Is Gluten-Free Pizza Keto-Friendly? [AND When it is NOT!]
Pizza is one of those delights we just can’t give up easily. It can be super hard to let go of the savory sensation one slice can bring. Luckily, more restaurants are becoming inclusive of other diets, including gluten-free and keto. However, options can be scarce.
It’s always challenging to order a pizza that completely caters to your diet. You’ll either have to compromise, choose something else, or drive past the place. For instance, if you’re on keto, you may have considered getting a slice or two of a gluten-free pizza since it might be “low-carb” and healthier. Well, is it?
There are actually many questions surrounding this misconception. Or is gluten-free pizza keto approved? How many carbs are in gluten-free pizza crusts? Is marco’s gluten free pizza low-carb? Is Blaze Pizza’s famous gluten-free pizza keto-friendly, too? Way, way more questions than you realize.
Of course, to save you from the dilemma of getting the wrong pizza for your diet, we’ll be answering the hard questions for you. You’ll find everything you need to know about why not all gluten-free pizzas are keto and if popular gluten-free pizza brands are also keto.
Let’s cut it to the chase.
Is Gluten-Free Pizza Keto?
Or are gluten-free pizza crusts low-carb? Believe it or not, a lot of people have these questions in mind. After all, gluten-free crusts are often advertised as a healthier version with less carbs. But their ingredients highly vary across brands. There’s potato, rice, or tapioca flour. All that heavy, starchy stuff with unimaginable amounts of carbs.
You’ve probably grasped the answer by now. Anyone on keto would know that starchy products are carb-dense, which are no-go.
Hence, not all gluten-free pizzas are necessarily keto-friendly. Yup, there’s no single answer to it, like a yes or no. Some gluten-free pizzas are extremely low-carb, which can be suitable for a keto diet. While others are just too starchy for your own good.
Remember, just because it’s gluten-free doesn’t mean it’s keto. Like we said earlier, some ingredients that go into a gluten-free crust aren’t always low-carb. Aside from that, other pizzerias also use refined oils that are avoided for a keto diet.
You know that sticking to your daily carb intake limit is crucial for ketosis. So, knowing how many carbs are in your gluten-free pizza is important before finally buying one.
Is Gluten-Free Pizza Low-Carb?
There’s often confusion between keto and low-carb. While they’re both focused on cutting down your carbs, the difference is mainly on the carb intake.
The recommended carb content for keto dishes is less than 10-15g, while the limit for low-carb falls between 0-30g. Frankly, most gluten-free pizzas are low-carb but really not keto-friendly.
Was that a little confusing? Let’s put it this way. Most gluten-free pizza crusts aren’t for strict keto diets with a very low daily carb intake requirement of about 20-25 g of net carbs per day. You’ll see that one slice of some popular gluten-free crusts has over 15 g of carbs.
Let’s answer some of the most frequently asked questions.
Is Gluten-Free Pizza Healthy?
Truth be told, this could be one of the many reasons why you’re here. Someone probably told you that gluten-free foods are healthier with more benefits in store for you. Or maybe you read “gluten-free,” “healthy,” and “less carbs” in the same sentence?
Yup. We know.
Yes, gluten-free pizzas are often healthier than the usual ones. To some, the difference is negligible due to the modified starches used for some gluten-free pizzas (in some cases)
Gluten-free pizzas are especially recommended for people with extreme gluten sensitivity or Celiac disease. As such, pizzas containing wheat are strictly not allowed in their diet. Thankfully, more brands in the market are now offering gluten-free pizzas with the rising demand.
Popular alternatives to wheat flour used for gluten-free pizza crusts contain more nutrients with fewer carbs. Almond flour, for example, is packed with more nutrients than the usual wheat flour. Aside from that, it may also provide you with more health benefits. You have nothing to worry about the taste because there is little to no difference at all compared to the traditional crust.
Is My Gluten-Free Pizza Carb-Free?
Gluten-free items aren’t always carb-free! It still boils down to the ingredients used for the crust.
