Is Cava Healthy? A Dietitian-Style Menu Breakdown

Quick Answer: Cava is genuinely one of the healthiest fast-casual chains you can choose—the Mediterranean-inspired menu features fresh vegetables, olive oil-based dressings, and quality proteins. A smart bowl order runs 450-600 calories with solid protein and fiber. But the "Mediterranean diet" halo doesn't mean everything is healthy: the Crispy Falafel bowl hits 955 calories, pitas range up to 970 calories, and sodium can still climb past 1,500mg if you're not careful.

The Mediterranean Advantage (It's Real)

Let's start with the good news: Cava's health reputation is largely deserved. Unlike chains where you're navigating around unhealthy options, Cava is built around genuinely nutritious Mediterranean ingredients. The menu features olive oil instead of butter, Greek yogurt-based sauces instead of sour cream, fresh vegetables as standard toppings, and lean proteins as the centerpiece.

The Mediterranean diet is one of the most researched eating patterns in nutritional science, consistently linked to heart health, longevity, and healthy weight management. Cava's menu aligns well with these principles—hummus, tzatziki, grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, whole grains, and olive oil are all Mediterranean staples.

This isn't just marketing. When dietitians rank fast-casual chains for nutritional quality, Cava consistently lands near the top. The ingredients are real, the preparation is relatively clean, and you can easily build a meal that supports your health goals.

That said, the Mediterranean health halo can create blind spots. Not every Cava order is automatically healthy, and the build-your-own format means your meal could be 495 calories or 955 calories depending on your choices. Let's break down how to tell the difference.

Where Cava Calories Actually Come From

Understanding Cava's nutrition means knowing which ingredients add up and which stay light.

The Base Matters Most: Your foundation choice has the biggest calorie impact. A salad base is essentially free (5-20 calories for greens). A grain bowl with brown rice adds 310 calories. Black lentils add 140 calories with an impressive 17g of protein—the best carb-to-protein ratio available. The pita, however, adds 320 calories before you've put anything in it. Choosing a salad or lentil base over a pita immediately saves 180-320 calories.

Dips Add Up Fast: Cava encourages loading up on dips and spreads, and most people add 2-3 per bowl. Individually they seem harmless—tzatziki is 35 calories, hummus is 45 calories. But the signature Crazy Feta is 70 calories with 220mg sodium, and harissa adds another 70 calories and 250mg sodium. Three dips can easily add 150-200 calories and 500mg sodium to your bowl. The smarter move: choose one or two dips maximum, and favor tzatziki, hummus, or roasted eggplant over Crazy Feta.

Dressings Vary Wildly: The Greek Vinaigrette adds 130 calories—more than some proteins. Yogurt Dill is only 30 calories. Lemon Herb Tahini sits at 70 calories. If you're watching calories, ask for dressing on the side or choose the lighter options. The dressing alone can be the difference between a 500-calorie bowl and a 650-calorie bowl.

Protein Is Generally Reasonable: Unlike some chains where protein choices vary dramatically, Cava's options are relatively balanced. Grilled chicken runs about 250 calories with 26g protein. Grilled steak is actually leaner at 210 calories. Braised lamb is 260 calories. The outlier is falafel—it's deep-fried, running higher in calories and fat than the meat options despite being plant-based.

For a comprehensive look at foods that support weight loss, see our complete guide to the best foods for weight loss.

The Healthiest Cava Orders

Here's how to build a genuinely nutritious meal at Cava.

Best Curated Bowl: Steak Mezze Salad. At 495 calories with 33g protein and 22g carbs, this is one of Cava's most balanced options. The salad base keeps calories low, the steak provides lean protein, and the toppings add Mediterranean flavor without excess. Sodium runs around 1,100mg—moderate for fast-casual.

Best Protein-Forward Option: Tahini Caesar Bowl. This bowl delivers 550 calories with 37g protein and just 1,200mg sodium—one of the lowest sodium curated options. Grilled chicken, tahini dressing, hummus, and pita crisps create a satisfying meal that won't derail your goals.

Best Build-Your-Own Strategy: Start with a salad base or half greens/half lentils. Add grilled chicken or steak. Choose tzatziki and hummus for dips (skip Crazy Feta). Load up on vegetable toppings—tomato and cucumber, cabbage slaw, and pickled onions add flavor and fiber for minimal calories. Finish with yogurt dill dressing or a light drizzle of Greek vinaigrette. This approach yields roughly 450-550 calories with 30-35g protein.

Best Low-Carb Option: Salad base, grilled steak, tzatziki, feta cheese, kalamata olives, cucumber, and Greek dressing. This keto-friendly build runs about 460 calories with 29g protein and only 6g net carbs.

Best High-Protein Muscle Builder: Brown rice base, double grilled chicken, hummus, pickled onions, tomato, and lemon herb tahini. This delivers approximately 965 calories with 67g protein—ideal if you're bulking or have high calorie needs.

What to Watch Out For

Even at Cava, some choices work against your health goals.

