World Pizza Day: Why is pizza numero uno on the diet cheat-day list?

A cornucopia of meltingly-delicious cheese, tomato puree and other ingredients, make it the go-to thought on dieter's minds.

Got a quick time-out from that diet you're following? Chances are, the first thing you will think of is having is a pizza! Naitika Aswani, financial consultant, Mumbai, recalls, "I was on a diet from September last year for my brother's wedding that took place this January and every time I had an odd day off from my strict diet back then, I would yearn to have a slice of pizza; it was literally my first choice when I got a chance to eat what I wanted. I just told myself I would work off the calories and tucked into a pizza made of whole wheat. It felt so good to have it," she admits.

People are drawn towards pizzas on diet days as they are delicious and cause a dopamine release (Shutterstock)

Sedentary life? Have two slices of thin-crust pizza with some protein on the side

There's something notoriously delicious about a pizza, making for a craving most folks can't resist. Explains diet consultant from Bengaluru, Vasundhara Agrawal, "At least 7 out of 10 people will ask for pizzas on a cheat day because the lure of melting cheese and tomato kind of excites the palate." She answers everyone's top question: How much pizza is enough? "For folks who have a sedentary life, I'd advise just two to three slices of thin-crust pizza with some protein - grilled paneer or tofu - on the side for a balanced meal."