fibre, vitamin A, potassium and vitamin C, making them an excellent choice for additional flavour.

Incorporating any combination of these toppings into a whole grain pizza is good for your body and pleasant for your taste buds. Pizza has the potential to be one of the healthiest meals you can make, and it's an excellent way to fill up on the vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants for optimum health.