Little Caesars is known for its affordable pizzas that customers can conveniently pick up at their local Little Caesars location. One of their most popular offerings is the Extra Most Bestest pizza, which provides a lot of toppings for a reasonable price. Many health-conscious customers wonder just how many calories are in one of these loaded pizzas so they can fit it into their daily calorie goals.
A Breakdown of the Extra Most Bestest Pizza
The Little Caesars Extra Most Bestest pizza starts with their classic round hand-tossed Detroit-style deep dish pizza crust. The crust itself contains approximately 200 calories for the 14 inch size pizza. On top of the crust, the Extra Most Bestest is piled high with pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, and onions.
Here is a breakdown of the toppings on an Extra Most Bestest pizza:
- Pepperoni: Pepperoni slices contain around 70 calories per ounce. With standard coverage across a 14 inch pizza, an Extra Most Bestest contains around 224 calories worth of pepperoni.
- Italian sausage: The Italian sausage used on the Extra Most Bestest has approximately 80 calories per 2 ounce serving. A 14 inch pizza has around 160 calories of Italian sausage.
- Mushrooms: Mushrooms contain very few calories, with only 5 calories per mushroom.estimate a whole 14 inch extra most bestest pizza has the 10 mushrooms, totaling roughly 50 calories of mushrooms.
- Green peppers: Each green pepper slice has about 8 calories. With around 12 pepper slices on a whole pizza, the green peppers add another 96 calories.
- Onions: Onions contain 15 calories per ounce. With standard onion coverage, a 14 inch Extra Most Bestest pizza has around 120 calories from onions.
In total, the toppings on a 14 inch Extra Most Bestest pizza add up to approximately 650 calories.
Calories in the Pizza Dough and Cheese
In addition to the plentiful toppings, an Extra Most Bestest pizza contains cheese and dough, which significantly contribute to the total calorie count.
Here is a summary of those other key components:
- Pizza dough: As mentioned above, the 14 inch pizza crust itself contains roughly 200 calories.
- Cheese: The mozzarella cheese used on these pizzas has about 80 calories per ounce. With around 8 ounces of cheese on a 14 inch pizza, the cheese adds approximately 640 calories.
Factoring in the dough and cheese along with the toppings covered earlier, so far the estimated total calories for a 14 inch Extra Most Bestest pizza is around 1490 calories.
Calories in the Pizza Sauce
The final component to factor into the total calorie count for an Extra Most Bestest pizza is the tomato pizza sauce.
Most standard pizza sauces have around 20-25 calories per ounce. Spread over a 14 inch pizza, there is typically around 6 ounces of pizza sauce, equaling 120-150 calories.
Total Estimated Calories
Putting together all the pieces – the dough, sauce, cheese, and ample toppings – a full 14 inch Extra Most Bestest pizza from Little Caesars contains approximately:
1610 – 1640 calories
This estimate is for the total pizza, or 8 slices based on a typical 14 inch pizza sliced into 8 pieces.
Calories Per Slice
Breaking down that total calorie count per individual slice, each slice of a Little Caesars 14 inch Extra Most Bestest pizza contains about:
201 – 205 calories per slice
This offers a good ballpark estimate for people tracking their calorie intake so they know about how much one slice of the Extra Most Bestest adds to their daily total.
Ways to Reduce the Calories
While the Extra Most Bestest pizza is loaded with toppings and therefore calories, there are some ways customers can reduce the calorie count if they want to lighten it up a bit:
- Order a smaller size: The same toppings on a 10 inch crust instead of 14 inch will reduce the calories since there is less dough and cheese.
- Go thinner crust: Opt for a thin crust instead of the deep dish Detroit-style crust to save some calories.
- Fewer toppings: Order just cheese or pepperoni instead of the loaded Extra Most Bestest.
- Eat fewer slices: Stick to just 1 or 2 slices instead of consuming the whole pizza.
- Add veggies: Top it with extra veggie toppings like tomatoes, spinach, or broccoli instead of extra meat.
