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Pizza vs. Hamburger — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Jack  Yacoubian by Jack Yacoubian | Last updated on June 28, 2023
Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan
Pizza
vs
Hamburger

Summary

Burgers and pizzas have high amounts of sodium, and burgers are relatively less. Burgers are richer in protein, iron, and zinc and contain more cholesterol. Pizzas are richer in vitamins A, B complex, C, and calcium. They are both high in saturated fats.

Introduction

In this article, the selected pizza and burger categories are the average type of pizzas and burgers. To give perspective, the pizza that is taken into consideration has some vegetable toppings and average-thickness dough. The burger that is taken into consideration is an average homemade cheeseburger. Any additional topping that might affect a particular nutritional category will be discussed.

This article will compare the nutritional content, vitamin and mineral contents, health impacts, and actual differences between pizzas and burgers.

Actual differences

The origin of pizza is traced back to Italy. It is a combination of thin dough, homemade tomato sauce, fresh cheese, meat products like salami, and other garnishes. However, nowadays, pizzas are also made in the fast-food industry and are consumed during gatherings and on the go. These pizzas are different from the original homemade pizza. They have a thicker dough, more cheese, usually processed, and fatty toppings.

Burgers can be classified as the cornerstone of healthy food; however, they can also be very unhealthy fast food. We can make the healthier option with chicken breast or low-fat lean ground meat with vegetables and low-fat and low carbohydrates sauces. However, We can also make it with fried chicken, high-fat ground meat, bacon, processed cheese, and the unhealthy option of sauces.

Pizzas are prepared in various ways, and the recommended method is to prepare them to fulfill healthy cravings. We must use white, unprocessed cheeses such as mozzarella and vegetables. Toppings are always recommended to make the pizza healthier and satisfy your hunger quickly due to all the fibers. If the dough contains yeast, it makes the pizza healthier because of all the yeast's additional nutritional benefits.

Burgers can be the cornerstone of a good meal, or they can turn into a bad meal full of saturated and trans fats. When the burger is prepared for healthy food purposes, it can be a very balanced, healthy meal given its different components. However, one must be careful of the additional ingredients added, such as bacon and sauces, to avoid turning the burger into unhealthy.

Highly processed burger patties from unknown sources cause health issues in the long run because of the unknown components added during the "manufacturing" process. It is always preferable to order the ground meat of the burger from a trusted supplier or butcher (6).

Pizzas and burgers have numerous ingredients and components that have a lot of variables. For example, the dough of the pizza or the burger's bun can be made with whole-grain wheat or gluten-free, which affects the carbohydrate and sugar content of both. These changes can provide different nutritional values.

Another aspect is the cheese of the pizza. It can be made as non-dairy cheese, which affects its vitamin A content and sugar content.

For burgers, plant-based or chicken sources can be options for the patty. These affect the protein, iron, and vitamin content of the burger.

Nutritional content comparison

Protein

What makes the burger richer in protein compared to pizzas is the burger patty. However, that does not mean that pizzas are low in protein. The cheese is a protein source in pizzas, and additional toppings like chicken or beef increase the protein content of pizzas as well.

@macronutrient

Fats

Concerning fats, burgers and pizzas have similar amounts of fats, as they have high amounts of saturated fats. There is a slight difference between them, as burgers contain a slightly higher amount, 11g of fats per 100g, while pizzas contain 10g of fats. Nevertheless, this difference could be considered negligible. However, suppose toppings like bacon and cheese on burgers, pepperoni, and ham on pizzas. In that case, these numbers vary according to the added topping.

Cholesterol

Another aspect of burgers is that they have higher amounts of cholesterol than pizzas, with 47 mg per 100g of cholesterol for burgers and 17mg per 100g for pizzas.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Pizza
2
51% 30% 19%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 4.465 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 2.608 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 1.681 g
46% 50% 3%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 5.096 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 5.495 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.38 g
Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat -12.4%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +342.4%
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat +110.7%

Carbs

Pizzas have higher amounts of carbohydrates because of the dough and the cheese. The dough is the source of carbohydrates from the pizzas, and the cheese contains some amounts of lactose, which is a carbohydrate. The main source of carbohydrates in burgers is the bun and the sauces, which might contain sugars.

