Take any meals you like, make it out of cauliflower, and it’s magically wholesome. Or no less than that’s what most individuals take into consideration pizza. But is cauliflower pizza crust wholesome?
The concern of carb consumption has led to an explosion of artistic carb substitutes, cauliflower pizza crust being one in every of many.
“People are so anti-carbohydrate and suppose white flour isn’t good for you. So they surprise, ‘How can we still eat pizza?,’” says Keri Gans, RDN, author of The Small Change Diet. “[Cauliflower pizza crust] also has a health halo because it’s related to a vegetable.”
But look past that halo glow and verify the labels. Then you possibly can actually see if cauliflower crust is healthier for you than common crust.
Is Cauliflower Pizza Crust Healthy?
Compared to common pizza crust, cauliflower crust does are likely to have much less sodium. But whenever you dive into the opposite diet information, the outcomes aren’t completely in favor of the veggie substitute.
For comparability sake, we’ll take a look at a number of the best-selling pizza crust manufacturers, like Boboli and CAULIPOWER. The chart beneath reveals how a number of the hottest common crust manufacturers stack up in comparison with cauliflower pizza crust manufacturers.
As you possibly can see, store-bought cauliflower pizza crust is a bit in all places in terms of the diet information. Some cauliflower crust manufacturers are decrease in carbohydrates, however not all of them.
So should you don’t verify the label, chances are you’ll find yourself consuming simply as many carbs as a slice of white or complete wheat pizza crust. The identical goes for energy — cauliflower pizza crust isn’t all the time lighter.
And even whether it is, take into consideration how vital is it so that you can save, say, 40 energy (concerning the quantity of half a small apple), particularly should you won’t benefit from the style as a lot, Gans says.
But what about fiber? Veggies are often brimming with fiber, proper?
Well… one cup of uncooked cauliflower has 2 grams of fiber, and a few cauliflower pizza crust has only one gram per serving. So on this case, complete wheat crust truly gives extra fiber.
Lastly, protein-wise, complete wheat crust once more tends to be king. However, some cauliflower pizza crust has a great dose of protein if it accommodates eggs (just like the Cali’flower Foods choice within the chart above).
So what’s the principle takeaway right here? Read the label. There’s a lot variance between manufacturers, you possibly can’t simply assume any and all cauliflower pizza crust is identical, and even more healthy than the common or complete wheat choices.
And in terms of particular components, some manufacturers add eggs and/or cheese to assist the cauliflower bind and add taste. So when you have any meals allergy symptoms or comply with a specialised weight-reduction plan, you wish to ensure you know what you’re consuming.
Should You Buy Cauliflower Pizza Crust?
“When it comes down it, what is your reason for choosing it?” Gans asks. Whether you hope to avoid wasting energy or reduce carbs, otherwise you’re attempting to eat extra greens, you’ll want to learn the diet information so you possibly can affirm you’re reaching what you need.
It’s additionally vital to be be aware of the serving measurement and toppings, she provides, since that’s the opposite a part of the pizza image.
“You can’t eat the whole pie, and you can’t throw all the other health ‘guidelines’ out the window,” Gans says. “Are you building your pizza and making it a healthy vehicle for more vegetables, or are you adding processed meats like pepperoni and sausage?”
To make the healthiest pizza (no matter crust), she recommends selecting loads of greens, akin to recent tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and artichoke hearts.