Is a slice of pizza for breakfast healthier than a bowl of cereal?

Have a habit of nomming on a slice (or two) of cold leftover pizza in the mornings? Well, it’s probably a lot healthier than that bowl of cereal in the pantry.

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"You may be surprised to find out that an average slice of pizza and a bowl of cereal with whole milk contain nearly the same amount of calories," nutritionist Chelsey Amer said in an interview with the Daily Meal. "However, pizza packs a much larger protein punch, which will keep you full and boost satiety throughout the morning."

Tech Times pointed out that one of the main ingredients in pizza, cheese, has  its share of health benefits.

Recent studies have shown that eating "small amounts" of cheese — 40 grams or 1.41 ounces — on a daily basis help to reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease. An average 14-inch pie may contain about 8-12 oz. of cheese total.

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Pizza’s not a healthy food, of course, and the amount of cheese in a slice varies by brand and type, but a slice does contain much less sugar than most cold cereals, Amer noted.

An average slice of regular crust pizza has approximately 3.8 grams of sugar. Compare that to one serving (approximately 0.75-1 cup) of these popular cereals:

• Frosted Flakes: 11 g
• Lucky Charms: 12.6 g
• Honey Nut Cheerios: 12.8 g
• Kellogg's Froot Loops: 12.1 g

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But there are certainly healthier cereal options out there. For example, a serving of Corn Flakes only holds about 2.7 grams of sugar. One serving of Kellogg’s Special K contains approximately the same as a slice of regular crust pizza: 3.8 grams.

If you really want to be smart about breakfast eating, however, try switching out cereal — or pizza — for some oatmeal, fruit and/or vegetables, eggs, avocado or Greek yogurt.