This convenient, party-favorite, Friday night must-have food can deliver a whole-lot or a reasonable number of calories. Pizza slices are not created equal, and the difference lies in the size, the crust and the toppings.
Type of Crust
The thickness of the crust determines the weight of the slice and its calories. For a generic 14-inch cheese pizza, the thin crust has 192 calories, compared to 272 for the regular crust and 288 for the thick crust. That's a one hundred calorie difference for a slice. And if you are eating more, it easily adds up.
Meat and Vegetable Toppings
Meat toppings add calories. For 1 ounce, ranked from highest to lowest in calories are bacon (153 calories), pepperoni (138 calories), Italian sausage (96 calories), beef (81 calories), ham (68 calories) and chicken (67 calories). This calorie content is for one ounce, and your slice of pizza might have more or less. Even within the same type of meat topping, the calorie content can vary. For example, the calories in beef depend on the cut, the grade and the amount of fat trimmed. Vegetable toppings add very few calories, making them a better choice when cutting back on calories.
Cheese and Pizza
On average, one slice of a 14-inch pizza has 1 ounce of cheese. Mozzarella cheese is the most popular, with 80 calories for 1 ounce of the regular fat version. A mix of provolone, romano and parmesan is also often used for pizza. Such a mix contains slightly more calories per ounce.
Popular Restaurants
The calorie content for one slice of a regular crust, 14-inch cheese pizza is: Domino's: 271 calories, Little Caesars: 236 calories, Papa John's: 304 calories and Pizza Hut: 271 calories. Since many factors affect the calorie content, accurate information can be obtained from the restaurant's website, calorie counting books or nutrition websites.
Make a Low Calorie Pizza at Home
To get a thin crust, roll out the pizza dough on a larger baking sheet than specified in the instructions, or buy a thin pre-baked crust. Add vegetable toppings such as mushrooms, green peppers, olives, tomatoes, spinach or onions. Sprinkle with low fat cheese. If adding meat, choose leaner varieties, such as lean ground beef or chicken breast. Try canned light tuna for a change.
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