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Whitewater is home to seven pizzarias, some locally owned while others are chain restaurants. Mikal Sexton eats a personal-sized pizza at Tomato Head Red in the University Center.

The good, bad and ugly truth about college students' favorite meal

By: Abigail Naumann

Posted: 2/6/08

Americans consume approximately 100 acres of pizza each day, or 350 slices per second, according to Pizza Today Magazine and the National Association of Pizza Operators.

Most college students would confess that a greater portion of those statistics comes thanks to them.

Whitewater, an infamous and accommodating college town, is home to seven different pizza restaurants. That's not too far from the norm. In fact one out of every six restaurants in the United States is a pizzeria. Sophomore Tanner Michels admits that the Toppers number is programmed in his phone just in case a craving strikes.

"You never know just when you're going to need pizza," Michels said. "Usually I order it on my walk home, and the pizza and I make it there at the same time. It's perfect."

While there are many factors that contribute to which pizzaria some chose, such as prices, hours and delivery options, health-conscious students may want to consider checking out the nutrition facts as well.

Despite the common conception that the toppings are the guiltiest pleasures of pizza, the reality is calories come from the doughy crust. So when debating between thin and crispy or thick and soft, remember that less crust is better.

Sauce is safe. Actually, pizza sauce contains lycopene, an anti-oxidant believed to protect against bone loss, heart disease and even several types of cancer. In addition, many pizzerias are incorporating low-sodium versions to further this already fairly healthy ingredient.

Say cheese. But not too much. Although Wisconsin's infamous cheese is hard to say no to, resist the urge to order double cheese, and do yourself a favor and ask for part-skim mozzarella, part-skim ricotta, or other reduced-fat options. If that's not an alternative, ask for light cheese. And don't be afraid to soak up the pools of grease with a napkin before delving into the deliciousness. You'll not only save yourself extra calories, but also that coating layer of grease that will linger in your mouth for the rest of the night.

Bring on the veggies. Make your mother proud by topping your pizza with fresh, colorful vegetables such as mushrooms, olives, broccoli, onions and spinach.

For meat lovers, pepperoni and sausage are often a hands-down favorite. However, by expanding your horizons and experimenting with a leaner meat such as white meat, extra lean ground beef, lean ham or even Canadian bacon, you'll be doing your arteries a favor. These meats are cooked first and then drained of excess fats and grease, which eliminates unnecessary calories. Seafood fans are encouraged to give tuna, shrimp or crab a try. Whether fulfilling carnivorous cravings via a lean meat or a form of fish, try to stray from sausage, bacon, and pepperoni-they're bad news. Each meat addition puts on an extra 10-40 calories, and 1.5-3.5 grams of fat per slice, so choose wisely.

Freshman and track athlete Alexandra Haroldson confesses that she didn't realize everything that went into pizza, but doesn't have intentions of letting that change her habits

"Meat lovers has always been my favorite," Haroldson said. "Even though it may be healthier to sub in veggies, I don't think I'll be changing my old ways anytime soon. Good thing I burn enough calories in practice to accommodate for the extra meat."

There's nothing wrong with an occasional indulging dosage of this enticing Italian export. After all, pizza is a crowd pleaser for individuals of all sorts; vegetarians, meat lovers, children and adults.