Pizza has this reputation of being an unhealthy food option. There may be a sense of shame when dinner ended up being pizza. Or a sense of indulgence. Like, I shouldn’t do this, but I just want pizza! When an air of restriction surrounds a certain food item, then it can become difficult to have a sense of “control” around that food. Meaning, if you restrict it or tell yourself it’s bad to have that food, when you do end up having it, you may overeat or even binge on that food. This poor relationship with food can actually have a greater impact on your health than the nutritional content of that food. 

Let’s talk about pizza. What is it? It’s a combination of carbs, fat, and protein. Starting right off with a good balance! So what’s the issue? Well that depends on what we’re focused on…high cholesterol? If pizza is going to be a frequent choice, maybe we talk about how to reduce some of the saturated fat content. High blood pressure? Let’s talk about sodium. But today we’re talking about diabetes, so let’s talk carbs.

Most of the carbs are going to come from the crust, as you would expect. A few grams here and there will come from sauce and toppings. Can you eat regular old pizza? Yes! But I would suggest being aware of the carbohydrate content of the pizza you’re choosing. 

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.

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!

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.

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!

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!