Pizza for Weight Loss? Top MD Says This Dough Makes It Possible
Dieters around the world are raving about pizza that’s crusty, crispy, cheesy, craveable — and helping them lose weight. Called “Fathead” or magic pizza, “the dough is the secret,” says Tennessee family doctor and YouTube keto expert Ken Berry, MD. “Most pizza dough is made with ingredients like white flour, unhealthy oil and sugar that trigger weight gain and inflammation. Fathead pizza dough is made with cheese, almonds and egg.” That makes it low in carbs and full of healing nutrients.
“You can even add meat lovers’ toppings and still be telling your body to use fat as fuel,” he notes. Then there’s the yum factor. It is, after all, a crust made mostly of cheese. “In my opinion, it’s better than traditional pizza,” says 60-pounds-slimmer Jennifer Banz, one of thousands of bloggers helping drive the phenomenon. “It’s just good!” Keep reading to see how Fathead pizza dough can help you reach your health goals.
What is Fathead pizza dough?
Named after a documentary on low-carb eating, Fathead pizza dough is simply mozzarella and cream cheese kneaded with almond flour and egg. You shape it, pop it in the oven for 12 minutes, until it’s firm enough to support toppings, then load it up like any pizza crust.
“Fathead pizza crust is faster and easier than traditional crust, and bakes up absolutely delicious,” promises popular site TheKitchn.com. “Even if you’re not following a low-carb diet, this pizza dough is amazing.”
Indeed, Dr. Berry agrees it’s a great choice no matter your diet. That’s because choosing Fathead pizza dough over a typical version helps prevent chronic blood-sugar spikes causing health issues and excess fat storage for millions of us, he notes.
How to lose weight with Fathead pizza dough
Folks who want to maximize fat loss tend to make Fathead pizza dough part of a traditional keto diet. For those who aren’t familiar with keto, here’s the gist: You cut carbs to 40 or so grams a day, which keeps your body from making enough blood sugar to be your fuel.
“Your system begins turning fat into alternative fuel called ketones,” explains Dr. Berry. In fact, studies show that ketone production amps fat burning by a whopping 900%, helping incinerate more fat from food we eat and from fat cells. (Not losing on keto? Try this twist.) Of course, you don’t have to eat pizza to benefit. But a gooey slice or two will take things to the next level.
How Fathead pizza dough boosts slimming
It helps with cravings
You’ve probably heard that most diets work if we stick to them. But you may not know there’s scientific evidence that yearnings for pizza derail countless plans. “According to nutrition research, pizza is a food we crave the most and a food we binge on the most,” reveals Dr. Berry. That’s why the Fathead trend is such an advantage. “It lets you eat what you truly want until you feel comfortably stuffed, and still continue moving toward your health goals.”
Related: Study: Indulging in Your Favorite Foods Can Help Boost Weight Loss — Here’s How
It balances blood sugar
Fathead dough ingredients contain compounds that actually help speed weight loss and health improvements. For example, take almonds. About 75 of them are used to make the almond flour in each batch of dough. Studies show dieters who simply get more of their calories from almonds lose more belly fat. That's likely because fatty acids and antioxidants in the nuts work wonders at improving levels of blood sugar and the belly-fattening hormone insulin.
What’s more, the almonds also ensure that a large serving of magic pizza releases enough special compounds to slash blood sugar and make mood soar, per researchers in the journal Nutrients. (Learn more about why almonds are the perfect weight loss snack.)
It stimulates fat-burn hormones
Meanwhile, cheese and eggs are top sources of branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs, “which naturally stimulate the production of fat-burning hormones,” says keto expert Fred Pescatore, MD. “Getting more BCAAs is key to shedding pounds like never before.” In fact, a study on seniors found that loading up on these amino acids can literally double metabolism and fat loss. So when folks say Fathead pizza is a cut above, they’re not kidding!
Related: Top Doc Reveals the Simple Carnivore Diet Twist That Can Help Boost Fat Burning Fast
Fathead pizza dough before and after: Paula Baker, 53
Paula Baker dieted for years. “I’d lose 20 pounds, give in to cravings and start gaining,” recalls the Boston mom, 53. At 291 pounds and on diabetes meds, her blood sugar soared so high, her vision was blurry. Scared, Paula went keto, lost a bit, but then started regaining. “It hit me that I needed my comfort foods to work with keto,” she shares. “I listed foods I couldn’t live without, and pizza was number one.” Paula found a magic pizza recipe. “It became a staple. This amazing cheesy dough was a game changer.” She found other keto recipes she loves too. “I can eat my favorite foods without spiking my blood sugar or triggering a binge cycle!” All told, Paula is down 132 pounds, her diabetes gone.
Fathead pizza dough success story: Betty Otten, 70
A year ago, Betty Otten’s health and diabetes were getting steadily worse. “I drew the line at insulin injections,” recalls the South Dakota grandmother. “I flat-out refused.” A doctor pointed the longtime yo-yo dieter toward keto.
Luckily for Betty, she found the Hip2Keto group on Facebook. “They gave me so much support and so many great recipes.” Most important, they turned her on to Fathead pizza. “Pizza with cheesy crust used to be one of my go-to foods. Now I can eat it as often as I want, and my blood sugar and weight are going down. Amazing!” she shares.
“I also love that using almond flour instead of wheat flour helps diabetes.” Betty piles her pies with meat, cheese, veggies and olives. “I also use the dough to make breadsticks, sausage rolls and mini pigs in a blanket. It really lifted the ‘deprived of’ feeling for a carb lover like me!”
But there’s more to it than that. After a short time, Betty’s constant cravings began to disappear, and daily tests showed her blood sugar quickly normalizing. “It was 405 at one point,” she shares. “Now it’s under 100!” Her psoriatic arthritis is also gone. And she’s shed 65 pounds. “I’m almost 70 years old. If I can do this, you can too,” Betty says. “I don’t use apps or anything fancy; I just read labels and keep my carbs under 20 grams a day. I feel so great now, it’s almost indescribable!”
Fathead pizza dough recipe – and ideas to get you started
To slim down as fast as possible, use a free app like CarbManager.com or MyFitnessPal.com to get carbs under 40 grams per day. Enjoy as many slices of pizza and other treats made with Fathead pizza dough as your carb budget allows. (Choosing meat lovers toppings may even help tame cravings further.) We’ve got yummy ideas below; find more at KetoDietApp.com or KetoConnect.net. As always, get a doctor’s okay to try any new dietary strategy.
Fathead pizza dough
Makes 4–6 slices, about 2 grams of carbs each
Ingredients:
1¾ cups shredded mozzarella
¾ cup almond flour
2 Tbs. cream cheese
1 egg
Instructions:
Microwave cheese, flour and cream cheese in 30-second intervals, stirring until melted and smooth.
Gently add egg and a pinch of salt.
With wet fingers, shape dough as desired on tray or pizza stone. Prick all over with a fork.
Bake at 425ºF until golden, 12–15 minutes. Add toppings; return to oven for 5 minutes.
Spring berry galette
Top unbaked dough with berries sweetened with Swerve. Crimp dough edges; add more Swerve. Bake at 400ºF for 15 minutes.
Cheeseburger pizza
Brown ground beef with Dijon and sugar-free ketchup. Add to baked dough with cheddar, onion, and/or bacon; bake 5 minutes.
Alfredo spinach pie
Add low-carb Alfredo sauce (like Rao’s), spinach, onion and ricotta or mozzarella to baked dough; bake 5 minutes.
This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.
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