Brenda Khan
The keto diet is notorious for its restrictions on food, so it's understandable that pizza lovers may be concerned about whether they can still enjoy a slice or two. The good news is that you can still eat pizza on a keto diet, but there's a catch—you'll have to make some changes, especially to the crust. The traditional pizza crust, made with wheat or white flour, is a no-go due to its high carbohydrate content. Instead, keto dieters can opt for low-carb crusts made with cauliflower, almond flour, coconut flour, or even chicken. Thin crust pizzas generally have fewer carbs than traditional crusts, but they are still made with white flour, so they are not recommended. To stay in ketosis, you need to limit your carb intake to around 20-50 grams per day, and a slice of regular crust pizza can easily exceed this limit. So, if you're craving pizza on your keto diet, go for a low-carb crust and top it with your favorite keto-friendly toppings!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Can I eat pizza on a keto diet? | Yes, but with some changes |
| Carbohydrates in pizza | Carbohydrates vary by crust type. A slice of regular crust pizza contains 30 grams of carbs, which is virtually all the carbs one can eat in a single day. |
| Thin crust pizza | Generally has fewer carbs than a traditional crust. A typical thin crust pizza has around 20g of carbs per slice. |
| Crust options | Cauliflower, almond flour, coconut flour, or chicken |
| IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) keto diet | May allow for an occasional slice of thin-crust pizza |
| Other keto-friendly crust options | Fathead dough, vital wheat gluten, low-carb tortillas |
| Keto-friendly toppings | Cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan, ricotta), meat (except meatballs with breadcrumbs), vegetables |
| Keto-friendly pizza sauce | Sugar-free, garlic butter Parmesan sauce, keto BBQ sauce, cheesy cream sauce |
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What You'll Learn
- Thin crust pizza has fewer carbs than traditional crust pizza
- Crusts made with cauliflower, almond flour, or coconut flour are keto-friendly
- Crusts made with wheat flour or white flour are not keto-friendly
- Keto-friendly pizza toppings include meat and vegetables
- You can eat pizza toppings without the crust on a keto diet
Thin crust pizza has fewer carbs than traditional crust pizza
The keto diet is a low-carb diet that requires you to restrict your carbohydrate intake to a certain level, typically between 20 and 50 grams of net carbs per day. Staying within this limit can be challenging when it comes to foods like pizza, which is often made with high-carb ingredients such as wheat flour and white flour. A typical slice of regular pizza can range from 25 to 40 grams of carbs or even higher, depending on the size and thickness of the slice.
However, this does not mean that pizza is entirely off the menu for those following a keto diet. Thin crust pizza generally has fewer carbs than a traditional crust. While a slice of regular crust pizza can contain around 30 grams of carbs, a thin crust slice typically contains around 20 grams of carbs. This lower carb count puts it within the acceptable range for those following a keto diet, at least on occasion.
There are also alternative crust options available that can further reduce the carb count. For example, cauliflower crusts have gained popularity due to their low-carb content, with a slice containing only around 3 grams of carbs. Other low-carb crust options include those made with almond flour, coconut flour, or even chicken. By choosing a low-carb crust and being mindful of other ingredients and toppings, it is possible to enjoy pizza while adhering to the keto diet.
Additionally, when it comes to toppings, keto dieters have a variety of options to choose from. Cheese is a great source of fat and protein, with mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan, and ricotta being popular choices. Meat toppings are generally keto-friendly, although it is important to watch out for processed meats that may contain fillers or breadcrumbs. Vegetables are also an important part of a ketogenic diet, providing micronutrients, antioxidants, fiber, and prebiotics.
In summary, while traditional pizza crusts are typically high in carbs and not suitable for a keto diet, thin crust pizzas offer a lower-carb alternative that can fit within the dietary guidelines. By opting for a thin crust and choosing keto-friendly toppings, individuals on a keto diet can still enjoy the taste of pizza while staying within their desired carb limits.
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Crusts made with cauliflower, almond flour, or coconut flour are keto-friendly
While a slice of regular pizza crust contains 30 grams of carbs, which is almost all the carbs one can eat in a single day when on a keto diet, it is still possible to eat pizza on a keto diet. The key is to use a keto-friendly pizza crust and sugar-free pizza sauce.
One option for a keto-friendly pizza crust is to use cauliflower. Cauliflower is known for its low-carb versatility, and it can be used as a substitute for rice and mashed potatoes. By combining ground-up cauliflower with grated cheese and other ingredients, you can create a crust with a minimal number of carbs. A slice of cauliflower crust has only around 3g of carbs, which is significantly fewer than many other types of pizza crusts.
Another option for a keto-friendly crust is to use almond flour. Almond flour is a low-carb alternative to white flour, which is commonly used in traditional pizza crusts. While it may not produce the same soft and pillowy texture as a traditional crust, it is a suitable option for those following a keto diet.