Popular pizza brands like Domino’s, Pizza Hut, and Blaze Pizza offer gluten-free crusts. While they sound good, not everything gluten-free is really keto.
We’ve curated a short list of pizzerias offering gluten-free crusts, together with bits of info about their carb count. Note that all information indicated in the following section is for the crusts only. The carb content of toppings and sauces is not included.
Is Domino’s Gluten-Free Crust Keto?
Let’s take Domino’s as a first example. If you’re wondering if it’s keto… nope.(Sorry!)Unfortunately, 1/3 of a small 10-inch gluten-free pizza already has a whopping carb amount of 30 g. Now imagine if you were to eat a whole pie.
The crust with the least amount of carbs on the menu is Crunchy Thin. ¼ of a 10-inch small crunchy thin crust pizza has 15 g of carbs. If you get the 14-inch large hand-tossed crunchy thin one, expect 13 g of carbs per 1/8 of the pizza.
Overall, Domino’s is not the best choice when going for a keto and gluten-free pizza.
Is Blaze Pizza’s Gluten-Free Crust Keto?
Blaze’s Pizza is a real game-changer for that gluten-free pizza experience. The pizza place offers three gluten-free dough options for its customers. Cauliflower, gluten-free, and keto crusts.
One slice of an 11-inch gluten-free cauliflower pizza dough has 14 g of net carbs. While the gluten-free dough has 15 g of net carbs for each slice. So, to stick to your daily carb limit, you ought to eat one slice only for these options.
You’d be delighted to know that you can dodge these options for a completely keto crust. Yup. Thanks, Blaze’s! Its keto crust only has an amazing net carb amount of 1 g per slice. This is definitely a safer option if you want a savory, low-carb pizza that’s good for your keto diet. You’re sure that either a slice or a whole pizza won’t blow off your strict carb limit!
Of course, don’t overindulge in too many sauces and toppings. There could be hidden carbs and sugars lurking around.
Is Udi’s Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Keto?
Anyone on a gluten-free diet must know Udi’s popular gluten-free selections.
If you’re expecting it to be keto or low-carb, we have some bad news for you. Udi’s Thin & Crispy pizza crusts are, unfortunately, not keto-friendly. ½ of the recommended serving size already has about 34 g of carbs.
Curious why? For starters, its crusts contain starchy ingredients like tapioca starch, brown rice flour, and rice bran. They’re also processed with canola oil which is something avoided when going keto.
Are Cauliflower Crusts Keto?
It depends on where you got yours. For instance, Fresh Brothers’ gluten-free cauliflower pizza crust isn’t exactly keto as it comes with 16 g of carbs due to substitute ingredients like rice and potatoes. You can opt for Fresh Brothers’ keto crust as an alternative which is made of cauliflower rice. It’s loaded with more protein and fat, with reduced carbohydrates to 6 grams. This makes a better option for anyone on keto dining at Fresh Brothers.
Luckily, there are a few grocery brands like Rich’s Home offering low-carb cauliflower pizza crusts with only 7 g of net carbs.
But if you’re thinking that grocery gluten-free pizza brands are any better, nah. Most of them are still not keto-friendly. So to stay on top of your game, it’s best to know what goes into your pizza and how many carbs are in the crust. That way, you can still enjoy a good slice while maintaining ketosis.
What is a Gluten-Free Pizza Made of?
Many chefs and cooks are serving up the most creative ways to create different versions of gluten-free pizzas. However, most ingredients used are still starchy and carb-dense.
Gluten-free pizzas use substitutes for wheat flour. These include modified starches like tapioca starch, rice starch, potato starch, and corn flour. You’ll notice that these items are completely high-risk for breaking your ketosis. Hence, pizza crusts processed with these flours are definitely not keto.
This doesn’t mean that no gluten-free pizza crust is keto. You can still enjoy a nice low-carb, gluten-free pizza since there are still plant-based crust options made with keto-friendly ingredients. Like cauliflower rice crusts or those processed with flours like almond, chia, or coconut flour.
