If you’re wondering “Can I have pizza on paleo?”, we’re here to tell you “Yes!” Not only that, but you can have good pizza on paleo. You just need to know what substitutes work for you—then, which options are actually enjoyable. Healthy food doesn’t have to taste bad, and below, we’ll show you some great alternatives for crafting pizzas, including paleo options that are just as good—or better—than the norm.
If you’ve found this article, you’re likely looking for healthy pizza crust alternatives. Maybe you’ve recently learned you have a gluten intolerance, or perhaps you’re just looking to try something new. Regardless of what sparked your search, we’re here to help you. Read on to answer some questions you may have while searching for your pizza substitute of choice, including:
• What can you substitute for pizza crust?
• Is there a paleo pizza?
• Can paleo pizza be just as good as “regular” pizza?
At ZeroCarb LYFE, we feel you shouldn't have to sacrifice flavor for eating healthy. Not only that, we're here to tell you that you don't have to choose one or the other. We exist to solve the challenge of eating healthy products that taste as good as, or better than, the typical offerings.
What Are the Different Crusts?
Typically, pizza crust is made using all-purpose flour, which contains gluten. The gluten content of a pizza dough will affect the dough’s stretchiness and influences the pizza's texture once baked. Gluten, or lack thereof, changes how a pizza crust is prepared and ultimately how it tastes. For those of us who can't eat gluten but still want to eat pizza (which is a lot of us), that presents a frustrating challenge.
What Can I Use Instead of All-Purpose Flour for Pizza Dough?
There are definitely alternatives for flour out there, including things like:
• Grains: Complex starches such as corn, buckwheat, sorghum, and even tapioca flour pizza crust• Legumes: Beans, peanuts, lentils, and other similar foods
• Nuts: Most commonly almond flour, though other nut options are available
While each of the options above may work for many restrictive diets, it’s not quite that simple. In reality, each of them either does not fit a paleo diet or will not fit one in most cases. However, there are two more important substitutes for pizza crust—substitutes that do fit paleo diets: cauliflower and chicken.
Wait, Did You Say Chicken Pizza Crust?
We sure did! ZeroCarb LYFE’s pizza crust is made of chicken, alongside olive oil, salt, and spices. That’s it—just four ingredients. Rather than relying on gluten or some other filler as a binding element, our chicken crusts use olive oil, which is friendly to both paleo and gluten-free diets. The resulting texture is similar to a traditional thin crust pizza. There are many reasons to substitute our pizza crust for a traditional one, even if you have no dietary restrictions. It tastes great and has that same crispy texture, while also being high in protein and (as our name suggests) zero carbs.
On that note, as we talk about nutritional content, please keep in mind that what we’re sharing is not medical advice. You should consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet—particularly if you have dietary restrictions linked with your physical health. Speaking of health…
What Type of Pizza Crust Is Healthy?
Ultimately, this answer is going to vary for each person’s dietary restrictions. But at ZeroCarb LYFE, we think it’s important to emphasize that “health” is far more than your physical body. The healthiest option is the one that’s going to not only fuel your body, but make you feel good and make eating an enjoyable experience.
We all know how important food is to our physical health. There are countless diets and studies suggesting different ways of eating have different effects on our bodies, particularly those who struggle with illness. But as it turns out, food is just as important to our emotional health. More and more research correlates diet with happiness, and regardless of what foods these studies suggest we eat, it's clear that what we put in our bodies is more than fuel. For many, food holds cultural significance, or is associated with treasured memories. At the very least, we all have a favorite food!
But where does that leave those of us with restrictive diets—whether driven by health reasons, moral stances, or personal preference? Eating, then, becomes not just a challenge of being good for the body, but for well-being as a whole. Balancing diet and happiness can be a tough task. It’s already challenging to find foods for your body, but within that, it’s even more difficult to find foods that you enjoy. It often may feel like you have to choose between healthy options and tasty ones.
This, among many other reasons, is why we’re passionate about providing good eating experiences to everyone—especially those with restrictive diets. One of the ways we do this is with our gluten free pizza crust; with just four ingredients (chicken, olive oil, salt, and spices that are friendly for most diets), we create food that is just as delicious as it is nutritious. We do this because we believe that "healthy" is not just physical, but emotional, mental, and possibly even spiritual.
So, as we talk about our chicken crust being a “healthy” option, we’re talking about all of these factors, together. We truly believe it’s the best on all fronts, and it’s a great option for paleo as well. Speaking of paleo pizzas…
What Is a Paleo Pizza?
To answer this, let’s look at what eating paleo entails. The paleo diet focuses on eating what our genetic ancestors ate tens of thousands of years ago—that is, meat, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds—while avoiding foods that proliferated in the agricultural era, such as bread, dairy, legumes, and any complex carbohydrates. Then, paleo pizza has to fulfill those requirements, while of course also being delicious to eat. Let’s look at each component separately (crust, sauce, and toppings) to see how paleo affects them.
