Jet’s Pizza offers a cauliflower crust as a low-carb alternative to their traditional pizza crust. For people on low-carb or keto diets, knowing the carb count of Jet’s cauliflower crust can help them determine if this option fits their macros.
In this article, we’ll look at the nutritional information for Jet’s cauliflower crust pizza to find out how many total carbs and net carbs it contains. We’ll also provide some tips for further lowering the carbs in your cauliflower crust pizza from Jet’s.
What is Jet’s Pizza?
Jet’s Pizza is a Detroit-style pizza chain with over 380 locations across 19 states. Detroit-style pizza is characterized by its rectangular shape, crispy bottom, chewy crust, caramelized edges with crust corners, and sauce layered on top of the cheese and toppings.
Unlike traditional round, thin crust pizzas, Detroit-style pizzas are baked in rectangular steel pans to give the crust its distinctive shape and texture. The cheese and toppings are loaded all the way to the edge to get those crispy corners of crust.
Jet’s offers both original and cauliflower crust options. The cauliflower crust is part of their “Life’s a Party” menu which focuses on gluten-free, vegan, and other specialty dietary fare.
What is cauliflower crust pizza?
Cauliflower crust pizza has become a popular alternative crust for those limiting their intake of carbs and gluten. As the name implies, cauliflower crust pizza is made using cauliflower that has been processed and turned into a pizza dough substitute.
To make cauliflower pizza crust, the cauliflower is simply rinsed, chopped, processed, and pressed out to create a dough-like consistency. Eggs, cheese, and seasonings are often added to help bind and add flavor.
The nutrition of cauliflower crust pizza can vary by brand, but in general, it provides a pizza base that is lower in carbs and calories compared to traditional white and whole wheat flour crusts. Many people find that cauliflower crust has a lighter, less bready texture as well.
Nutritional info for Jet’s cauliflower crust pizza
Now let’s take a look at the nutrition facts for a Jet’s 12″ cauliflower crust pizza to find out the carb counts.
According to the Jet’s Pizza website, here is the nutrition information for their 12″ cauliflower crust cheese pizza:
| Serving Size | 1/8 pizza (107g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 180 |
| Total Fat | 9g |
| Saturated Fat | 4.5g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 25mg |
| Sodium | 730mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 7g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2g |
| Total Sugars | 2g |
| Protein | 15g |
| Calcium | 230mg |
| Iron | 1mg |
Based on this, we can determine:
Total carbs: 7g per 1/8 pizza serving
For the entire 12” cauliflower crust pizza:
7g carbs x 8 servings = 56g total carbs
Net carbs: 5g per serving
Total carbs – Dietary fiber = Net carbs
7g total carbs – 2g fiber = 5g net carbs
For the entire pizza:
5g net carbs x 8 servings = 40g net carbs
So in total, a full 12” Jet’s cauliflower crust cheese pizza contains about 56g total carbs and 40g net carbs.
How does this compare to a traditional crust?
To put those numbers into perspective, let’s compare the carb counts to Jet’s 12” traditional pizza crust with the same cheese pizza toppings:
| Crust Type | Total Carbs | Net Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Cauliflower crust | 56g | 40g |
| Traditional crust | 120g | 92g |
As you can see, the cauliflower crust contains less than half the total and net carbs as the traditional flour-based crust.
So if you are keeping your daily carb intake around 50g net carbs or less on a low carb or keto diet, the cauliflower crust from Jet’s can fit into your macros when portioned out over several meals.
Tips for ordering low-carb at Jet’s Pizza
Here are some tips to further reduce carbs when ordering a cauliflower crust pizza from Jet’s:
Choose lower carb toppings: Load up on veggie toppings like mushrooms, onions, peppers, spinach. Go easy on high-sugar toppings like pineapple, barbecue sauce, and breaded meats.
Opt for cheese over sauce: Order extra cheese instead of sauce to cut more carbs.
Avoid the crust dippers: The pizza crust dippers, wings, and breadsticks will add more unwanted carbs. Stick to the salad and cauliflower crust main event.
Request a 10″: The 10” cauliflower crust pizza has slightly fewer net carbs (around 35g) than the 12” size.
Eat only half: Portion out half the pizza when you get it and save the rest for later to cut the net carbs in half.
Pair with low-carb sides: Enjoy your pizza with a side salad or low-carb veggies to help fill up.
Should you eat cauliflower crust pizza on keto?
Cauliflower crust pizza can fit into a keto diet when carefully portioned, but it may be too high carb for some people’s keto macros, especially those sticking to under 20g net carbs per day.
Here are some pros and cons to consider about eating cauliflower pizza crust on a keto diet:
Pros:
- Lower in carbs than traditional pizza crust
- Can help satisfy pizza cravings
- High protein from cheese toppings
Cons:
- Cauliflower crust is still moderately high in carbs
- Large servings may not fit keto macros
- May trigger overeating or cravings for some
Whether or not you decide to incorporate cauliflower crust pizza into your keto diet depends on your personal carb tolerance and willpower around trigger foods. It can be a better option than completely falling off the wagon for traditional pizza. But some may find it stalls their keto progress.
Other low-carb pizza crust alternatives
If you find cauliflower crust still too high in carbs for your low-carb diet, here are some other keto-friendly alternatives to make pizza crust:
Chicken crust: Shredded chicken breast pressed into a pizza crust shape.
Fathead dough: A keto dough made with almond flour, cream cheese, egg, and mozzarella.
