Pizza Gluten free, is it better?

Juliermerd
Juliermerd Posts: 2 Member
in Food and Nutrition
What is the real difference between gluten free or not? In terms of calories, eat a gluten free pizza is better or about the same?

Replies

  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    It depends on the recipe. A cauliflower crust pizza will likely have fewer calories than a traditional crust with the same toppings, but not necessarily one made with alternative flours.

    If you are a celiac, the difference is enormous.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    The difference is that the gluten-free pizza won't have gluten. It's irrelevant from a calorie point of view. Some gluten-free pizzas may have more calories than a regular pizza of the same size, some may have less. But it will come down to different ingredients used, not the presence (or not) of gluten.

    Gluten-free stuff is great for people who can't tolerate gluten. It allows them to have things like pizza, bread, or pasta that they otherwise would have to skip. For the rest of us, it's a non-issue. It won't harm us to have these things, but there is no good reason for us to choose them instead of the regular versions.
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    concordancia wrote: »
    It depends on the recipe. A cauliflower crust pizza will likely have fewer calories than a traditional crust with the same toppings, but not necessarily one made with alternative flours.

    If you are a celiac, the difference is enormous.

    It's not even that likely that the cauliflower crust will have fewer calories. A lot of recipes use a ton of eggs and cheese as binders.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Do you have a medical reason to avoid gluten? If yes, then gluten free pizza is better for YOU.

    Gluten free pizza could be made from a number of things that are higher calorie than wheat. Gluten free pizza can have additional fats added. The recipe is going to decide the calories.

    No medical issues for me, so I eat pizza that I enjoy. I just have to manage portions so that it fits within my goals. Each and everything I eat doesn't have to be "healthy" whatever your definition of that is.
  • DragonHasTheSapphire
    DragonHasTheSapphire Posts: 184 Member
    I agree with the others. Gluten-free foods should only be eaten by those who can't tolerate it. Don't listen to mumbo jumbo that gluten makes you fat--excess calories causes weight gain. If depends on your definition of "healthy." Is healthy less calories, no added sugar, or less fat?

    Or I do eat pizza, I usually make my own to modify my own ingredients. In terms of weight loss, just choose the pizza with less calories. Your choice though :)
  • DragonHasTheSapphire
    DragonHasTheSapphire Posts: 184 Member
    When*
  • anglyn1
    anglyn1 Posts: 1,802 Member
    Gluten free is better for me because I have celiac disease and it won't make me sick. As for calories I'd say it probably is about equal or maybe even higher. Of course most places only offer a small pizza in gluten free so that limits your portion size to an extent so maybe if you are prone to eating a whole pizza that would make it a better choice? I appreciate any pizza place that offers a gluten free crust (though you still worry about cross contamination) but as for taste they never come close to my favorite local spot's real crust. I've not had it in years but I still remember just how much better it is and look on enviously when my friends and family are eating it. lol
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    In addition to difference for celiacs and gluten-sensitive people, depending on the recipe some gluten-free options are also lower in carbs, which can be helpful if you are diabetic or otherwise insulin resistant. But many have just as many carbs, so you have to read labels if this is an issue.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    You probably won't save calories by eating a gluten free pizza, in fact, often the opposite.
  • xFreudianSlip
    xFreudianSlip Posts: 45 Member
    gluten free replacement foods usually have more.. also it doesn't taste as good, trust me, I'm a celiac...
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    edited April 2018
    If I didn't have celiac disease, there's no reason I'd eat gluten free pizza. There's nothing better about it.

    You know what the wonderful thing about gluten containing dough is in general? It absorbs things. You can dunk toast in a sunny side up egg or have butter melt into it. When you get a pizza, there's a sort of marriage that happens between sauce and crust. You can dunk a nice baguette into a bowl of soup and have it absorb the broth.

    None of this happens with gluten free baked goods. Everything just sort of lays there on top of it. Separate from it.
  • ToadstoolBetty
    ToadstoolBetty Posts: 292 Member
    Why eat gf if you don't have to. I would love to eat freely and not be so restricted.
    If you are making either bases with a flour and oils they aren't different. It's the toppings that will cause most of the calories to bulk up.
    Unless you find eating gf actually makes you feel well and and discomforts go then don't bother with it. Just enjoy your food.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    edited April 2018
    Juliermerd wrote: »
    What is the real difference between gluten free or not? In terms of calories, eat a gluten free pizza is better or about the same?

    I have found gluten free replacements (pizza base/pasta/lasagne sheets for example) to be higher calorie than their wheat alternatives. And sometimes higher carbs. If that's 'better' depends on your cals/macros etc
  • workinonit1956
    workinonit1956 Posts: 1,043 Member
    I’ve been gluten free due to Celiac for 13 years. To me, the gf subs like pizza and bread are much denser and have a lot of extra ingredients like (more) fat and gums to make the doughs “behave” like those with gluten. If I didn’t have to be gluten free, I wouldn’t.

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