Diabetic Pizza Crust for Better Blood Sugars?
Is there such thing as a diabetic pizza crust? Well that certainly depends on what you think that even means! Personally, I believe any pizza can work into your diabetes treatment plan for better blood sugars.
Can you eat pizza if you have diabetes?
Carbs in Pizza
Delivery Pizza for Diabetes
Let’s talk delivery pizza first. The carb content per slice is going to vary based on the crust thickness as well as the overall size of the pizza. You can see some typical options listed out below. As you can see, 1 slice of a large, regular crust pizza can be between 35-45 grams of carbs . If your carb goal for a meal is 45 grams, then 1 slice is going to get you there. If you go for a thin style crust, you can probably get 2-3 slices for the same amount of carbohydrate.
So how to make this a meal? Well for better blood sugars, we can add fiber! A great way to add fiber is through veggies. Pair your pizza with a hearty salad to be filling and help balance your blood sugars.
Frozen Pizza for Diabetes
What about frozen pizzas or ready to use crusts? They can be a great option too, and the benefit is you easily know how many carbs are in it by reading the nutrition facts label. You can either go for a crust and then build the pizza yourself, or get ready made pizzas. Up to you! Again, try to add good sources of protein and fiber!
Diabetic Pizza Crust Recipes
Then finally, we have the option to make our own! We love pizza around here and there are several options on our recipe page to choose from!
Approximately 13 g carbohydrate for 1/4 pizza
I had my reservations about this one, but I ended up really like it. It is quite nutritionally dense (the almond flour gives it a high fat content) so be mindful of that. But you also get more fiber from the almonds.
GF/DF Pizza with Peaches and Prosciutto
Total carbohydrate dependent on the type of ready to use crust
If you are gluten free and/or dairy free, we made this pizza for you! I love the flavors of proscuitto and fresh peaches. Perfect for summer.
1 English muffin pizza = 36 grams carbohydrate
I love an English muffin pizza. They’re great for a make ahead lunch. From a blood sugar stand point, they are great because of the carb content but also you can choose a whole grain English muffin for more fiber!
1/2 naan pizza = 34 grams carbohydrate
Naan is such an easy and tasty base for a pizza! Like English muffins, they do have whole wheat versions if you want some fiber. A whole naan can be 65-70 grams of carbs, so you may need to stick to 1/2 or 2/3 for better blood sugars.
Cranberry Goat Cheese Flatbread
The carb content of this pizza totally depends on the store bought crust used, but it’s just a tasty combo to try this Fall!
1/4 socca = 11 grams carbohydrate
If you’ve never heard of socca, it is a chickpea flatbread that originates from France (and similar to the farinata chickpea pancake from Italy). As one would expect, a crust made from chickpea flour is going to be a good source of fiber and protein! The perfect combo for blood sugars. Made according to the recipe then top with desired pizza toppings and bake until warm and melty.
More Blogs on Eating with Diabetes:
We have many blogs devoted to diabetes management, including Mastering Diabetes: Your Ultimate Guide to Thriving!
An award winning recipe developer, Dietitian Kaitlin’s mission is to empower others to reach their health goals by encouraging them to get back into the kitchen. Co-author of Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating and Cooking with Diabetes.
