Pizza Calories & Nutrition Facts (Chart)

Pizza is probably America’s favorite food, but people are usually unaware that most pizza types are high in nutritional value. They are often low in calories and an excellent source of protein, carbs, vitamins, and minerals.

Let’s see the approximate pizza calories and nutrition values and how beneficial this food is for your health.

Pizza Calories and Nutrition Facts

An average pizza you can buy in the US will vary in calorie content, depending on the type you choose. The US Department of Agriculture provides average nutrition information for a regular cheese pizza slice of 107 g found in most fast-food pizza chains, but it’s important to note that calorie content can vary based on the type of pizza you choose.

Calories in Pizza

Some cheese pizzas’ caloric content is almost the same as in regular bread. For example, one cheese pizza slice of 12 inches (30.5 cm) and 4 ounces (119 g) has approximately 240 calories.

On the other hand, high-calorie Italian sausage pizza has 280 calories, while a supreme-topped pizza slice contains huge 400 calories per slice.

Keep in mind that meat and cheese significantly contribute to calories and nutrients, so try to choose the one that fits your needs the best.

Pizza with the highest calorie levels

A pizza loaded with processed meat is unhealthy food with a bunch of calories and saturated fat. The total calorie count will also depend on the pizza style, so it is not the same if you order thin or thick crust.

Let’s see how preparation styles and toppings affect pizza calories per slice.

• Extra cheese pizza – While plain cheese pizza is among the lowest-calorie types you can find, double cheese will significantly increase calories. Therefore, this pizza has significant 312 calories per serving.
• Pizza with processed meat – You can find two popular pizza types in this group, pepperoni and sausage pizzas. One slice contains 250 to 300 calories. The rule of thumb is that added meat increases pizza’s caloric value by 40 calories per slice.
• Fast-food pizza – A slice of cheese pizza you can buy in one of the fast-food chains contains approximately 285 calories.
• Frozen pizza – One frozen serving bought in a store contains 268 calories on average.
• Deep dish – This pizza’s calorie content can significantly vary depending on the fast-food chain where you eat it. While it usually contains 282 calories per serving, one slice you eat in Domino’s is more caloric and has as many as 313 calories.

Keep in mind that pizza’s calorie count can significantly vary according to its style, added toppings, and offered serving size. When you want to cut a few calories, you can avoid eating the crust.

The lowest calorie pizza per slice

Aside from a plain cheese pizza, the lowest calorie type is a vegetarian cheese pizza. In most cases, a delicious veggie pizza count from 235 to 240 calories on average. Unlike meat, the vegetable will add very few calories to this popular dish.

Veggie toppings like onions, tomatoes, and green peppers will add necessary antioxidants and fiber without many calories. Nowadays, you can also find yummy types with mushrooms, spinach, and broccoli.

Tips to reduce the calories in pizza

Even though some pizza types are high in calories, you can cut their content in a few practical ways.

For example, reducing the amount of cheese topping by half ​will decrease pizza calories and saturated fat levels. Another option is to replace whole-fat cheese with part-skim cheese whenever possible. (Note: some part-skim cheeses can still have a high fat content)

There is also an option to make your pizza a low-calorie dish possible by choosing a delicious cheese-free solution and dusting it lightly with grated parmesan instead. Other lower-calorie options include sprinkling your slice with:

• Red pepper flakes
• Grilled or roasted chicken
• Ground turkey breast
• Extra-lean ground beef

Believe it or not, you can decrease calorie levels from pepperoni and sausage pizza by at least 15 to 40 calories if you soak up grease from your slice with a paper napkin or absorbent paper towel.

I will give you several additional tips to lower calorie levels and eat healthier homemade pizza or even the one ordered in a restaurant:

• Always pick out thin crust pizza
• Replace regular crust with the one made of whole-wheat flour to fulfill 20% daily fiber needs
• Consider choosing lean protein toppings such as grilled chicken or shrimp instead of high-fat toppings like pepperoni and sausage
• Never order dipping sauces like yummy but highly caloric garlic butter
• You will intake approximately 200 calories less per meal by avoiding the breadsticks
• Believe it or not, a white pizza with extra cheese, pesto, and olive oil is often higher in calories than the traditional type topped with low-calorie tomato sauce.

You can try to change your habits and visit a locally owned pizzeria instead of a chain restaurant for a change. Such a small restaurant probably offers more options for customization like healthy toppings or crusts made of alternative flour types.

Plus, local owners enjoy looking for new flavors. So, you can taste a pizza with exotic ingredients instead of the boring menu the big chain restaurants have. Just imagine trying a pizza with:

• Lemon grilled chicken
• Spicy fajita chicken
• Grilled shrimp
• Artichoke hearts
• Asparagus spears
• Green peas
• Black beans
• Corn
• Fresh minced garlic

Sounds great, right? Plus, such a pizza almost always contains lower calorie levels than traditional types you can find everywhere.

Summary

You can’t expect to find one calorie and nutrition value for all pizza types. That will significantly depend on the cooking method, used toppings, flour the crust is made of, and the pizza slice size. In most cases, you need to count on at least 200 to 250 calories per slice.

Julie Davis

Julie has five years of experience in the restaurant industry, she decided to share her knowledge about her liking and fondness for food and pizza, of course, cooking as her love language. She’s very passionate about what she’s doing, making all the things she writes regarding pizza recipes, very amazing!