The general rule of thumb when choosing is to pick the crust with the lowest carbs. To cut it short, all we’re saying here is that it’s not entirely impossible for a gluten-free pizza to be keto! Just choose the right toppings with high proteins and fats for your pizza, you’re good to go.
Then, Are All Keto Pizzas Gluten-Free?!
If you turn it the other way around, things also turn better. Most keto pizzas are gluten-free. It’s almost impossible to make a keto pizza with carb-rich ingredients like wheat flour. Hence, to make a keto pizza, non-wheat items are mostly used, such as almond flour or cauliflower rice.
This is a small win for gluten-sensitive people on a keto diet. (Yay!) But you might be forgetting that cross-contamination is still possible, even if the pizza is keto AND gluten-free. Thus, make sure that the preparation of your keto pizza is free from gluten contamination by doing the right measures.
Tips on How to Pick a Keto-Friendly (and Gluten-Free)Pizza Crust
Going keto or gluten-free doesn’t mean letting go of that freshly made, tasty, and cheesy pizza. In fact, as we mentioned, restaurants now cater to more dietary regimes with increasing demand. This makes getting a quick and healthy pizza fix a whole lot easier than before.
Of course, you still need to be on the lookout for the ingredients and remember these tips when buying or assembling a keto-friendly pizza.
1. Keep it Low-Carb, High in Fats and Protein
The golden rule of keto is to cut down your carbs, then load up with healthy fats and protein. This will satiate your hunger easily and make you feel more fueled for the day.
Pick the crust with the least amount of carbs. Doesn’t matter if it isn’t gluten-free. You can do so by checking the nutritional information of the pizzeria’s selection.
After choosing a low-carb or keto pizza crust, make sure to choose healthy toppings. Avoid those that are highly processed with bad trans fats like pepperoni.
2. Watch Out for the Ingredients
Some pizza crusts that are advertised as “healthy” may still be packed with lots of carbs and are not your best option. As such, it’s better to know what your pizza crust is made of to be extra sure.
You should also be aware of ingredients that are non-negotiable for your keto diet. Here are some of the most common ones disguised as “wheat flour substitutes” found in pizza crusts that you should avoid:
- Rice Flour
- Corn Flour
- Tapioca Starch
- Corn Starch
Safe ingredients for a low-carb pizza include cauliflower rice, almond, or coconut flour. Other than the ingredients of the crust, watch out for other additional stuff you put on your pizza, too.
3. Not Everything Gluten-Free is Keto
Yes. That’s why knowing the ingredients of your pizza crust is important before ordering. High-alert ingredients like potato starch and rice flour which are very starchy stuff should be hands-off for anyone on a keto diet.
As such, you should know that a gluten-free label doesn’t automatically translate to beingketo-friendly.
4. Keep It Simple
Some toppings or sauces have lots of hidden carbs, way more than you realize. This can be bad if you overindulge. Tomato sauces, for example, have higher carbs than other sauces. Coupled with lots of hidden carbs in your toppings, you could go over your daily carb intake a little too much.
To reduce the net carb count of your keto pizza, it’s best to keep it simple by adding less ingredients. Try not to over decorate it! Satiate yourself to the fullest with the least amount of carbs possible to maintain ketosis.
Conclusion
Summing it all up, a gluten-free pizza crust isn’t always keto-friendly. No matter how much a pizzeria advertises it as a “healthier” alternative to the traditional pizza crust.
Your daily carb limit must be prioritized above all, which requires careful examination of each crust’s carb count. That means even gluten-free pizza crusts should still be subject to your judgement.
Know what substitutes are used for wheat for your preferred gluten-free pizza. If it rings a bell for not beingketo-friendly like potato or tapioca, throw it out. Stick to options with the lowest carb count.
Finally, when assembling your pizza, remember not to choose carb-dense ingredients with low fat. Opt for healthy proteins and fats which aren’t highly processed.
Strictly stick to the tips we shared with you when picking a nice pizza to achieve or maintain ketosis. Although it goes a long way, we assure you it’s going to be very worth it!