The Crust
When it comes to paleo pizza crust, chicken breast and cauliflower are both great options. But how do these two compare to each other? Let’s take a closer look at a few of their respective traits, and see how they stack up. For this example, we’ll be comparing an 8-inch cauliflower crust with one of ZeroCarb LYFE’s 8-inch chicken crusts:
• Calories: While the options are very close, the cauliflower crust has a small edge at 216 calories, compared to the 220 calories of our chicken crust.
• Carbs: For those seeking a low-carb diet, the choice is much clearer. While cauliflower crust has 32 grams of carbs, our chicken crust has zero carbs. Our name isn’t just for decoration!
• Protein: When it comes to which option has the highest protein, there is a clear choice again; our chicken crust has around 37 grams of protein, whereas cauliflower crust pizza has about 11 grams of protein. If you’re a paleo eater, protein is high on your priority list, which means our crust is certainly worth considering.
In many ways, these two options are evenly matched, in that they both provide low-carb, gluten-free options for paleo eaters. However, a cauliflower crust pizza cannot compare in terms of protein content, and it certainly doesn’t compare in being low-carb; while the 32g of carbs in cauliflower crust is a pretty low number, nothing beats zero-carb. Not only that, but we think chicken crust pizza tastes better. We invite you to taste the difference for yourself!
The Sauce
Thankfully, this component has many more choices out there, some of which are easier to make paleo than others. For example, traditional tomato sauce often contains sugar—a no-go for paleo—but sugar can easily be substituted for paleo-friendly sweeteners. Other sauces will require a bit more creativity; white sauce, for example, uses milk and Parmesan cheese as primary ingredients, which makes substitutions more difficult. Pesto also uses Parmesan cheese, but that can be more easily substituted and if anything, will make the basil flavors shine through brighter.
The great thing about sauces for paleo is that there is a lot more room for creativity. While you will have to make some substitutions, there are just as many alternative options as there are types of sauce. If you’re looking for ideas, we have a ton of recipes on our website that will spark your imagination.
The Toppings
While having a good pizza crust and sauce is a starting point, we all know pizza is equally about the toppings. Like sauces, though, toppings provide a ton of room for creativity, and ultimately the sky's the limit for what you put on your pizza—well, that and cheese. Unfortunately, traditional cheese is not a paleo-friendly option, but thanks to our vegan friends, we have plenty of ways to keep that cheesy texture. Dairy-free mozzarella is a great go-to for pizza, of which there are many choices and brands.
Aside from cheese, though, you still have access to most other typical pizza toppings! Meat, vegetables, and fruits (if you’re a pineapple person) are all still on the table, literally.
Is Paleo Pizza Gluten-Free?
As it turns out, yes! Like gluten-free diets paleo also avoids complex starches. With this, though, keep in mind that gluten-free foods are not necessarily paleo in turn. Many dietary restrictions, such as being gluten-free or even veganism, still allow ingredients that paleo restricts. For example, while most cheese is gluten-free, paleo excludes dairy products such as cheese and milk since our ancestors did not eat these products to survive.
And like with those diets, paleo eaters may need to avoid certain ingredients for health reasons, which means they have a similar challenge as other restrictive diets. But, as we’ve discussed above, you can still eat amazing pizza! Not only that, but there’s so many other paleo foods at your fingertips—even if you just use our chicken crust as a starting point.
Paleo Foods With ZeroCarb LYFE’s Pizza Crust
Our products at ZeroCarb LYFE provide a paleo option that is just as tasty—or even more tasty—than traditional products. This includes not just pizza, but a whole host of other foods. Even if you just use our chicken crust as a starting point, there are several things you make, such as:
• Quesadillas: Our crusts make a good replacement for tortillas, which makes them excellent in Mexican-inspired food. Like paleo pizza, you still have access to meats, vegetables, and dairy substitutes, but quesadillas also add the possibility of using salsas.
• Flatbreads: While flatbreads and pizzas are pretty similar, the difference can lie in your choice of sauces. This makes it easier to substitute more paleo-friendly options such as oils, while still using all the toppings you’d use on a pizza. There are endless combinations—get creative!
• Paninis: Technically, a panini is made with Italian bread, but that’s not to say you still can’t make a great grilled sandwich. With your favorite fillings inside, you can simply fold the chicken crust over and grill it to your liking. Don’t forget your favorite sauces and condiments!
Mind you, these are just a few ways you can use the chicken crust. We encourage you to experiment with different foods, flavor combinations, and ways of preparing it. Finding paleo options doesn’t have to be a chore; it can be a fun process filled with creativity and discovery. Try it out for yourself!
ZeroCarb LYFE: A Delicious Way To Eat Paleo
Good food can also be good for you, and eating healthy isn’t just for losing weight. You can do it to feel better, and eat better food—which we make possible with our products! You don’t have to compromise flavor or experience to do things for your body. Through ZeroCarb LYFE, you’re able to have the food you want while also taking care of yourself.
We hope that this information gets you closer to your version of a “healthy” life. And hopefully, our food is also a part of that! If you’d like to learn more about what we do, check out our website for frozen chicken pizza crusts, or use our store locator to find them where you live. You can also sign up for our newsletter to hear more about the cool things we're creating, and even some awesome recipes to make your life even healthier.