While the 14 inch Extra Most Bestest pizza clocks in at over 1600 calories total, customers can use portion control and make customizations to enjoy it while still watching their daily calorie intake.
Nutritional Information
In addition to calories, customers may also be interested in other nutritional information for Little Caesars Extra Most Bestest pizza.
Here are some key nutrition facts for a 14 inch Extra Most Bestest pizza:
| Nutrient | Per Slice (1/8 pizza) | Full Pizza |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 201-205 | 1610-1640 |
| Total Fat | 9g | 72g |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 32g |
| Trans Fat | 0g | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 25mg | 200mg |
| Sodium | 690mg | 5520mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 26g | 208g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2g | 16g |
| Sugars | 3g | 24g |
| Protein | 12g | 96g |
As shown in the table, key considerations beyond calories include the high sodium and saturated fat levels that come from the cheese, sausage, and pepperoni. However, the pizza also provides protein and some dietary fiber from the wheat crust. Overall it packs a lot of energy and nutrition given the less than $10 price tag, though those watching their health and diet should consume it in moderation.
Extra Most Bestest vs Other Options
For comparison, here are the approximate calorie counts for some other popular Little Caesars pizza options in a 14 inch size with standard toppings:
- Cheese: 1300 calories total
- Pepperoni: 1500 calories total
- Supreme: 1700 calories total
- Meat lovers: 1800 calories total
- Hawaiian (ham & pineapple): 1600 calories total
As you can see, the Extra Most Bestest fits right alongside the other loaded pizzas like Supreme and Meat Lovers when it comes to total calorie count. The plain cheese pizza has the least calories, with pepperoni and Hawaiian falling in the middle. In general, the more toppings included, the higher the calories will be. But overall Little Caesars 14 inch pizzas range from about 1300-1800 calories depending on the toppings selected.
Calorie Content of Other Little Caesars Menu Items
In addition to pizza, Little Caesars offers a variety of sides and other menu items that customers may be curious about the calories and nutrition for, including:
| Menu Item | Calories |
|---|---|
| Hot-N-Ready pretzel (with cheese dip) | 770 |
| Italian cheese bread | 350 |
| Crazy bread | 220 |
| Garlic Parmesan Crazy bread | 270 |
| Caesar wings (8 wings) | 1020 |
| Caesar dipping sauce | 210 |
| 2-liter soda | 840 |
again, portion control is key for keeping calories in check when enjoying these menu items. But this at least provides an idea of the calorie loads of some popular Little Caesars sides.
Tips for Healthy Eating at Little Caesars
Here are some tips for people who want to eat at Little Caesars while still maintaining a healthy diet:
- Split a pizza: Share it with a friend instead of eating a whole pie yourself.
- Limit extras: Skip the dipping sauces, breadsticks, and soda and stick to just the main pizza.
- Load up on veggies: Opt for veggie toppings instead of extra meats.
- Make one slice a meal: Make a slice of pizza one part of your meal instead of the whole thing.
- Pair with a salad: Get a side salad and drink water instead of soda.
- Watch portions: Focus on listening to hunger cues and stopping when satisfied rather than overeating.
Pizza lovers don’t have to eliminate Little Caesars from their diet completely. By practicing mindful eating habits and making smart swaps, you can still enjoy an occasional Hot-N-Ready pizza as part of an overall nutritious regimen.
Conclusion
A Little Caesars 14 inch Extra Most Bestest pizza contains around 1610-1640 total calories, or about 201-205 calories per slice. This equals slightly less than other loaded pizzas like the Meat Lovers and Supreme, but more than a plain cheese pizza. The many toppings of pepperoni, Italian sausage, onions, green peppers, and mushrooms all contribute to the higher calorie count, along with the generous cheese and Detroit-style crust. Customers concerned about their diet can reduce the calorie load by going with thinner crust or fewer toppings, or sharing the pizza with others. While the Extra Most Bestest is one of the higher calorie options at Little Caesars due to all its toppings, overall its calorie content is comparable to similar loaded pizzas at other chains. So people can still enjoy it in moderation as part of an otherwise balanced diet and active lifestyle.
