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How much sugar is in Pizza? That’s right, it is time to talk about possibly everyone’s favorite thing ever…pizza. Fun fact, according to Wikipedia on any given day 13% of Americans eat Pizza. But what if you are on a low sugar diet – how sugar-friendly is your favorite pizza and how much sugar does there tend to be in pizza? That is what I am going to be answering in this post.
In fact, I am actually pretty well placed to answer this question as I have already written 4 in-depth articles examining the sugar content of Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Little Caesars, and Papa John’s Pizzas. Here are the links to the posts but I am also going to summarize the sugar situation of these popular pizza chains below.
- Sugar Content of All Pizza Hut Pizzas – Ranked
- Which Little Caesars Pizzas Contain the Least Sugar?
- How Much Sugar is in Papa John’s Pizzas
- The Sugar Content of All Dominos Pizzas Ranked
How Much Sugar is in Pizza?
As a general rule, many small pizzas only contain 8g or less of sugar. However, a small Hawaiian or BBQ pizza can contain 28g-36g of sugar. The best way to reduce the sugar content of your pizza is to order a small size and avoid pineapple or any pizzas with the words BBQ or Hawaiian in their name.
Pizza Hut
What is The Sugar Content of Pizza Hut Pizzas?
The sugar content of Pizza Hut pizzas depends on the size, crust, and toppings. There is less than 8g of sugar in most Pizza Hut small hand-tossed pizzas, except for the Backyard BBQ Chicken – which contains 32g of sugar.
As you can see from the above the best way to order a lower-sugar pizza at Pizza Hut is to order a small size and avoid the BBQ backyard chicken pizza. A slice of a small Pizza Hut pizza will usually contain 1g of sugar or less.
Make sure to avoid BBQ sauce and pineapple if creating your own Pizza Hut pizza.
Do Pizza Hut Crusts Contain Sugar?
All Pizza Hut crusts, apart from the Thin N Crispy crust, contain added sugar.
Does Pizza Huts Sauce Contain Sugar?
The classic marina pizza sauce at Pizza Hut does not contain added sugar. There is, however, naturally occurring sugar in the sauce from the tomatoes.
You can read more about the sugar content of Pizza Hut pizzas here – Sugar Content of All Pizza Hut Pizzas – Ranked.
Papa John’s
What is the Sugar Content of Papa John’s Pizzas?
A Papa John’s “pizza for one” made with original crust contains 8g-36g of sugar. Papa John’s extra cheesy alfredo pizza and pepperoni, sausage & six cheese pizza contains the least sugar at 8g of sugar.
Papa John’s Hawaiian BBQ Chicken pizza contains the most sugar at 36g of sugar.
Does Papa John’s Crust Contain Sugar?
There is added sugar in Papa John’s fresh dough crust and gluten-free crust. There is no added sugar in Papa John’s thin crust.
Does Papa John’s Pizza Sauce Contain Sugar?
Papa John’s pizza sauce contains added sugar.
Do Papa John’s Meats Contain Sugar?
Papa John’s salami, pepperoni, and bacon contain sugar.
Do Papa John’s Veggies Contain Sugar?
None of Papa John’s veggies contain sugar. The pineapple tidbits contain added sugar.
You can read more about the sugar content of Papa John’s Pizzas here in the post I wrote on the topic – How Much Sugar is in Papa John’s Pizzas.
Domino’s Pizza
What is the Sugar Content of Domino’s Pizzas?
The lowest sugar Dominos pizza is the Spinach and Feta at 8g for a small pizza. The highest sugar pizzas are the Memphis BBQ Chicken at 28g of sugar and the Honolulu Hawaiian at 20g of sugar.
Does Domino’s Pizza Sauce Have Sugar In it?
Domino’s pizza sauce does contain sugar. The serving size of Domino’s pizza sauce contains up to 3g of total sugar (1g of which is added). The Alfredo and Garlic Parm are the lowest sugar Domino’s sauces – containing 0g of sugar.
As a general rule, the Honey BBQ sauce at Domino’s is the highest sugar sauce.
You can read more about the sugar content of Dominos Pizza here in the post I wrote on the topic – The Sugar Content of All Dominos Pizzas Ranked.
Little Caesars
What is the Sugar Content of Little Caesars Pizzas?
There are 3g-32g of sugar in Little Caesars Pizzas depending on the base and toppings. The Cheese Thin Crust Pizza is the lowest sugar pizza at 3g of sugar and the Hula Hawaiian Detroit-Style Deep Dish Specialty Pizza is the highest sugar pizza at 32g of sugar.
Is There Sugar in Little Caesars Crust?
There is added sugar in Little Caesars’ crusts, apart from the thin crust, which is the lowest sugar crust. The Detroit-style deep dish pizzas have the highest sugar content.
Does Little Caesars Pizza Sauce Have Sugar?
There is added sugar in Little Caesars pizza sauce.
You can read more about the sugar content of Little Caesars here in the post I wrote on the topic – Which Little Caesars Pizzas Contain the Least Sugar?
Conclusion – How Much Sugar is In Take Out Pizza?
As a general rule, a lot of small take-out pizzas only contain 8g of sugar or less for the entire pizza. However, a small Hawaiian or BBQ pizza can contain 28g-36g of sugar.
The best way to reduce the sugar content of your takeout pizza is to order a small size and avoid pineapple or any pizzas with the words BBQ or Hawaiian in their name.
What is the Sugar Content of Frozen Pizzas?
Having put together the above information on the sugar content of take-out pizzas it got me thinking – what is the sugar content of frozen pizzas? Well, just looking at some of 365’s pizzas alone confirms that the same general rules apply to frozen pizzas.
365’s Margherita pizza (which can be found on Amazon here) contains 8g of sugar in the whole pizza.
In comparison, 365’s pizza barbeque chicken pizza (which can be found on Amazon here) contains 41g of sugar.
How Much Sugar is in Pizza? You Need To Know This! – The Final Bite
How much sugar is in Pizza? What have we learned from the above? Well, when it comes to pizza how much sugar goes into your pizza depends really on your choice of toppings. Hawaiian and BBQ pizzas tend to always be the highest in sugar. Whilst simpler styles can be much lower in comparison. The good news is that many small pizzas can contain 8g or less of sugar. Less sometimes is more…especially when it comes to pizza and sugar content.
And Remember…
Ingredients and/or manufacturing processes may change. Always double-check ingredient lists and nutritional information before purchasing any food items.
WANT TO FIND MORE LOW SUGAR OPTIONS?
Do you want to learn about some other low-sugar options at your favorite coffee chains, fast food, or restaurant joints, or just while you are shopping for groceries? If you do, then check out some of my other articles below: