Latest news with #toppings
Daily Mail
09-08-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Revealed: What your favourite pizza toppings say about you, according to science - and it's bad news for people who love pineapple
From olives to ham, to egg and the controversial pineapple, there's never a shortage of toppings to choose from when we order a pizza. What exactly you opt for might feel like a spur-of-the-moment decision – but it may reveal unexpected traits about your personality. A scientist has revealed what your favourite pizza toppings say about you – and it's bad news for people who go for pineapple. Dr Alan Hirsch, director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, says food preferences reveal a lot about personality type. And when in a social situation, such as a date, we can size up another person based on their pizza toppings. 'Often when you order pizza, you choose the same one over and over again,' Dr Hirsch told the Daily Mail. 'You're choosing to eat pizza not for its nutritional value, but based on what your personality is like. 'If you go on a date with someone, you can see what pizza they order to work out their personality, and help you decide if you want to go on another date.' Dr Hirsch's experiments recruited 1,000 American adults who completed personality tests while noting their pizza-eating habits, including preferred toppings. And the results revealed some intriguing findings that may dictate the ways in which people interact with each other. Those who prefer a traditional single meat on pizza – such as pepperoni or ham – tend to be irritable and argumentative, resentful of other people and with a tendency to procrastinate, it found. Meanwhile, people who go mad with a meat feast – typically featuring many different meat options – are dramatic, seductive extroverts who love being centre of attention. On the other hand, those opting for vegetables on pizza are empathetic, easygoing, understanding, and well-adjusted, making them 'universal romantics' and ideal parents. Diners who have a penchant for spicy options such as jalapeño chillis tend to be a 'risk-takers' who like the associated adrenaline rush that comes with it. Meanwhile, those people who opt for a lot of nutritional protein – such as chicken and seafood – are often more sociable or outgoing. But those who order non-traditional toppings such as pineapple and onion tend to be aggressive and achievement-oriented, not willing to suffer fools gladly. What is the best ratio for pizza toppings? A mathematician claims to have the first formula for the 'perfectly proportioned' pizza. Dr Eugenia Cheng from the University of Sheffield said pizza lovers get more topping per bite in a smaller pizza, but a more even spread in a larger pizza. In relative terms, the average bite taken from an 11 inch pizza has 10 per cent more topping than the average bite from a 14 inch pizza. She used 'd' as the constant volume of dough and 't' for the constant volume of topping to come up with the mathematical formula for the ratio of topping to base in a median bite. Dr Hirsch stressed that his study found a correlation rather than causation between personality and chosen pizza toppings. In other words, it's unknown if personality causes us to choose certain pizza toppings (or in fact if our choice of pizza toppings affects our personality). A spokesperson for British pizza chain Fireaway said pepperoni fans 'always bring the energy at parties', while chili fans 'thrive in emotional thunderstorms'. Meanwhile, mushroom lovers are 'complex' and 'earthy', but those who choose pineapple are 'agents of chaos' who 'flirt with danger', they told the Daily Mail. And those who go for olives, either green or black, have a 'Marmite personality' that others either 'adore or absolutely cannot stand'. Fireaway's data across more than 160 of its stores and delivery platforms over the last six months reveal the top 10 toppings picked by customers. They are pepperoni, chicken, jalapeño chilli, red onion, mushrooms, vegan cheese, pineapple, sweetcorn, beef meatballs and olives. According to 2017 research by YouGov, mushroom is the UK's most-liked pizza topping – beating several classic meaty elements. When polled, 65 per cent of over 3,600 British adults said mushroom would be on their ideal pizza, followed by 62 per cent for onions and 61 per cent for ham. Less important elements were peppers (named by 60 per cent), pepperoni (56 per cent), chicken (56 per cent), tomatoes (51 per cent), bacon (49 per cent), pineapple (42 per cent) and sweetcorn (42 per cent). Sweetcorn, Dr Hirsch told the Daily Mail, is not a popular option on pizza in the US, not to mention in Chicago, where the 'deep dish' is traditionally served. Controversially, YouGov's research also found 53 per cent of respondents like pineapple on their pizza, 41 per cent do not, and 6 per cent don't know. It was back in 2017 that the President of Iceland sparked a global debate when it emerged that he wanted to ban pineapple as a topping on pizza. Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson was later forced to clarify that a pineapple topping ban was merely a personal desire and not a policy objective. Pizza study reveals we cope surprisingly well with a one-off calorie indulgence Whenever we dine on pizza, it's always tempting to eat more than we really need. In fact, restaurant chains like Pizza Hut have drawn in punters with promises of all-you-can-eat buffets. While overeating can trigger guilt, a study by University of Bath experts revealed our metabolism is surprisingly good at coping with over-indulgence when it comes to pizza. The 2020 study involved adult male participants eating pizza well after feeling 'full' in order to test what immediate effects this had on the body. Researchers found that the young, healthy men (aged 22-37) who volunteered consumed almost twice as much pizza when pushing beyond their usual limits, doubling their calorie intake, yet, remarkably, managed to keep the amount of nutrients in the bloodstream within normal range. This, say the researchers, shows that if an otherwise healthy person overindulges occasionally there are no immediate, negative consequences in terms of losing metabolic control. However, the experts caution of the risks of prolonged over-eating. Lead researcher Aaron Hengist said: 'We all know the long-term risks of over-indulgence with food when it comes to obesity, type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but we know much less about some of the immediate effects 'all you can eat' places on the body.
Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Telegraph
Delicious things to have on toast (and crumpets, flatbreads and fritters)
There are so many amazing types of breads that make the perfect base for both classic and creative toppings. I often find inspiration at Asian restaurants, where they use paratha, roti, chapati or naan as a starting point. The Scandinavians are also very inventive with bread, serving up open sandwiches with toppings that are highly textured and colourful, while in Italian restaurants a slice of grilled bread – or even a firm slice of polenta – will come bearing a mound of rich ragout or a piece of roasted meat. Because we needn't stop at bread. Back in the '90s, when his restaurant Kensington Place was still going strong, Rowley Leigh served a brilliant sweetcorn pancake topped with a slice of pan-fried foie gras. At the same time over at Le Caprice, I was dishing up a flattened onion pakora-style fritter with foie gras too. These days we wouldn't dream of cooking with fattened goose liver, but that same base would still work beautifully with friendlier options like chicken or duck livers instead. I love having a bit of fun with crumpets, and once put a dish on my breakfast menu called Posh Crumpet, piled high with seasonal wild mushrooms and a fried duck egg. There are no rules when it comes to choosing a topping for your base; as with everything, flavour is key. Sometimes, the simplest approach can be the most delicious. I remember, as a child, my grandad waxing lyrical about toast and dripping, and when I finally came to try it I completely understood what he was on about. One of my favourite Catalan dishes is pa amb tomàquet which, done properly, is a stellar dish of charred bread rubbed with garlic and then tomato until it disintegrates, drizzled with lots of olive oil. These simple and uncomplicated pleasures never go out of fashion and will always have a place at my table.
