Pizza is a popular food that many people enjoy as an indulgent treat or a quick meal. However, with its high fat and calorie content, it’s important to pay attention to portion sizes and nutritional information if you’re watching your weight or managing a health condition like diabetes or heart disease.
In this article, we’ll take a close look at the calorie and nutrition facts for a 12″ mushroom pizza to help you make informed decisions about enjoying this tasty food.
Quick Answer
A 12″ mushroom pizza can range from 1,500 – 2,500 calories depending on the crust, sauce, and cheese used. On average, a 12″ pizza with a hand-tossed crust, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and mushrooms contains around 2,000 calories.
Calories in Pizza Crust
The type of crust makes a big difference in the calorie count. Here are the average calories for a 12″ pizza crust:
- Thin crust pizza crust: 150 calories
- Hand-tossed crust: 250 calories
- Pan/deep dish crust: 300 calories
- Stuffed crust: 350 calories
Thin crust has the lowest calories as it uses less dough. Pan and stuffed crusts are highest in calories because they use more dough.
Factors That Increase Crust Calories
Here are some factors that can further increase the calories in pizza crust:
- Butter or oils added to the crust
- Cheese-filled stuffed crust
- Thicker, doughier crusts
- Garlic, herbs, or seasonings cooked into the crust
Calories in Pizza Sauce
The sauce contributes a relatively small amount of calories compared to other ingredients. Here are the approximate calories in 1/4 cup of sauce:
- Tomato sauce: 25 calories
- Alfredo sauce: 90 calories
- Pesto sauce: 80 calories
- BBQ sauce: 60 calories
Tomato-based sauces like marinara are lowest in calories, while cream-based sauces like Alfredo are higher due to their fat and milk content.
Factors That Increase Sauce Calories
Factors that can increase the calories in pizza sauce include:
- Added oil or butter
- Whole milk vs. low fat milk in cream sauces
- Additional ingredients like red pepper flakes, herbs, garlic
- Higher fat meats like sausage or bacon in BBQ sauce
Calories in Pizza Cheese
Cheese is often the most calorie-dense topping on pizza. Here are the average calories in 1/4 cup shredded cheese:
- Mozzarella: 220 calories
- Cheddar: 210 calories
- Parmesan: 205 calories
- Feta: 210 calories
The type of cheese matters less than the amount. Using excessive amounts of any cheese will drive up calories.
Factors That Increase Cheese Calories
Factors that can increase calories in pizza cheese include:
- High fat cheeses like regular mozzarella instead of part-skim
- Extra cheese or double cheese pizzas
- Thicker layer of cheese
- Multiple types of cheese
Calories in Mushrooms
Mushrooms add great flavor and nutrients to pizza with very few calories. Here are the calories for 1/4 cup mushrooms:
- Raw mushrooms: 5 calories
- Cooked mushrooms: 15 calories
Mushrooms are over 90% water, so they provide very few calories whether raw or cooked. Other low calorie pizza veggies include tomatoes, spinach, peppers, and onions.
Factors That Increase Mushroom Calories
The only factor that can significantly increase mushroom calories is adding oil or butter when sautéing them. Avoid frying mushrooms in oil to keep the calories down.
Calories in Other Common Toppings
In addition to vegetables, other popular pizza toppings can range widely in calories:
| Topping | Calories (1/4 cup) |
|---|---|
| Pepperoni | 210 |
| Sausage | 245 |
| Ham | 90 |
| Chicken | 110 |
| Bacon | 205 |
| Pineapple | 85 |
In general, processed meats like pepperoni and sausage pack the most calories, while leaner choices like chicken or ham provide fewer. Fruits and veggies are lowest in calories.
How Crust, Sauce, Cheese and Toppings Impact Total Calories
Putting it all together, here’s a breakdown of how each component contributes to total calorie count:
- Crust: 150-350 calories
- Sauce: 25-100 calories
- Cheese: 220-330 calories
- Veggies: 5-85 calories
- Meats: 90-245 calories
Based on these estimates, a 12″ pizza can range from 500 calories for a thin crust with tomato sauce, light cheese, and veggies to over 1,000 calories for a deep dish crust with cream sauce, extra cheese, and fatty meats.
Low Calorie 12″ Pizza Options (~1,000 calories)
- Thin crust with tomato sauce and light mozzarella cheese
- Veggie pizza with thinly sliced veggies
- Margherita pizza with fresh tomatoes, basil, and part-skim mozzarella
High Calorie 12″ Pizza Options (~2,000+ calories)
- Deep dish crust with thick layer of cheese
- Meat lover’s with pepperoni, sausage, bacon
- Extra cheese and loaded with fatty toppings
Portion Control for Managing Calories
Eating an entire 12″ pizza in one sitting can pack a big caloric punch. Here are some tips for portion control:
- Stick to 1-2 slices of a 12″ pizza
- Load up on veggie toppings instead of meats and extra cheese
- Opt for thin crust over thick, doughy crusts
- Split the pizza with a friend or save half for leftovers
Healthy Pizza Hack: the Cauliflower Crust
A great way to enjoy pizza with fewer calories and carbs is to use a cauliflower crust. By replacing refined dough with riced cauliflower, you can save significant calories:
- 1 cup riced cauliflower: 25 calories
- 1 cup pizza dough: 330 calories
Cauliflower crusts average around 100 calories for a thin 12″ crust, a fraction of traditional pizza dough! Pair it with veggies and light cheese for a low calorie pizza option.
The Nutritional Value of Mushroom Pizza
Beyond calories, it’s important to consider the full nutritional profile. Here are some of the key nutrients found in mushrooms and other pizza toppings:
Benefits of Mushrooms
- High in antioxidants like selenium and vitamin D
- Great source of B vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid
- Provide potassium, phosphorus, and copper
- Low in fat, sodium, and calories
Benefits of Vegetables
- Tomatoes – rich in lycopene, potassium, and vitamin C
- Spinach – packed with vitamin K, A, C, magnesium
- Bell peppers – high in vitamin C and antioxidant carotenoids
- Onions – contain quercetin, sulfur compounds that may reduce cancer risk
Benefits of Lean Protein
Chicken, ham, and seafood provide protein, B vitamins, zinc, iron, and magnesium with minimal saturated fat that comes with fatty meats like sausage, pepperoni and bacon.
Conclusion
A 12-inch mushroom pizza can range from 1,500 – 2,500 calories depending on the crust, sauce, cheese and toppings used. On average, a pizza with hand-tossed crust, tomato sauce, mozzarella and mushrooms will have around 2,000 calories.
You can reduce the calories by choosing thin crust, tomato sauce, lighter cheese, and loading up on veggie toppings like mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, and peppers. Portion control is also key – stick to 1-2 slices.
While pizza is high in calories, mushroom pizza also provides beneficial nutrients like antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals from the mushrooms and veggies. Pairing it with a salad can help add fiber, vitamins, and plant compounds to balance the meal.
Overall, it’s fine to enjoy pizza in moderation as part of balanced diet. Just be mindful of portions and top it with nutritious ingredients like mushrooms to help manage calories and increase the nutritional value.
