Is Cauliflower Pizza Healthy? (Calories, Carbs, Fat & Sodium)

There is a healthy-sounding trend doing the rounds in pizza joints—pizzas made of cauliflower. The claim describes cauliflower as one of the healthiest alternatives to traditional flour. And with its pizza containing only 80 calories per slice.

People want to eat healthier. And a veggie pizza crust would indeed be a better option than one made from refined white flour. But really, is cauliflower pizza healthy? Can you enjoy your favorite slice without exceeding the recommended calories per day? Let’s find out!

The Truth About Cauliflower Pizza

Cauliflower is known to have a host of health benefits. But sadly, pizza-making brands are using this to their advantage.

Okay, let’s think about it for a second. If you check the ingredients listed on the cauliflower crust pizza package, cauliflower is usually not the only ingredient. For the most part, the crust is made of cauliflower with some regular flour added.

And most often, egg and cheese are thrown into the mix as a binder. Those added ingredients raise cholesterol and saturated fat levels. Not just that. When cooking it, the toppings used on the crust also play a huge role in determining how healthy the pizza will be.

If, for instance, the crust has loads of extra cheese, pepperoni, sausage, or buffalo chicken toppings, you will still end up with a high-fat, high-calorie pie.

Now, because of this dressing, your cauliflower pizza will not be too far from regular pizza. And regularly eating it will likely not help you attain your weight loss or fitness goals.

So as much as cauliflower is a healthy veggie, the healthiness of a cauliflower pizza will depend on the ingredients added to it.

Homemade cauliflower pizza crust can be a healthier alternative, though. You can easily make a wholesome pizza from fresh cauliflower, natural herbs, and almonds.

What Is In-Store-Bought Cauliflower Pizza Crust?

Making your cauliflower pizza from scratch is one of the best ways to ensure you end up with a healthy product. Unfortunately, not many of us have enough time to put in the work required to make a healthy pizza at home.

That means most of us will buy premade pizza crust from the store as a last resort. But do we know precisely what is in a store-bought cauliflower pizza crust? Let’s get some facts first, shall we?

Calories

The calorie count varies among brands of off-the-shelf cauliflower crusts. It usually ranges between 120 and 600 for a single crust. This massive difference is due to the various ingredients each brand uses on its crust.

Some add refined grains, others extra egg and cheese, and some nut flour. While all these are healthy options, they contribute to the increased number of calories in cauliflower crusts. But the value of calories in these crusts is still lower than in refined flour crusts.

Carbs

A single slice of store-bought cauliflower pizza can range between 2 and 30 grams in carbs. That’s pretty high, considering cauliflower (itself) is a low-carb vegetable, with a cup of ground cauliflower having only 5 grams.

So where does this difference come from?

Some of these crusts contain sugar, corn starch, and tapioca starch, all of which supply carbs. As you can see, even though most brands will list cauliflower as the first ingredient, they won’t state the amount. The secret, therefore, is to go for brands with fewer starches and a lower carb count because that may mean the crust has a higher amount of cauliflower.

Fat

Cauliflower on its own doesn’t contain any fat. Added ingredients like oil and cheese, however, do. And that’s the reason why store-bought crusts are high in fat.

Some crusts will pack up to 20 grams per serving. And presumably, that’s because they contain Parmesan and mozzarella cheese—with some even including coconut flour.

Sodium

Adults should not consume more than 2400 mg of sodium per day. But some off-the-shelf cauliflower crusts have up to 600 mg of sodium per slice. That means you should not eat more than four slices daily.

A Comparison of Store-Bought Cauliflower Pizza Crust Brand

Here are the top five cauliflower crust brands in grocery stores and online shops. We also included the serving size and calories per serving to give you an idea of which best suits your diet.

Brand	Serving Size	Calories Per Serving
Whole Foods’ 365 Everyday Cauliflower Pizza Crust	56 grams	110Kcal
Cauliflower Pizza Crust by Green Giant	53 grams	176Kcal
Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Pizza Crust	71 grams	120Kcal
Outer Aisle Plant Power Cauliflower Pizza Crusts	74 grams	120Kcal
Caulipower All About the Base	52 grams	170Kcal

Overall, the Outer Aisle brand offers the lowest calories with the highest serving size. But remember to consider the sauce and toppings you’ll add to it.

Health Benefits of Cauliflower Pizza

Cauliflower itself has a myriad of health benefits. And crust made from it can be more beneficial to our bodies than one made from regular white flour. Without adding high-fat or high-cholesterol ingredients, your cauliflower pizza may offer you the following benefits:

High Fiber

Cauliflower is a fiber-rich veggie. Foods rich in fiber are not only good at reducing inflammation but also at promoting digestion.

Fiber-rich veggies like cauliflower can also reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. And since such vegetables make your stomach feel full without eating too many calories, they are also a great way to prevent obesity.

