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It’s safe to say that there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of choosing a Netflix movie, pouring yourself a glass of wine, and ordering a piping hot, cheesy pizza to be delivered straight to your door. Or, perhaps you’re more of a “go to the restaurant to sit and eat your pizza” type of person. Regardless, satisfying your cravings with freshly made pizza is always a win. And while it’s no secret that pizza isn’t considered healthy, some slices are far unhealthier than others.
Pizza is usually made with the same type of ingredients: some sort of dough, cheese, sauce, vegetables, and meat. When you make pizza at home, you can use fresh ingredients and keep an eye on how much of everything you use, giving you more control of your calorie, fat, and sodium intake. Unfortunately, when it comes to the comfort of having someone else prepare your pizza, you lose this level of control. And oftentimes, especially at pizza chain restaurants, the nutritional value is less than ideal.
To help you have some more confidence when it comes to choosing your ideal slice, we talked with Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook and member of our Medical Expert Board, about some of the unhealthiest pizza slices in America. These are ranked from bad to the absolute worst based on calories, sodium, total fat, saturated fat, and trans fat. However, many of these slices are almost tied when it comes to their nutritional value, so it’s important to remember that every slice on this list is less than ideal when it comes to nutrition.
PER SLICE, 14-INCH LARGE PIZZA: 368 calories, 19 g fat (8 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 940 mg sodium, 36 g carbs (2 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 16 g protein
Don’t let the vegetables on this pizza fool you. “It’s still sandwiched between two layers of cheese and four different types of meats, including pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage and beef,” says Goodson.
If you’re looking for something decadent but a bit lighter, Goodson suggests “opting for the Domino’s Pacific Veggie Pizza if you like a little veggie on your pie while eating fewer calories, saturated fat, and sodium.”
PER SLICE, 14-INCH LARGE PIZZA: 380 calories, 17 g fat (7 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,040 mg sodium, 38 g carbs (2 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 15 g protein
“This pizza features five different types of meats, but it still packs in more fat than protein and has over 1,000 milligrams of sodium per slice, which is almost half the recommended daily maximum allowance for sodium per the American Heart Association,” says Goodson.
This is especially scary if you consider how many slices you’ll most likely consume because let’s be honest, how many of us are actually limiting ourselves to just one slice? Two slices in and you’ve already eaten your day’s worth of sodium in one sitting.
PER SLICE, 14-INCH LARGE PIZZA: 390 calories, 20 g fat (9 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 920 mg sodium, 36 g carbs (1 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 16 g protein
“As the name implies, this pizza features a more-than-generous helping of cheese, and the six-cheese blend packs on additional sodium and calories from fat,” says Goodson. However, this slice is farther up on the list of unhealthiest pizzas because—shockingly—many slices have even more saturated fat, total fat, and calories in one slice than this one.
PER SLICE, 14-INCH LARGE PIZZA: 410 calories, 23 g fat (8 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 890 mg sodium, 33 g carbs (1 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 16 g protein
As far as nutrition goes, this pizza is comparable to the Papa Johns Pepperoni, Sausage & Six Cheese. However, the extra calories and grams of total fat pushed it down a notch on our list.
“This chicken bacon ranch pizza clocks in at over 400 calories and 8 grams of saturated fat,” says Goodson. “Although chicken is a leaner meat that could be a good option for those hoping to cut back on their saturated fat intake, when paired with bacon and creamy white sauce, it may push this pizza past your fat and calorie budget.”
PER SLICE, 14-INCH LARGE PIZZA: 430 calories, 23 g fat (9 g saturated fat, 0.5 g trans fat), 820 mg sodium, 37 g carbs (2 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 18 g protein
The Pepperoni Lovers’ slice is close to identical in nutrition to the Domino’s Cali Chicken Bacon Ranch, but we scored this one one step lower because of the trans fat. The World Health Organization suggests limiting your consumption to less than 2.2 grams per day, and you’ll get close to that in just one sitting if you have more than one slice.
“Loaded with 50% more pepperoni than the classic, this Pepperoni Lover’s Pizza packs on an additional 70 calories and 5 grams of fat in each singular slice, so try opting for regular pepperoni pizza to reduce overall calories and fat,” says Goodson.
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PER SLICE, 14-INCH LARGE PIZZA: 438 calories, 22 g fat (9 g saturated fat, 0.5 g trans fat), 1,011 mg sodium, 40 g carbs (2 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 21 g protein
“The deep dish pizza from Little Caesar’s comes in at over 400 calories and contains both saturated and trans fats,” says Goodson. “Excessive intakes of these fats has been associated with increased risk for development of cardiovascular disease, and trans fat specifically can raise LDL (‘bad’ cholesterol) while reducing HDL (the ‘good’ cholesterol).”
It’s also important to note that at 1,011 milligrams of sodium per slice, you’re already at almost half of your recommended sodium intake for the day.
PER SLICE, 14-INCH LARGE PIZZA: 450 calories, 25 g fat (9 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 900 mg sodium, 37 g carbs (2 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 18 g protein
Anytime you see a “meat lovers” or “meat supreme” type of pizza, you can pretty much guarantee that it is going to be full of calories, fat, saturated fat, and sodium. The Pizza Hut Meat Lovers slice is no exception.
“With over a pound of meat and cheese on this pizza, and 6 different meats on each slice, it’s no wonder that only one slice packs a calorie punch at 450 calories – half of which comes from fat alone,” says Goodson. Not only is it high in calories and total fat, but its saturated fat and sodium levels are through the roof as well.
PER SLICE, 14-INCH LARGE PIZZA: 400 calories, 21 g fat (10 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,110 mg sodium, 35 g carbs (2 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 14 g protein
The Take ‘n’ Bake Cowboy slice from Papa Murphy’s may have fewer calories than some other options on the list, but its saturated fat and sodium levels are extremely high for just one slice.
“This slice may feel like a healthier option, but the truth is that each slice still provides you with 400 calories, 10 grams of saturated fat, and a whooping 1110 mg of sodium,” says Goodson.
PER SLICE, 17-INCH LARGE PIZZA: 620 calories, 32 g fat (14 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,700 mg sodium, 53 g carbs (4 g fiber, 6 g sugar), 27 g protein
One look at the nutrition info on this Sbarro slice and you’ll know exactly why it’s on the list of unhealthiest pizzas.
“This pizza provides more than half of the daily recommended amounts for saturated fat and sodium for most people, and clocks in at over 600 calories per slice,” says Goodson.
PER SLICE, 17-INCH LARGE PIZZA: 640 calories, 32 g fat (13 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,750 mg sodium, 55 g carbs (4 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 33 g protein
“Sitting at 1,750 mg of sodium per slice, this pizza spells trouble for those trying to limit their salt intake,” says Goodson. “One slice is more sodium than adults who are watching their blood pressure should consume in a full day.”
Although restaurant pizza like these slices are always going to be higher in sodium and therefore tricky for those watching their blood pressure, it’s best to know which ones are lower in sodium and which you’re perhaps better off avoiding completely—or at the very least enjoyed only on special occasions and with one slice at a time.
We hope you find this list helpful in order to give your more awareness and confidence about the slices you enjoy. This isn’t to say that you should give up your favorite pizza forever, even if it’s on the “unhealthiest pizza” list, but knowing what is in them can give you a better chance of making empowered decisions regarding your diet.
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