Let’s check out roughly how many carbs exist in a cauliflower pizza crust, and also even how they make it.
If you want a low-carb option and still find the time to eat pizza, then rest assured that a solution does exist for you.
That solution is a cauliflower pizza crust, and it’s a crust that has witnessed a real increase in popularity.
But before you go ahead and wonder what on earth a cauliflower pizza crust will taste like, you might want to know more about the carbs issue.
It’s known that carbs make up a huge part of a normal crust. So, if you plan on following a low-carb diet, then you could smash your daily limit with only two slices of pizza.
Clearly, that’s not something you want to happen, but at least an alternative option does exist.
The Answer
Giving an answer here is not an exact science. It all depends on exactly how the cauliflower crust is made, and also the size plays a role. But we will discuss that in a bit more detail later.
However, we can give a rough figure when it comes to the carb count. Generally, it varies from 5g to 16g of carbs, and we admit that it’s a wide range.
Yet if you want a kind of average regarding the number of carbs, then a cauliflower pizza crust will often measure around 12g.
Do note we talk about a per slice basis here rather than the entire pizza. That’s due to any other figures linking to a single slice of a normal crust.
Do remember that your average normal pizza crust has in the region of 30g of carbs per slice. That means a cauliflower crust has a major drop in carbs by comparison.
When you see the difference in a single slice, where it could be 30g against 5g, then it makes sense why individuals on either a low-carb or Keto diet plan would turn to cauliflower.
But we did still say a cauliflower crust comes with variation, so let’s explain why that’s the case.
Why the Carb Count Varies So Much
A number of different factors clearly contribute to the variation in the carb count. The size and thickness of the crust are one factor.
It makes sense that the larger or thicker the crust, then the higher the carb count thanks to the sheer volume of crust.
But while that does change things, it’s not the main contributing factor.
Once again, this difference is no different from a normal crust. The more crust you have, then the higher the carb content, calories, fat, and sodium will be.
However, it’s the clear difference between the figures that makes such a difference when it comes to a cauliflower crust.
The Flour That Binds the Crust
The main factor is undoubtedly the flour used to bind the crust together. While no cauliflower crust will use normal wheat flour, they can incorporate a number of options.
From rice flour to quinoa flour, or even corn starch, the list of flour types they could use can drastically change the carb count.
Clearly, the number of net carbs in a cauliflower stays the same, so the variation can only come from this source.
That is why you need to pay attention to the packaging if purchasing a ready-made cauliflower crust. Look at the net carbs and the flour type used.
If possible compare a couple of different brands to see the very noticeable difference.
A Tip for the Carb Count
Considering the flour used, along with several other ingredients, can vary so much, we have a tip.
Often, the higher the carb count for a cauliflower pizza crust will signify less cauliflower.
It can point to the manufacturer using other ingredients to effectively bulk up the crust.
We can say this because a cup of cauliflower typically has less than 5g of carbs. So if a slice of pizza comes with a high carb count, then you know it must have little in the way of cauliflower.
Ultimately, you may discover you get an inferior crust where it’s still pushing at your carb intake limit for the day.
We do stress the real need to pay close attention to the ingredients and details of the crust before consuming.
So while you will always have other ingredients in a cauliflower pizza crust, it’s worth remembering this point.
It may end up meaning you get more cauliflower as a result.
But What About Net Carbs?
If you follow the Keto diet or even just the low-carb approach, you will have undoubtedly heard about net carbs.
So, what happens here with a cauliflower pizza crust?
In general, you will tend to find a cauliflower pizza crust that comes with a net 3g of carbs.
That does mean it’s a wonderful option when you still want pizza but wish to avoid that large piece of dough that exists with a normal crust.
But from a net carbs perspective, a cauliflower pizza crust does work out pretty low.
However, it still all depends on the other ingredients in the crust when determining just how low the net carbs figure will be.
What About Calories?
With our main focus on carbs, it’s easy to lose sight of the other important areas when it comes to our food.
In the case of calories, then don’t expect the calorie count to drop too significantly.
On average, your normal slice of pizza with a cauliflower crust can come in anywhere from 120 calories to 600 calories.
It’s all thanks to the array of other ingredients that may find their way into the crust.
But it’s worth pointing out that this calorie count does come out lower than your typical pizza slice.
Also, paying attention to the toppings will clearly make a difference here as well.
Fat and Salt
While a cauliflower crust does not often come across as high in either fat or salt, it’s also not as low as it could be.
It’s those other ingredients that make the difference. A cauliflower contains no fat to speak of, and it also contains no sodium.
So, all of that salt and fat must come from other sources.
Once again the amount of both fat and salt will vary a huge amount.
For example, some brands will use coconut flour in the process, and while it’s a good fat it does still push that fat content up higher.
In addition, the toppings will also change the fat and salt content. A number of pizza options complete with a cauliflower base contain a lot of cheese.
As you know, cheese remains high in both fat and salt, which is why some brands can have as much as 15g of fat in a single slice.
Oh, and for the salt content, then watch out. Some slices can have as much as 500mg of salt whereas our daily intake should not really exceed 2,300mg of sodium.
The Toppings
We just mentioned cheese in the previous section, but the toppings in general will completely change everything.
While it remains easy to avoid too many carbs with toppings, the same does not apply to fat and salt.
We recommend going easy on the cheese, even though it can really make the pizza, and try to focus on getting so much flavor from other sources.
Is a Cauliflower Pizza Crust Worth it?
Finally, do we think a cauliflower pizza crust is actually worth it? Well, aside from tasting slightly different to a normal crust, the difference in the carb count does help.
For that factor alone we feel that a cauliflower pizza crust does work if you follow either the low-carb diet or the Keto diet. T
he net carbs figure will come in significantly lower than a normal crust, so it’s easy to cut carbs using this approach.
Also, if you feel worried about the taste, then don’t. Yes, they do taste different, but it’s the toppings you put on the base that really make the pizza.
The crust does not have an overwhelming cauliflower taste, but how strong does depend on the brand.
The other ingredients certainly make a difference in changing the taste. So, if that was a concern, then don’t stress. You will probably end up rather surprised at the crust.
Overall Conclusion
A cauliflower pizza crust on its own will tend to have in the region of 12g of carbs. However, it may drop as low as 5g depending on brand, size, and flour used.
But no matter the brand or size, the one thing you know is a cauliflower crust contains fewer carbs than a normal flour-based crust.
For those individuals on a low-carb diet, or even gluten-free, then a cauliflower crust remains a wonderful option.
The only other thing you need to contend with is to look carefully at the toppings. You don’t want to ruin your low-carb approach by adding some carb-heavy toppings.
At that point, you should have just gone with the original crust instead.
