Setting aside the myriad options for crust style and topping choices, consumers look to pizza to satisfy a few core values: flavor, comfort, convenience, social engagement. But with ever-greater scrutiny on the role dietary choices play in physical health, especially over time, more consumers are now on the lookout for pizza options that also convey permissible indulgence, without any compromise in their flavor expectations. This has been a hard nut for pizza purveyors to crack.

Pizza crust—which carries established standards for functionality and taste (flavor and texture)—presents a particular challenge when it comes to making nutrition-forward adaptations. Experiments with cauliflower, almond and casava doughs may yield a better nutrition profile, but these better-for-you (BFY) ingredients tend to come with flavor trade-offs, requiring consumers to learn to like what’s good for them. Diners might accept the importance of eating more salads and less meat and making other changes to dietary habits, but most will tell you not to mess with their favorite pizza! They’d rather indulge less frequently than adapt to a questionable flavor experience.

Future-forward operators recognize the importance of getting in front of the demand for compromise-free BFY fare that will provide the permissible indulgence guests need to keep ordering their flavor favorites. One resource they can add to their ingredient toolbox is HealthSense^® High-Fiber Wheat Flour from Bay State Milling Company. The only clean-label, non-GMO wheat flour in the U.S., HealthSense^® flour can feature up to 10 times the fiber in traditional wheat flour. Its ability to help close the alarming fiber gap in the American diet is all well and good—but the real headline is that the product has no negative impact on flavor or performance. That should get the attention of America’s pizza providers!

Fiber Facts

The product is made from a special variety of wheat, one that is not genetically modified, but grown to naturally feature more resistant starch in the middle of the kernel. The result is a clean label product, unlike high-fiber alternatives that require processed additives.

HealthSense^® flour adds a nutritional boost to the foods being prepared in a way that the consumer will not notice—but chefs will appreciate the added dough pliability and extensibility for pizzas. Chefs can use HealthSense^® flour as a 1:1 swap for other traditional white wheat flours without any loss in performance or alteration in flavor and textures.

“Consumers are often looking to incorporate BFY benefits where they can, as long as they don’t have to sacrifice taste,” says Colleen Zammer, VP of Growth and Innovation at Bay State Milling. “The taste factor is especially important when dining out, as we expect an eating experience that is better than we would get at home. But when better tasting can be better for you, as well, it’s a win-win—one that consumers have demonstrated a willingness to pay more for.” When restauranteurs use HealthSense^® flour in freshly prepared pizza dough, they can respond to today’s top dining drivers and make a little extra “dough” in the process, she adds.

Taking Better for You To Best for You

One of the most notable BFY attributes in HealthSense^® Flour is that it’s not only a source of more fiber than traditional white flours, but it’s a source of beneficial prebiotic fiber. “This is a specific type of fiber that is ‘fermentable.’ This means that when we eat foods made with this fiber, the good bacteria that lives in our gut can feast on it and generate byproducts that are very beneficial to our bodies, including helping to heal the gut lining,” explains Zammer. “For the pizza pros out there, this is similar to how yeast ferments the sugars in dough to create carbon dioxide that helps make the dough rise and alcohol that gives crust its delicious flavor.”

Zammer notes that not all fibers have this property. “Some fibers are not fermentable, and while they may help move things along the digestive tract, they do not trigger the whole body benefits that prebiotic fibers do,” she notes.

Another BFY benefit of using HealthSense^® flour is that operators can position pizza not merely as a permissible indulgence, but as a nutritious option that can take the high road and stand up against other BFY concepts and menu categories. For example, delivering the daily dose of fiber and carbohydrates in a single menu item, while also emphasizing nutritious and satiating toppings that check USDA’s MyPlate protein, dairy and veggie categories, pizza becomes a complete meal!

Indeed, led by the fiber benefits offered by HealthSense^® flour, operators can be inspired to explore other ways to lift the nutrition profile of their pizza creations—and promote these results to customers. Pizza naturally features two macronutrients: carbohydrates in the crust and protein in the cheese and meat toppings. Deliver a third, healthy fats, with a drizzle of olive, truffle or basil oil. Go wild with nutrient-rich veggie and mushroom toppings, along with antioxidant-laden herbs. Try a sprinkling of fennel seeds or flaxseeds to provide added texture—and omega-3 fatty acids. Don’t skimp on the tomato sauce, which is a great source of lycopene, an antioxidant that is linked to heart health and cancer prevention.

Give Pizza New Reason to Swagger

The opportunity offered by HealthSense^® flour has immense potential for pizza enthusiasts on both sides of the hospitality experience: operators and their guests. When the healthy choice is an easy choice, everyone wins. “In an economic environment where consumers are seeking value from every transaction they make, providing something different from the competition can help bring new traffic to your store or keep them coming back,” says Zammer. “Sales data from food manufacturers shows that BFY foods that also taste great and are affordable is a business trifecta that you don’t want to miss out on!”

Click here to learn more about HealthSense^® High-Fiber Wheat Flour and try the only clean-label, non-GMO, better-for-you wheat flour on the market.