Coconut flour is another low-carb alternative to white flour that can be used to make a keto-friendly pizza crust. By using these alternative flours, you can create a crust that is both tasty and compatible with your dietary restrictions.
In addition to these options, there are several other keto-friendly pizza crusts available, such as fathead dough, chicken, and vital wheat gluten. With these crust options and a sugar-free pizza sauce, you can continue to enjoy pizza while adhering to your keto diet.
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Crusts made with wheat flour or white flour are not keto-friendly
While it is possible to eat pizza while on a keto diet, it requires some adjustments to be made to the pizza's crust and toppings.
A traditional pizza crust is typically made from yeast and white flour, which is tasty but is one of the worst choices for a person on a keto diet. Crusts made with wheat flour or white flour are not keto-friendly because they have a high carbohydrate content. A typical thin crust pizza made with white flour has around 20g of carbs per slice, which can easily kick you out of ketosis if you're limiting your daily carb intake to 20-50 grams.
To make a keto-friendly pizza, it is recommended to use low-carb crust alternatives such as cauliflower, almond flour, coconut flour, or even chicken. These options have a much lower carb content, allowing you to enjoy pizza while staying within the restrictions of a keto diet.
Additionally, you can use keto-friendly toppings and sauces to enhance the flavor of your pizza. Cheese, meat, and vegetables are popular choices that can be added without feeling guilty.
It is worth noting that some people choose to remove the crust from a regular pizza to reduce their carb intake, but this may not be as satisfying as a well-crafted keto-friendly alternative.
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Keto-friendly pizza toppings include meat and vegetables
The ketogenic (keto) diet is a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat, and moderate-protein diet. It restricts your carbohydrate intake to about 20-50 grams daily. Meat and vegetables are both keto-friendly food groups and can be used as pizza toppings.
Meat is a great choice for keto as it is naturally carb-free and protein-rich, making it ideal for the keto diet. Meat also provides other health benefits, especially when the animals are raised in a way that is in tune with their natural diet and behaviours. For example, pastured pork is richer in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats than conventionally-farmed pork. Grass-fed meat is also preferable as it has more omega-3 fats and conjugated linoleic acid than meat from grain-fed animals. Some meats to consider for your keto pizza toppings include fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel, as well as shellfish, lamb, wild game, duck, turkey, and more. Meat is a staple food on the keto diet and can help preserve muscle mass during a very low-carb diet.
Vegetables are an important addition to the keto diet as they provide micronutrients, antioxidants, fibre, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for a healthy body. When choosing keto-friendly vegetables, it is best to opt for non-starchy vegetables with low net carbs. Some keto-friendly vegetables include leafy greens such as spinach, kale, lettuce, and arugula, as well as bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, cauliflower, asparagus, broccoli, and eggplant. These vegetables can be used as pizza toppings to add flavour and nutrition to your keto pizza.
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You can eat pizza toppings without the crust on a keto diet
If you're on a keto diet, you can still eat pizza toppings without the crust. The keto diet has restrictions on what you can eat, and a regular pizza crust is typically made with yeast and white flour, which is high in carbohydrates. A slice of regular crust pizza contains around 30 grams of carbs, which is almost the entire daily carb allowance for someone on the keto diet.
However, if you're craving pizza, you can order a medium or large pizza and eat just the toppings, leaving the crust. This will help you avoid consuming large amounts of carbs. You can also make your own keto-friendly pizza at home with low-carb crust alternatives such as cauliflower, almond flour, coconut flour, or chicken.
There are also several keto-friendly pizza crust recipes available online that use fathead dough, a combination of heavy cream and xanthan gum, or cauliflower with grated cheese. These recipes allow you to enjoy a crispy, tasty pizza base with significantly fewer carbs.
While it may not be the same as a traditional pizza, you can still enjoy the flavours of pizza without the crust on a keto diet. You can also get creative with toppings, including meat, vegetables, and different types of cheese, to ensure your pizza is both delicious and keto-friendly.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, but only in moderation. A typical thin-crust pizza slice has around 20g of carbs, which is a lot considering that those on keto diets limit their daily carb intake to 20-50g. If you're on the IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) type of keto, then you may be able to enjoy a slice of thin-crust pizza occasionally.
A keto-friendly pizza crust is typically made with low-carb ingredients like cauliflower, almond flour, coconut flour, or chicken. You can also make keto pizza crusts using fathead dough, which is made with gluten and wheat protein.
Keto-friendly pizza toppings include cheese, meat, and vegetables. Cheese options include mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan, and ricotta. Just be sure to avoid meatballs with breadcrumbs. Vegetables provide micronutrients and antioxidants, as well as fiber and prebiotics.