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Pizza
4
88% 3% 3% 3%
Starch: 26.95 g
Sucrose: 0.2 g
Glucose: 0.78 g
Fructose: 1 g
Lactose: 0.42 g
Maltose: 1.05 g
Galactose: 0.13 g
5% 28% 49% 3% 14%
Starch: 0 g
Sucrose: 0.22 g
Glucose: 1.16 g
Fructose: 2.03 g
Lactose: 0.13 g
Maltose: 0.6 g
Galactose: 0 g
Contains more StarchStarch +∞%
Contains more LactoseLactose +223.1%
Contains more MaltoseMaltose +75%
Contains more GalactoseGalactose +∞%
Contains more GlucoseGlucose +48.7%
Contains more FructoseFructose +103%
~equal in Sucrose ~0.22g

Vitamin content comparison

Pizzas contain a good amount of vitamin A from the cheese and B complex (B1, B3, B9) from its different components. It also contains vitamin C if the toppings include green bell peppers.

On the other hand, Burgers contain vitamin B complex family, like B1, B2, B3, and B12. However, the common vitamins B1, and B3 are far less than the ones that are in pizzas.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Pizza
7
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 4.7% 21% 17% 0% 98% 45% 72% 0% 18% 53% 17% 70% 8.9%
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 0% 0% 0% 54% 58% 101% 19% 47% 180% 0% 42% 0%
Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +∞%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +∞%
Contains more Vitamin E Vitamin E +∞%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +79.7%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +∞%
Contains more FolateFolate +66.1%
Contains more CholineCholine +∞%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +28.2%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +40.3%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +153.8%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 +242.9%
~equal in Vitamin D ~µg

Mineral content comparison

Given that pizzas contain cheese, it has a good amount of calcium. Other minerals in pizza are phosphorus, manganese, and iron. However, the amount of sodium should be considered while consuming pizzas, as it contains 600mg of sodium per 100g which is an amount to be taken into consideration if someone's sodium levels have to be controlled.

Burgers containing beef as a patty have a considerable amount of iron, 22 mg per 100 grams. Another aspect of a cheeseburger is the amount of calcium that comes from the cheese itself. Burgers also contain a considerable amount of zinc. Like pizzas, burgers contain a high amount of sodium that cannot be neglected, 414mg per 100 grams.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Pizza
6
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 17% 56% 15% 93% 35% 37% 93% 78% 47% 109%
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 14% 31% 20% 108% 30% 78% 58% 54% 28% 0%
Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +20%
Contains more CalciumCalcium +84.3%
Contains more CopperCopper +15.4%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +58.8%
Contains more ManganeseManganese +65.9%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium +∞%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium +31.4%
Contains more IronIron +16.1%
Contains more ZincZinc +114.2%
Contains less SodiumSodium -30.8%

Health impact

The sodium content of fast-food chain pizzas and burgers is not usually controlled. It has a higher chance of becoming above the recommended values. This increases health issues related to hypertension and other diseases related to high sodium consumption (1).

Fast-food chain pizzas and burgers are usually products of highly processed ingredients and big-sized portions. This leads to high caloric intake and results in obesity in adolescents and adults alike (2).

Pizzas made with non-processed and not refined sugars have shown protection against colorectal and upper digestive tract cancers. This results from the lycopene in the tomato sauce and the healthy fatty acids in olive oils (3).

It was observed that the consumption of healthy and nutritionally balanced pizzas that are prepared according to healthy nutritional guidelines decreased the risks of obesity in most adults (4).

If the pizza is prepared with baker's yeast, it has an additional nutritional value. Baker's yeast has many benefits as it acts as an immune booster, metabolic booster, and digestion/absorption enhancer (5).

Homemade burgers prepared according to healthy nutritional guidelines are highly nutritious and healthy. It provides a good source of proteins, fibers, iron, and vitamin B complex.

