We should all be aware of the importance of eating healthily. It’s critical that we try to stick to a balanced and healthy diet every day – but there’s nothing wrong with treating yourself on the odd occasion.
One of our favorite treats is a slice (or two!) of pepperoni pizza and this is because it tastes great! But it is not the best for watching the calories!
Here’s how many calories a slice of pepperoni pizza has.
Caloric Value Of A Pepperoni Pizza Slice
According to some studies, as the portion size increases and depending on where you get it – a slice of pepperoni pizza can have as many as 450 calories in it.
This is because there are so many variables that we must consider.
For example, how the pizza is made and what ingredients are used can wildly change the answer.
Here are two of the most well-known pizza places and how many calories to expect in one of these slices:
- Papa John’s (medium size, original) = 230 calories
- Little Caesars (from a 14 inch) = 280 calories
How Many Calories Should You Have?
This will vary depending on your gender, age and size – however, the general consensus is as follows:
- Adult men = 2500-3000 calories per day
- Adult women = 2000-2500 calories per day
Of course, depending on how active you are and what you eat on a daily basis will play a massive role in what you are “calorically allowed” each day, but this is not the full story.
It goes without saying that we should be burning off more calories than we intake, otherwise we run the risk of putting on weight by storing caloric energy in the form of fat.
On top of this though, it’s critical for the general health that we try to eat healthier foods anyway with the best ingredients, properly sourced – so we can have the best-tasting food that is good for us!
This is where slices of pepperoni pizza can be problematic. The majority of pizzas from your typical pizza place will be, as the statistics above suggest, very high in calories – but also very high in things we need to try to limit.
This includes carbohydrates and fat. Because of pizza dough, particularly with large crusts – the level of carbohydrates can be through the roof.
Indeed, whilst pepperoni pizza does have some vitamin A, calcium, and protein – it’s still very high in things like cholesterol and salt.
Reduce Your Pizza Calories
There are two main ways to reduce your pizza calories. Here’s what you can do.
Keep It As A Treat
It probably goes without saying that things like pepperoni pizza should be left as the occasional treat.
Many studies have suggested that treating yourself to a high-calorie treat once a week at the most can be beneficial to your mental health, especially if you are trying to lose weight.
This is because you are much more likely to stick to a healthy diet throughout the week(s) and continue with a workout routine.
So, as long as you can limit yourself to enjoying this treat, you should be okay!
Enjoy The Healthier Alternative
There are plenty of ways you can enjoy a healthier alternative for a slice of pepperoni pizza.
You do not necessarily need to quit having pepperoni pizza – although this is definitely a healthier alternative! – but you do need to change how it is made.
Start with the crust. Instead of the usually refined flour crust, choose a whole wheat option and make the crust as thin as possible.
Put this with cheese that is much lower in calories. Normally, pizza is covered in the Italian favorite mozzarella cheese, but you can opt for parmesan or even ricotta.
When it comes to the rest of your toppings, use real tomato-sourced fresh – instead of tomato puree or paste, and load the pizza with vegetables to boost your vitamin and mineral intake.
There’s nothing wrong with putting a little pepperoni on the pizza, but you’d be better off if you use lean ham instead.
This allows you to reduce the levels of salt and avoid using processed meat.
You may even decide to use seafood instead. Shrimp can be a good alternative for calories and a large level of protein.
It still gives you the “meaty” consistency, but with fewer calories, and can be sourced fresh.
Many pizzas are covered and dripping with oil due to the ingredients and the cooking method.
You can reduce this by the above choices, and then cook the pizza in one of two ways; oven and stone baked.
Following a classic method of stone baking may take longer, but it can improve the taste and reduce the risk of oils seeping through the bread.
Additionally, you can reduce the size of the pizza overall and this will decrease your likelihood of overeating – which is very easy to do when preparing pizza from home!
Limit yourself to the amount of pizza you have and avoid adding any common sides with your pizza, like fries or garlic bread.
The Bottom Line
A slice of pepperoni pizza from time to time is not too bad, but it’s important that if you choose to keep it in your diet, you follow some of the guidance above.
Limiting yourself and keeping this as an occasional treat is one way, but the other way is to prepare your pizza from home and use the finest, low-calorie, and fresh ingredients.