Zucchini crust: Thinly sliced rounds of zucchini baked into a crispy crust.
Cream cheese crust: A crust made only from cream cheese, egg, and seasonings.
Pork rind crust: Crushed pork rinds held together with egg and cheese.
Nut flour crust: A crust made from almond flour, flax meal, or coconut flour.
These very low-carb pizza crusts options can all fit into a keto diet if you’re looking for alternatives to cauliflower.
Should you eat cauliflower crust if you have diabetes?
People with diabetes need to carefully monitor their carbohydrate intake. Since cauliflower crust is lower in carbs than regular pizza crust, it *can* be an option for those with diabetes.
However, portion size and toppings choices are key for keeping cauliflower crust pizza diabetes-friendly. Some tips:
– Stick to 1 slice or 1/4 of a 12″ cauliflower crust pizza
– Avoid high carb toppings like pineapple, bbq sauce, etc.
– Load up on low-carb veggies instead of meats
– Pair with a side salad instead of fries or breadsticks
– Account for the carbs in your overall meal plan for the day
– Test blood sugar before and 2 hours after eating to see individual response
Moderation and carb-counting is key for those with diabetes when incorporating foods like cauliflower crust pizza. It can be a better option than heavily indulging in regular pizza, but may still need to be limited.
Low-carb cauliflower crust pizza recipes to try
Looking to make your own low-carb cauliflower pizza at home? Here are some tasty cauliflower crust pizza recipes to try:
1. Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza
Cauliflower crust topped with mustard, pickles, bacon, onion, tomato, and cheddar for a burger flavor.
2. Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Crispy cauliflower crust with buffalo sauce, chicken, celery, carrots, blue cheese or ranch dressing.
3. Hawaiian Pizza
Hurry! Controversial pineapple allows on this one. Top with ham and bacon too.
4. Thai Chicken Pizza
Thai peanut sauce, chicken, broccoli, red pepper, green onion, chili flakes.
5. Margherita Pizza
Simple traditional combo of tomato sauce, basil, fresh mozzarella.
6. Supreme Pizza
Loaded with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, black olives.
Get creative and make your favorite pizza combos into low-carb meals. Cauliflower crust bakes up with a tender, almost fried consistency.
Is cauliflower crust pizza healthy?
Compared to traditional pizza crust, cauliflower crust is lower in calories and carbs. But is it truly a “healthy” option? Let’s dig into the pros and cons:
Pros:
- Fewer calories than regular crust
- Lower glycemic index
- Gluten-free
- Higher in fiber and nutrients than flour-based crusts
- Can be part of low-carb, keto, gluten-free, or paleo diets
Cons:
- High in sodium
- Typically made with refined oils
- Can be high in calories if multiple slices eaten
- Nutrition varies widely by brand
The biggest benefit of cauliflower crust is decreasing the refined carbohydrates, calories, and gluten compared to traditional pizza.
However, sodium levels are still high, and nutrition depends a lot on the toppings and ingredients beyond just the crust.
Overall, cauliflower crust makes pizza a better choice compared to flour-based crust, but it can still be high in calories, sodium, and fat if dietary guidelines are not followed. Moderation and mindful toppings choices are key to making it a healthy option.
Tips for making cauliflower pizza crust
Want to try your hand at making cauliflower pizza crust from scratch at home? Here are some tips for success:
– Use fresh cauliflower florets, not frozen. Frozen can make crust mushy.
– Rice the cauliflower finely for best consistency. Use a food processor or box grater.
– Squeeze out excess moisture from riced cauliflower using a cheesecloth or clean towel.
– Add egg and cheese to help bind the crust. Mozzarella and parmesan work well.
– Season crust to add flavor. Garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, etc.
– Press crust into a greased pizza pan and pre-bake for 10 minutes before adding toppings.
– Bake topped pizza at 400F for 15-20 minutes until edges are golden brown.
– Let crust cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing for clean cuts.
With the right prep and some trial and error, you can get restaurant-quality results from homemade cauliflower pizza crust! It makes for a fun weekend cooking project.
Common questions about cauliflower pizza crust
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about cauliflower as an alternative pizza crust:
Is cauliflower crust pizza keto?
It can be if portions are watched. A 1/4 pizza serving may fit into keto macros but eating a whole pizza likely won’t.
Does cauliflower crust taste like regular pizza?
The texture is a bit different but with all the cheese, sauce, and toppings, the taste of cauliflower fades into the background.
Is cauliflower crust gluten-free?
Yes, cauliflower crust is naturally gluten-free since it contains no wheat or grains. Always check labels though for gluten from added ingredients.
Can you freeze cauliflower crust pizza?
Freezing is not recommended, as it can make the cauliflower crust watery once thawed. Best to eat fresh.
Can kids eat cauliflower crust pizza?
Yes, cauliflower crust with kid-friendly toppings like cheese or pepperoni can appeal to picky eaters as an alternative to regular crust.
The bottom line
Jet’s 12” cauliflower crust cheese pizza contains about 56g total carbs and 40g net carbs for the entire pizza.
Compared to the traditional crust, the cauliflower crust cuts the carbs by more than half. This makes it a good lower-carb option for those monitoring their carb intake on diets like keto or diabetes meal plans.
Portion control is important since cauliflower crust is still moderately high in carbs. Sticking to one slice and pairing it with low-carb sides will keep net carbs in a healthy range. While not the lowest carb option out there, enjoying an occasional cauliflower crust pizza can help satisfy cravings in a more diet-friendly way.