 

Article author photo Jack  Yacoubian
Education: Haigazian Medical University
Last updated: June 28, 2023
Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan

Infographic

Pizza vs Hamburger infographic
Infographic link

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
Pizza
3
11% 10% 33% 43% 2%
Protein: 11.39 g
Fats: 9.69 g
Carbs: 33.33 g
Water: 43.17 g
Other: 2.42 g
17% 14% 24% 43% 2%
Protein: 17.08 g
Fats: 14.36 g
Carbs: 24.1 g
Water: 42.67 g
Other: 1.79 g
Contains more CarbsCarbs +38.3%
Contains more OtherOther +35.2%
Contains more ProteinProtein +50%
Contains more FatsFats +48.2%
~equal in Water ~42.67g

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Pizza Hamburger
Lower in Cholesterol ok
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Rich in minerals ok
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in price Equal
Rich in vitamins Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Pizza Hamburger Opinion
Calories 266kcal 295kcal Hamburger
Protein 11.39g 17.08g Hamburger
Fats 9.69g 14.36g Hamburger
Vitamin C 1.4mg 0mg Pizza
Net carbs 31.03g 23.2g Pizza
Carbs 33.33g 24.1g Pizza
Cholesterol 17mg 47mg Pizza
Magnesium 24mg 20mg Pizza
Calcium 188mg 102mg Pizza
Potassium 172mg 226mg Hamburger
Iron 2.48mg 2.88mg Hamburger
Sugar 3.58g 4.15g Pizza
Fiber 2.3g 0.9g Pizza
Copper 0.105mg 0.091mg Pizza
Zinc 1.34mg 2.87mg Hamburger
Starch 26.95g Pizza
Phosphorus 216mg 136mg Pizza
Sodium 598mg 414mg Hamburger
Vitamin A 358IU 0IU Pizza
Vitamin A RAE 69µg 0µg Pizza
Vitamin E 0.83mg Pizza
Manganese 0.36mg 0.217mg Pizza
Selenium 19.9µg Pizza
Vitamin B1 0.39mg 0.217mg Pizza
Vitamin B2 0.195mg 0.25mg Hamburger
Vitamin B3 3.825mg 5.365mg Hamburger
Vitamin B5 0.31mg Hamburger
Vitamin B6 0.08mg 0.203mg Hamburger
Vitamin B12 0.42µg 1.44µg Hamburger
Vitamin K 6.7µg Pizza
Folate 93µg 56µg Pizza
Trans Fat 0.241g 0.814g Pizza
Choline 16.4mg Pizza
Saturated Fat 4.465g 5.096g Pizza
Monounsaturated Fat 2.608g 5.495g Hamburger
Polyunsaturated fat 1.681g 0.38g Pizza
Tryptophan 0.206mg Hamburger
Threonine 0.41mg 0.666mg Hamburger
Isoleucine 0.564mg 0.716mg Hamburger
Leucine 1.139mg 1.319mg Hamburger
Lysine 0.77mg 1.226mg Hamburger
Methionine 0.264mg 0.37mg Hamburger
Phenylalanine 0.664mg 0.677mg Hamburger
Valine 0.72mg 0.823mg Hamburger
Histidine 0.355mg 0.505mg Hamburger
Fructose 1g 2.03g Hamburger
Omega-3 - EPA 0.004g Pizza
Omega-3 - ALA 0.175g Pizza
Omega-3 - DPA 0.004g Pizza
Omega-6 - Gamma-linoleic acid 0.003g Pizza
Omega-6 - Dihomo-gamma-linoleic acid 0.009g Pizza
Omega-6 - Eicosadienoic acid 0.003g Pizza
Omega-6 - Linoleic acid 1.367g Pizza

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Pizza Hamburger
Low Calories diet ok
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
33%
Pizza
38%
Hamburger
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
58%
Pizza
42%
Hamburger

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Cholesterol?
Pizza
Pizza is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 30mg)
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Pizza
Pizza is lower in Sugar (difference - 0.57g)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Pizza
Pizza is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.631g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Pizza
Pizza is lower in glycemic index (difference - 6)
Which food is richer in minerals?
Pizza
Pizza is relatively richer in minerals
Which food contains less Sodium?
Hamburger
Hamburger contains less Sodium (difference - 184mg)
Which food is cheaper?
?
The foods are relatively equal in price ($)
Which food is richer in vitamins?
?
It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Pizza - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173292/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.