Chorizo vs. Pepperoni — Ingredients, Nutrition, Health, & More

Varieties

The two major types of chorizo sausage are Spanish chorizo and Mexican chorizo, which have subtypes. Other chorizo types are Argentinian, Colombian, British, and Portuguese, all with different ingredients, thus varying taste and flavor.

Different types of pepperoni include flat-laid, cubed, stick, chup char, plant-based, gluten-free, beef, turkey, pork, venison, halal, kosher, and low sodium.

Ingredients

Pepperoni is made from pork or a meat mixture of pork and beef, seasoned with red pepper, usually paprika or cayenne pepper. During the production, salt and sodium nitrate are added as curing agents to prevent the growth of unwanted microorganisms.

In comparison, chorizo is a type of smoked and cured pork sausage. Spanish chorizo is commonly seasoned with Spanish paprika and garlic, whereas Mexican chorizo contains chili peppers instead of smoked paprika, as well as cumin, oregano, and other spices.

Uses

Both can be used in various dishes. Pepperoni and chorizo can be sliced and used in sandwiches, salads, soups, and pizza toppings.

Chorizo can be partially used as a replacement for ground beef or pork. Pepperoni can also be used to fill the pepperoni roll. Cured meats like pepperoni make a great starting point for homemade pasta sauces.

Pizza

Pepperoni is a loved American food staple. In the US, it is most commonly used to make pepperoni pizza from pepperoni slices, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Pepperoni pizza is usually larger in diameter than chorizo pizza. 

Chorizo is more complex than pepperoni as it has different versions. However, Spanish chorizo is the most similar to pepperoni. You can sometimes use them interchangeably as they use pork and similar spices and chilies. The pepperoni pizza and chorizo pizza have similar recipes; moreover, they can be used together in pepperoni-chorizo pizza.

Macronutrients

Nealy 70% of pepperoni and chorizo are nutrients, whereas the rest is water. 

When comparing the macronutrients, pepperoni has more total fats and cholesterol, whereas chorizo has more proteins and slightly more carbohydrates.

Meat is generally absent in carbs; however, due to the sausage seasonings, both have small amounts of carbs: less than 2g per 100g serving.

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Pepperoni

2

Protein: 19.25 g

Fats: 46.28 g

Carbs: 1.18 g

Water: 28.55 g

Other: 4.74 g

Chorizo

3

Protein: 24.1 g

Fats: 38.27 g

Carbs: 1.86 g

Water: 31.85 g

Other: 3.92 g

Contains more FatsFats	+20.9%
Contains more OtherOther	+20.9%

Contains more ProteinProtein	+25.2%
Contains more CarbsCarbs	+57.6%
Contains more WaterWater	+11.6%

Fats

The sausages are high in fats, with pepperoni containing 8g more total fats, more saturated fats, and cholesterol per 100g serving. 

Pepperoni contains 17.7g of saturated fats, 20.8g of monounsaturated fats, and 4.5g of polyunsaturated fats. Meanwhile, chorizo contains 14.4g of saturated fats, 18.4g of monounsaturated fats, and 3.5g of polyunsaturated fats.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Pepperoni

2

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 17.708 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 20.77 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 4.458 g

Chorizo

1

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 14.38 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 18.4 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 3.46 g

Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat	+12.9%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+28.8%

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat

-18.8%

A 100g of chorizo and pepperoni contain 88mg and 97mg of cholesterol, respectively. According to the Food and Drug Administration, daily cholesterol intake should not exceed 300g (1).

Minerals

Chorizo is higher in iron, potassium, and zinc and lower in sodium. In comparison, pepperoni is higher in manganese, selenium, copper, and calcium. 

They are equal in magnesium and phosphorus contents. Generally, both are low in magnesium and calcium; chorizo is also low in manganese, unlike pepperoni.

A 100g of chorizo and pepperoni contains 1235mg and 1582mg of sodium, respectively. The daily sodium intake should not exceed 2300mg, as regular high sodium intake is a major risk factor for developing high blood pressure (2).

