Cayenne Pepper vs. Chili Pepper
Nutrition comparison of Cayenne Pepper and Chili Pepper
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cayenne pepper
versus
chili pepper
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cayenne pepper and chili pepper:
- Both chili pepper and cayenne pepper are high in Vitamin C and potassium.
- Cayenne pepper has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than chili pepper, however, chili pepper contains more alpha-carotene than cayenne pepper.
- Cayenne pepper has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, chili pepper contains more pantothenic acid.
- Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, calcium, dietary fiber, iron and protein.
- Chili pepper has 154.2 times less saturated fat than cayenne pepper.
- Chili pepper has 51% less sugar than cayenne pepper.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Cayenne Pepper (Spices, pepper, red or cayenne) and Chili Pepper (Peppers, hot chili, green, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Cayenne pepper is high in calories and chili pepper has 87% less calories than cayenne pepper - chili pepper has 40 calories per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 318 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, cayenne pepper is lighter in protein, much lighter in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to chili pepper per calorie. Cayenne pepper has a macronutrient ratio of 11:53:36 and for chili pepper, 17:79:4 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Cayenne Pepper | Chili Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 11% | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 53% | 79% |
| Fat | 36% | 4% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Cayenne pepper is high in carbohydrates and chili pepper has 83% less carbohydrates than cayenne pepper - chili pepper has 9.5g of total carbs per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 56.6g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 17 times more dietary fiber than chili pepper - chili pepper has 1.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 27.2g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Chili pepper has 51% less sugar than cayenne pepper - chili pepper has 5.1g of sugar per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 10.3g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of protein and it has 501% more protein than chili pepper - chili pepper has 2g of protein per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 12g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Chili pepper has 154.2 times less saturated fat than cayenne pepper - chili pepper has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 3.3g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both chili pepper and cayenne pepper are high in Vitamin C. Chili pepper has 217% more Vitamin C than cayenne pepper - chili pepper has 242.5mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 76.4mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 34 times more Vitamin A than chili pepper - chili pepper has 59ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 2081ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of Vitamin E and it has 42 times more Vitamin E than chili pepper - chili pepper has 0.69mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 29.8mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Cayenne pepper has 462% more Vitamin K than chili pepper - chili pepper has 14.3ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 80.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Cayenne pepper has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, chili pepper contains more pantothenic acid.
| Cayenne Pepper | Chili Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.328 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.919 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Niacin | 8.701 MG | 0.95 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | ~ | 0.061 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 2.45 MG | 0.278 MG |
| Folate | 106 UG | 23 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of calcium and it has 722% more calcium than chili pepper - chili pepper has 18mg of calcium per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 148mg of calcium.
iron
Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of iron and it has 550% more iron than chili pepper - chili pepper has 1.2mg of iron per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 7.8mg of iron.
potassium
Both chili pepper and cayenne pepper are high in potassium. Cayenne pepper has 492% more potassium than chili pepper - chili pepper has 340mg of potassium per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 2014mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
carotenoids
Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]
For specific types of carotenoids, cayenne pepper has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than chili pepper per 100 grams, however, chili pepper contains more alpha-carotene than cayenne pepper per 100 grams.
| Cayenne Pepper | Chili Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 21840 UG | 671 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 13157 UG | 725 UG |
| alpha-carotene | ~ | 23 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, cayenne pepper has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than chili pepper per 100 grams.
| Cayenne Pepper | Chili Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.66 G | 0.005 G |
| Total | 0.66 G | 0.005 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, cayenne pepper has more linoleic acid than chili pepper per 100 grams.
| Cayenne Pepper | Chili Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 7.71 G | 0.104 G |
| Total | 7.71 G | 0.104 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.
Note: The specific food items compared are: Cayenne Pepper (Spices, pepper, red or cayenne) and Chili Pepper (Peppers, hot chili, green, raw) .
Cayenne Pepper g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Chili Pepper g
()
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
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5% | calories | 5% |
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| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
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| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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5% | total fat | 5% |
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| G % |
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
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G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
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5% | sodium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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5% | protein | 5% |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does chili pepper or cayenne pepper contain more calories in 100 grams?Cayenne pepper is high in calories and chili pepper has 90% less calories than cayenne pepper - chili pepper has 40 calories in 100g and cayenne pepper has 318 calories.
Does chili pepper or cayenne pepper have more carbohydrates?
By weight, cayenne pepper is high in carbohydrates and chili pepper has 80% fewer carbohydrates than cayenne pepper - chili pepper has 9.5g of carbs for 100g and cayenne pepper has 56.6g of carbohydrates.
Does chili pepper or cayenne pepper contain more calcium?
Cayenne pepper is a rich source of calcium and it has 720% more calcium than chili pepper - chili pepper has 18mg of calcium in 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 148mg of calcium.
Does chili pepper or cayenne pepper contain more iron?
Cayenne pepper is an abundant source of iron and it has 550% more iron than chili pepper - chili pepper has 1.2mg of iron in 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 7.8mg of iron.
Does chili pepper or cayenne pepper contain more potassium?
Both chili pepper and cayenne pepper are high in potassium. Cayenne pepper has 490% more potassium than chili pepper - chili pepper has 340mg of potassium in 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 2014mg of potassium.