Paprika vs. Cayenne pepper — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Summary

Paprika provides more Vitamin A, Vitamin B2, fiber, Vitamin B3, iron, and zinc. It is also lower in saturated fats.

On the other hand, cayenne pepper contains more manganese, folate, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C. Cayenne pepper is also lower in sodium than paprika.

Introduction

This article will discuss the main differences in the nutrition of paprika and cayenne pepper, focusing on their health impact.

What's The Actual Difference?

Cayenne pepper spice is derived from cayenne peppers, whereas paprika is derived from a variety of sweet peppers.

Cayenne's color range is limited to an orange-red, with slight variations due to the cayenne color when dried and smoked. Cayenne pepper is typically spicier than paprika. Most paprika varieties have a sweet and fruity flavor as well.

Nutrition

You can find nutritional infographics at the bottom of this page that visually show the differences between cayenne pepper and paprika.

Calories

Cayenne pepper has more calories than paprika. Cayenne pepper contains 318 calories, while paprika has 282 calories per 100g. Both are considered high-calorie food; however, people usually consume them in tiny amounts, so calories don't matter much.

Fats

Cayenne pepper has 17.27g of fats per 100g, whereas paprika provides 12.89g of fat.

Carbs

Both cayenne pepper and paprika are high in carbs. Cayenne pepper contains 56.63g of carbs per 100g, while paprika contains 53.99g of carbs. But here again, as both are usually consumed in small quantities, the number of carbs doesn't matter much.

Fiber

Cayenne pepper has 34.9g of fiber, the rest are net carbs, paprika has 34.9g of fiber, and 19.09g are net carbs, falling in the top 7% of foods as a fiber source.

Cholesterol

Both paprika and cayenne pepper have no cholesterol.

Minerals

Paprika has more magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, calcium, and copper.

Paprika falls in the range of the top 4% foods as a source of iron.

However, cayenne pepper provides less sodium than paprika.

Both contain an equal amount of phosphorus.

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.

Paprika

7

:

3

Cayenne pepper

Contains more Calcium +54.7%

Contains more Iron +171%

Contains more Magnesium +17.1%

Contains more Potassium +13.2%

Contains more Zinc +74.6%

Contains more Copper +91.2%

Contains less Sodium -55.9%

Contains more Manganese +25.8%

Contains more Selenium +39.7%

Equal in Phosphorus - 293

Paprika

Cayenne pepper

Contains more Calcium +54.7%

Contains more Iron +171%

Contains more Magnesium +17.1%

Contains more Potassium +13.2%

Contains more Zinc +74.6%

Contains more Copper +91.2%

Contains less Sodium -55.9%

Contains more Manganese +25.8%

Contains more Selenium +39.7%

Equal in Phosphorus - 293

Vitamins

Paprika contains a significantly higher amount of Vitamin A, Vitamin B2, and Vitamin B3.

It falls in the range of the top 8% foods as a source of Vitamin A.

Cayenne pepper has more Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and folate.

Both have equal amounts of Vitamin E, Vitamin B1, and Vitamin K.

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.

Paprika

5

:

4

Cayenne pepper

Contains more Vitamin A +18.4%

Contains more Vitamin B2 +33.8%

Contains more Vitamin B3 +15.6%

Contains more Vitamin C +8388.9%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +14.4%

Contains more Folate +116.3%

Equal in Vitamin E - 29.83

Equal in Vitamin B1 - 0.328

Equal in Vitamin K - 80.3

Paprika

Cayenne pepper

Contains more Vitamin A +18.4%

Contains more Vitamin B2 +33.8%

Contains more Vitamin B3 +15.6%

Contains more Vitamin C +8388.9%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +14.4%

Contains more Folate +116.3%

Equal in Vitamin E - 29.83

Equal in Vitamin B1 - 0.328

Equal in Vitamin K - 80.3

Health Benefits

Diabetes and Cancer

Both paprika and cayenne peppers contain a high amount of capsaicin, which has many health benefits.

Capsaicin was first isolated from chili peppers. Capsaicin is used to treat psoriasis and diabetic neuropathy as a topical treatment [1].

One study [2] discovered that subjects who ate a cayenne-containing meal had lower blood glucose levels. Lower blood insulin levels were also observed, particularly in a subgroup that had eaten a cayenne-rich diet for a month before the test. This suggests that cayenne consumption may improve tissue insulin sensitivity, requiring less insulin to move glucose from the blood to the tissues.

According to research [3], capsaicin has antioxidant properties that can help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease while improving immunity.

It also may help protect against cellular damage caused by oxidative stress, which is an imbalance in the body's antioxidant defenses and damaging molecules called free radicals.

Cardiovascular Health

A 2019 Italian study [4] of 22,811 adults discovered that regular capsaicin consumption was linked to a lower risk of death from heart disease. Some researchers say capsaicin may improve certain aspects of cardiovascular health, including blood vessel function, but more research is needed to confirm this potential benefit. Another three-month [5] study discovered that capsaicin significantly reduced the risk factors for heart disease in adults with low HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol).

Downsides and Risks

Allergy

Paprika allergy symptoms are usually moderate, but severe paprika allergies can cause anaphylaxis, so if you have a history of food allergies, you should get tested.

Cayenne pepper, also known as capsicum, is a type of red pepper with savory to hot and spicy flavors. Itchiness near and around the mouth, eyes, and other body parts and diarrhea are common symptoms [6].

References

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29083760/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5986509/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7794743/
4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109719382063
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5622797/
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30883393/