The Pita Trap: Cava's pitas are delicious but calorie-dense. The bread alone is 320 calories, and filled pitas range from 810 to 970 calories depending on your choices. That's comparable to a Chipotle burrito. If you want bread, order a bowl and add a side pita (80 calories) to tear off pieces—you'll consume far less bread while still getting the satisfaction.

The Falafel Paradox: Many people assume falafel is healthy because it's vegetarian. But Cava's falafel is deep-fried, and the Crispy Falafel curated bowl is one of the highest-calorie options at 955 calories with 58g fat and 88g carbs. That's more calories than many Cava pitas. If you want plant-based protein, roasted vegetables are a lighter choice, or request a half portion of falafel.

Pita Chips: A side of pita chips adds 280 calories and 630mg sodium. That's a significant addition to any meal. If you need something crunchy, the pita crisps that come on some bowls are a smaller portion, or stick with the fresh vegetables.

Sodium Stacking: While Cava is lower in sodium than many competitors, it's not sodium-free. The dips, dressings, feta cheese, and pickled items all contribute. A loaded bowl can reach 1,500-2,000mg sodium. If you're watching sodium, go lighter on dips and skip the pickled onions and olives.

For consistent, portion-controlled nutrition, Clean Eatz Kitchen's Weight Loss Meal Plan delivers balanced Mediterranean-style meals with controlled sodium. Prefer to dine in? Find a Clean Eatz café near you for fresh, macro-friendly meals without the guesswork.

Cava vs. Other Fast-Casual Chains

How does Cava stack up against the competition?

Compared to Chipotle, Cava generally wins on sodium and saturated fat. Chipotle's cheese, sour cream, and flour tortillas add significant calories and sodium that Cava's Mediterranean equivalents don't. A Cava bowl with similar components (protein, grain, vegetables, sauce) typically runs 200-300mg less sodium than a comparable Chipotle bowl.

Compared to Panera, Cava offers more customization and generally lighter preparations. Panera's cream-based soups and bread-heavy menu can't match Cava's vegetable-forward approach.

Compared to Sweetgreen, the two are roughly equivalent nutritionally—both emphasize fresh ingredients and customizable bowls. Cava tends to be slightly more affordable and has bolder Mediterranean flavors; Sweetgreen leans more toward California-style salads.

The bottom line: Cava is legitimately one of the healthiest fast-casual options available. The Mediterranean foundation gives it a head start that most competitors can't match.

The Bottom Line

Cava deserves its healthy reputation—with caveats. The Mediterranean-inspired menu genuinely features nutritious ingredients prepared in relatively healthy ways. You can easily build a 500-calorie bowl with 35g of protein, plenty of fiber, and reasonable sodium. That's hard to do at most fast-food or fast-casual chains.

The mistakes people make at Cava are assuming everything is equally healthy. The Crispy Falafel bowl at 955 calories is not a diet food just because it's vegetarian. A pita stuffed with multiple dips and dressings can rival a Chipotle burrito in calories. And while sodium is lower than competitors, it still adds up if you're not paying attention.

Smart Cava ordering means: choose bowls over pitas, favor grilled proteins over falafel, limit yourself to 1-2 dips, go easy on high-calorie dressings, and load up on vegetables. Do that, and Cava genuinely is one of the best fast-casual choices for your health.

If building the perfect bowl feels like too much math, Clean Eatz Kitchen meal plans deliver pre-portioned, macro-balanced meals—Mediterranean flavors included—with no calculations required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cava actually healthy?

Cava is one of the healthiest fast-casual chains available—but not everything on the menu is automatically good for you. A smart salad bowl with grilled chicken and veggies can run 450-550 calories with 35g protein. But the Crispy Falafel bowl hits 955 calories, and pitas range from 810-970 calories. The Mediterranean health halo is earned, but smart choices still matter.

What is the healthiest thing to order at Cava?

The healthiest Cava orders are salad-based bowls with grilled chicken or steak, tzatziki or hummus (skip the Crazy Feta), and veggie-heavy toppings. The Steak Mezze Salad is one of the best curated options at 495 calories with 33g protein. The Tahini Caesar bowl is another solid choice at 550 calories with 37g protein. Always choose bowls over pitas for better nutrition.

Is Cava healthier than Chipotle?

Generally yes. Cava's ingredients tend to be lighter—olive oil-based dressings instead of sour cream, tzatziki instead of cheese, more vegetable-forward toppings. A comparable Cava bowl typically has less sodium and saturated fat than a Chipotle bowl. However, both require smart ordering. A loaded Cava pita can exceed 900 calories just like a loaded Chipotle burrito.

Are Cava pitas healthy?

Cava pitas are the highest-calorie option on the menu. The pita bread alone adds 320 calories and the filled pitas range from 810 to 970 calories. For comparison, a bowl with the same fillings would be 500-650 calories. If you want bread, get a side pita (80 calories) with your bowl instead of ordering a full pita.

Is the falafel at Cava healthy?

The falafel itself is a decent plant-based protein, but the Crispy Falafel curated bowl is one of Cava's least healthy options at 955 calories with 58g fat and 88g carbs. The falafel is deep-fried, which adds significant calories. If you want a vegetarian option, roasted vegetables are much lighter, or get a half portion of falafel instead of full.