What is the best pizza for diabetics?

Pizza is one of the most popular and beloved meals in the World, and it can be a challenge for people with diabetes to enjoy it. Fortunately, there are great options that can help diabetics eat and enjoy pizza.

From crust and topping options to building the perfect slice, we’ll explore what makes the best pizza for diabetics so you can still indulge in your favorite food.

I’m not a dietitian or health expert. I have done extensive research on healthy diet options to help our pizza-loving readers. Please consult your doctor or healthcare provider before giving any of my recommendations a try.

Does eating pizza spike your blood sugar?

Eating pizza can spike your blood sugar levels as it normally contains refined flour and processed ingredients that are high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates break down into glucose once consumed.

High levels of glucose in the blood are especially harmful to people who struggle with diabetes. This doesn’t mean that diabetics can’t have pizza. Just like anything else related to your health, diabetics can enjoy pizza if they make smart decisions and choose the right ingredients.

How many slices of pizza can a diabetic eat??

Diabetics should only eat 1 slice of pizza to stay within the recommended 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per meal. That’s because according to the USDA, a slice of cheese pizza with a regular crust contains about 36 grams of carbohydrates.

People with diabetes who want to eat more than one slice of pizza should stick to no more than two slices as the carb count can stack up very quickly. Remember, these numbers reflect the carb contents of a pizza made with a traditional flour crust.

You may be asking yourself: “There must be a better, and healthier way to enjoy pizza as a diabetic.” Well, you’re right!

Just one slice of pizza is enough for diabetics.

Making the best pizza for diabetics

The best pizza for diabetics is one that’s baked with homemade almond flour thin crust, low-sugar tomato sauce, a modest amount of ricotta or low-fat mozzarella, and only vegetables for extra toppings.

Let’s break down each of these components so you can better understand why it’s so important for diabetics to make smart decisions about their diet.

1. The best pizza crust for diabetics

It’s no surprise that the number 1 source of carbohydrates on a pizza is the crust. It just makes sense to start our journey for the perfect pizza for diabetics by exploring lower-carb alternatives for the pizza crust.

When it comes to pizza crust, there are a few alternatives that are much lower in carbs than regular flour dough. These include whole wheat and the very popular cauliflower crusts. Even though these are great options, we prefer almond flour pizza dough.

In our testing, the best pizza crust for diabetics is made from almond flour. Almond flour pizza crust is very close to the texture of regular pizza crusts and it only packs around 4 to 6 grams of carbs per slice when you factor in the fiber content in almond flour. That’s approximately 83% fewer carbs than regular pizza crust.

Almond flour has fewer carbs than traditional or even whole wheat flour.

2. The best pizza sauce for diabetics

When it comes to the sauce, stay away from creamy sauces like Alfredo and pesto. Although these can be tasty, creamy sauces have higher counts of saturated fat, carbs, and sodium than regular pizza sauce. These can increase the likelihood of heart disease and hypertension which most diabetics struggle with.

The best option for pizza sauce for diabetics is fresh tomato sauce. Tomato sauce has less saturated fat, carbs, and sodium than creamy sauces. It also contains more vitamins and copper which diabetics especially need to improve renal function, inflammation, and glycemic control.

Use fresh tomato sauce on your pizza to cut down on fats and sodium.

3. The best cheese for diabetics

Our cheese options for diabetic-friendly pizza are pretty straightforward. Surprisingly, both ricotta and mozzarella are low-fat and high-protein which are perfect for diabetics. These are also the first two kinds of cheese most people would think of when pondering options for a pizza. However, good old mozzarella comes out on top for being extremely low in sodium as well.

Mozzarella is the best option for pizza for diabetics because of its low-fat, low-sodium, and high-protein counts. All of these attributes make mozzarella the healthiest choice for diabetics to include in their pizza.

Mozzarella is the right choice for keeping fat and sodium low in your pizza.

4. The best pizza toppings for diabetics

Choosing the right pizza toppings for diabetics can make or break all the hard work you just put into building the perfect pizza slice. Avoid highly processed meats like pepperoni and Italian sausage.

These are not only high in saturated fat but also extremely high in sodium. Even though we LOVE bacon 😋 🥓🥓🥓🥓 choosing this meat as your topping would also be a terrible idea. For a healthier option, try adding lean proteins or vegetables to your pizza.

Our top picks for best pizza toppings for diabetics are:

• Lean proteins like chicken and turkey
• Bell peppers (red or green)
• Banana peppers
• Mushrooms
• Spinach
• Basil
• Roasted garlic cloves
• Eggplant
• Onions
• Artichokes

Choosing lean meats and vegetables as your pizza toppings is the smart thing to do.

This is the best style of pizza for diabetics

When building the perfect pizza for diabetics we’ve discussed choosing a thin crust made with almond flour, adding plenty of fresh tomato sauce, using little to no cheese (and choosing mozzarella as your cheese preference), and going for lean meats and vegetables for toppings. These components bring to mind a very specific style of pizza we’ve covered before in this blog.

New Haven-style pizza from Connecticut is without a doubt the perfect style of pizza for diabetics. It has a thin and crispy crust. There’s no cheese involved (other than a bit of Romano grated cheese) and packs lots of tomato sauce.

With a few modifications, like using almond flour for the pizza crust and substituting the Romano cheese for a bit of mozzarella, New Haven-style is the definitive king of pizza styles for diabetics.

Photography by: Dimo’s Apizza from their official Instagram.

Top 6 tips for pizza-loving diabetics

Diabetes can be a challenging condition. However, with a few smart choices and some helpful tips, diabetics can indulge in their cravings without compromising their health.

Here are some solid tips that diabetics should follow when eating pizza:

1. Remember to use portion control. Limit yourself to just one slice of pizza or a small 8-inch personal pizza.
2. Pace yourself. Don’t eat pizza every day. Think of pizza as a treat for eating right and taking care of yourself.
3. Go for the thin crust to cut on carbs and always avoid stuffed crust pizza. Stuffed crust pizza just adds more of the fats and sodium your already trying to cut from your diet.
4. Take a 15 to 20-minute walk after your meal. Studies have shown that light exercise like walking can lower your blood sugar and insulin levels.
5. Always have a small side salad to balance your meal and help your body break down the carbs you just ate.
6. Try making your own pizza at home. Not only can this be a fun activity for both you and your family, but it will also help you control how much carbs, fats, and sodium the final product has.

Make smart decisions and enjoy your pizza!

Pizza doesn’t have to be off-limits for individuals with diabetes. With careful consideration and mindful choices, diabetics can enjoy a delicious slice of pizza without compromising their health.