Low-Carb Alternative To Traditional Crust

Replacing the traditional flour crust with a cauliflower crust is an effective way to cut down carbs. With cauliflower crust, people with diabetes or those on a gluten-free or low-carb diet can still enjoy pizza without experiencing unfavorable outcomes.

Good Supply Of Antioxidants

Cauliflower is rich in glucosinolates and isothiocyanates. Those two are antioxidants responsible for slowing down the growth of cancerous cells. These antioxidants not only protect you against lung, colon, prostate, and breast cancer; but also have an abundance of anti-inflammatory benefits.

How To Make A Healthy Cauliflower Pizza At Home

As we stated earlier, the best way to ensure you’re eating a healthy cauliflower pizza is to make the pizza yourself from scratch. And other than ordering outside or buying premade crusts. Here is what you will need:

• One medium-sized cauliflower
• One egg
• One teaspoon of Italian seasoning
• Lots of vegetables for topping
• An eighth teaspoon of salt
• A quarter teaspoon of ground pepper
• Half a cup of sliced/shredded mozzarella cheese
• Cooking spray
• Baking sheet
• Knife
• Mixing bowl
• Linen towel
• Spatula
• Silicone mat
• Whisk
• Food processor

Step 1: Preheat The Oven

First, turn on the oven and preheat it to 375° F. Then grab your baking sheet and line it with a silicone mat.

Step 2: Prepare Cauliflower

Get your cauliflower and remove all the outer leaves. Next, separate it into florets and cut it into small pieces.

Put the pieces in a food processor. Depending on the size of your processor, you can put the florets in two batches or everything in one go.

Process the florets until they form a “rice” texture. Some people use cauliflower rice or cauliflower flour instead. If you plan to do the latter, you can skip this step.

Step 3: Bake The Cauliflower

Remove the ground cauliflower from the food processor and spread it on the prepared baking sheet. Set it in the oven and bake for fifteen minutes.

Step 4: Remove Cauliflower From The Oven

Once the baking period has elapsed, remove the cooked cauliflower from the oven and transfer it to a bowl or dish lined with a linen towel.

Give it a few minutes to cool. Once cooled, wrap the towel around the cauliflower and squeeze gently to drain out the liquid. Repeat several times until there is no more liquid oozing out.

Step 5: Prepare The Crust

Now increase the temperature of your oven to 450° F. Next, break the egg in a mixing bowl and whisk it with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Then add mozzarella and the drained cauliflower and mix everything with a spatula.

Step 6: Flatten The Mixture Into Crust

Again, line the baking sheet with a fresh silicone mat and spray with baking spray. Transfer the cauliflower mixture onto the center of the sheet and spread it until it forms a thin crust.

Step 7: Bake The Crust

Bake your pizza crust for 20 minutes. Next, slide a spatula underneath the pie and flip it. Then let it bake for about 5 minutes. As your pizza bakes, prepare the toppings.

Step 8: Add The Toppings

Once your pizza crust is ready, dress it with your favorite vegetables. Use more veggies than meat for a lower carb count.

Put the pizza back into the oven and bake until the cheese has turned golden brown. Please note that some toppings may need cooking before adding them to the pizza. Make sure you got this covered.

Step 9: Enjoy Your Pizza

Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer it onto the serving tray. Let it cool before slicing and serving.

As you can see, baking a healthy cauliflower pizza at home is not overly complicated. It is a simple undertaking that only requires you to have the right ingredients. The above steps are all you need to get started. [11 Tips to Make Pizza Healthy]

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cauliflower Crust Safe For Those With Celiac Disease?

Cauliflower is gluten-free, making it safe to eat even if you have Celiac Disease. It also contains fewer carbohydrates, making it healthier than a regular pizza crust.

If you’re a cheese lover, try the Four Cheese Cauliflower Crust Pizza from Milton’s Craft Bakers. It has Mozzarella, parmesan, Romano, and provolone, making it the ideal choice for those on a gluten-free diet.

Can Cauliflower Crust Raise Blood Sugar Levels?

Unlike flour-made crust, cauliflower pizza takes longer to reach the bloodstream. That said, it does not provide a complex carb effect that often causes blood sugar to skyrocket. Also, fewer carbs mean it has a lesser chance of altering the glucose level. To give you an overview, here’s the corresponding amount of carbohydrates per slice:

• Regular crust pizza contains about 30 to 40g
• Cauliflower crust has 3 to 5 grams only

The Takeaway

Cauliflower pizza, without a doubt, can be a healthy option for anyone looking to cut down on carbs. However, what matters the most is the extra ingredients you add to your pizza. If your goal is to reduce carbs and calorie content, it would be wise to use ingredients low on these contents.

Also, avoid using store-bought pizza crusts. And if possible, consider prepping your crust from scratch. To do this, get a medium-sized cauliflower, use veggies for topping, and go easy on the cheese.

Have you prepared a cauliflower pizza at home recently? Tell us below some ingredients you have used to keep carbs and calories in check.