Eshan, Pizza 1
Jamayed Eshan 1
Professor Radpoet 2
Food 101 3
September 27, 2018 4
Pizza: Delicious, Nutritious, Affordable, and Adaptable 5
Pizza is everywhere in New York City. Busy commuters devour folded pizza slices while 6
hailing cabs, college students follow pizza’s delicious aroma to find club events, and Mayor DeBlasio 7
creates a controversy every time he eats pizza with a fork and knife. Even the rats can be seen dragging 8
pizza back to their subway burrows. Nonetheless, New Yorkers debate whether pizza’s popularity is a 9
good thing. Opponents of pizza allege that it is fattening, messy, and low-quality, a convenient option 10
that is filling but unhealthy. Despite this reputation, pizza should be praised for its intricate flavors, 11
nutrition, affordability, and cultural adaptability. 12
Although pizza critics argue that it is a mouthful of saltiness and grease, pizza has complex 13
flavors and pleasing textures. Pizza blends all of the major tastes: salty, sweet, sour, and bitter. The 14
salty cheese and tangy tomato sauce excite the taste buds; the rich olive oil and mild crust calm the 15
palate. Depending on how long the pizza is baked, the crust can be soft and chewy, toasted and crispy, 16
or even burnt and mildly bitter. Pizza also combines the stretchy textures of cheese with the crunch of 17
the crust to yield a satisfying and delicious dining experience. 18
Though critics may admit that pizza is tasty, they erroneously claim that it is unhealthy. This 19
claim is disputed by Alicia Jalowsky, a researcher at the Institute of Nutrition Studies, who finds that 20
pizza is actually a good part of a balanced diet because “its ingredients include grains, vegetables, 21
dairy, meat, and fruit – all the major food groups, except sweets” (13). Jalowsky also explains that the 22
crust is made of grains, which provide dietary fiber, and the cheese is packed with protein (19). 23
Moreover, the sauce, filled with onions, garlic, and tomato chunks, supplies vitamins and antioxidants. 24
Pizza toppings such as fresh, vitamin-rich garden vegetables and lean meats can further contribute to a 25