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.

Pepperoni

4

Chorizo

4

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+137.5%
Contains more CopperCopper	+13.8%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+2585%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+37.4%

Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+45.3%
Contains more IronIron	+19.5%
Contains more ZincZinc	+39.8%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-21.9%

~equal in Magnesium ~18mg

~equal in Phosphorus ~150mg

Vitamins

Chorizo contains significantly higher concentrations of vitamins B1 and B12 than pepperoni, making it an excellent source for those with vitamin deficiencies. It is also higher in vitamins B2, B5, B6, and vitamin D. 

On the other hand, pepperoni is higher in vitamins E and K, which are nearly absent in chorizo.

Both chorizo and pepperoni are very low in folate and contain no vitamins A and C.

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.

Pepperoni

3

Chorizo

7

Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+368.2%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+262.5%
Contains more FolateFolate	+150%

Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D	+15.4%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+132.5%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+16.7%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+20.4%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+46.4%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+53.8%
Contains more CholineCholine	+88.9%

~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin A ~0IU

~equal in Vitamin B3 ~5.131mg

Glycemic Index

Overall, the glycemic index of a food is a value based on how slowly or how quickly those foods cause increases in blood glucose levels. Due to their low carb and high contents, the glycemic index of chorizo and pepperoni is low, and both are considered low glycemic index foods.

Acidity

The acidity of foods is portrayed by the potential renal acid load (PRAL), which shows the acid production of the food inside the organism. The acidity level of pepperoni is about 8.8, while chorizo's is 8.4. Both are acidic.

Ketogenic (Keto) Diet

The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb and high-fat diet. It is good to have meat, including fatty meat such as pork belly, lamb, and poultry, if you are on this diet. Pepperoni contains fewer carbs than chorizo and has a higher fat level. If you're on this diet, eating pepperoni and chorizo is not an issue, but in any case, try to combine it with healthy fats.

Dukan diet

The Dukan diet is a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. This diet allows eating meat, including pork, beef, lamb, and any other red meat. Pork is allowed in the Attack Phase when you can eat only protein. In this case, pepperoni and chorizo are allowed in this diet.

Beneficial Vitamins

Pepperoni and chorizo are rich in B vitamins. According to studies, your body needs B vitamins to provide energy for the proper functioning of your brain, nerves, muscles, skin, and every cell in your body. It also helps decrease the risk of cardiovascular, liver, immune, nervous, and digestive diseases (3, 4, 5).

Pepperoni and chorizo are also good sources of Vitamin B3 (niacin), which may help lower LDL or "bad" cholesterol and triglyceride levels (6).

Heartburn

People with acid reflux and gastritis must avoid sausage consumption until treated, as sausages have a high-fat content, slowing stomach emptying and triggering heartburn.

Allergy

Overall, two reasons cause allergies to pepperoni and chorizo. One is an allergy to red meat, and the other is an allergy to one of their ingredients.

Cardiovascular Health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

It is recommended to limit the consumption of processed meat to prevent coronary heart disease (13, 14, 15). 

Processed meats are any types of meat that have been transformed through salting, curing, smoking, or the addition of chemical preservatives. These processes often result in high levels of salt and saturated fat, which may lead to an increase in blood pressure, body weight, and the risk of heart disease - all common causes of cardiovascular disease (CVD). 

Research suggests that increasing the intake of processed meat (such as chorizo and pepperoni) by 50 g/day can lead to an 18% increase in the risk of coronary heart disease (13).

References

1. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/interactivenutritionfactslabel/assets/InteractiveNFL_Cholesterol_October2021.pdf
2. https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/sodium-your-diet
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27488863/ 
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4772032/
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30779018/
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18375237/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32792031/
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32819372/
9. https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n1554
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7399967/
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6488443/ 
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4954633/ 
13. https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-07-21-red-and-processed-meat-linked-increased-risk-heart-disease-oxford-study-shows
14. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/10-tricks-to-reduce-salt-sodium-in-your-diet-2018072014281
15. https://www.ahajournals.org